Asked by julie
Riley lives near a polar zone, where it is cold. He visits his friend Thalia, who lives in a tropical zone, where it is warm all year. They live at similar elevations, and neither lives in a coastal area.
What causes the differences in climate where Riley and Thalia live?
altitude
latitude
ocean currents
a large body of water
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
Latitude.
Riley lives in a polar zone and Thalia in a tropical zone because they are at different latitudes. Latitude controls the angle and intensity of incoming solar radiation: higher latitudes get sunlight at a low angle (spread out and weakened, more atmosphere to pass through) and so stay colder, while low latitudes get more direct, concentrated sunlight and stay warm year‑round. Altitude, ocean currents, and proximity to large bodies of water would matter otherwise, but you said their elevations are similar and neither is coastal, so those aren’t the cause.
Riley lives in a polar zone and Thalia in a tropical zone because they are at different latitudes. Latitude controls the angle and intensity of incoming solar radiation: higher latitudes get sunlight at a low angle (spread out and weakened, more atmosphere to pass through) and so stay colder, while low latitudes get more direct, concentrated sunlight and stay warm year‑round. Altitude, ocean currents, and proximity to large bodies of water would matter otherwise, but you said their elevations are similar and neither is coastal, so those aren’t the cause.
Submit Your Answer
We prioritize human answers over AI answers.
If you are human, and you can answer this question, please submit your answer.