Explain why average temperatures decrease with increasing distance from the equator?

Answer 1

As the earth is in the form of a sphere, the angle of incidence of the sun's rays at the earth's surface increases from the equator towards the poles and therefore the amount of heat received on a GIVEN AREA diminishes in the same direction. Temperature is therefore normally hottest near the equator and coolest near the poles.

There is however, a seasonal variation of temperature owing to the annual changes in the sun's declination between 23.5 degree North and 23.5 degrees South. Not only is the inclination of the solar beam is involved, but also the lengthening of the day in summer at the higher latitudes, to some extent, compensates for the reduction of intensity of the solar radiation. This is why, combined with the very dry air of the eastern side of the subtropical anticyclone, the highest dry bulb temperatures are found in subtropical deserts and not at the equator.

The hottest mean temperatures are found in the lowest-latitude arid areas such as Somalia and Djibouti, which lie in the rain shadow of the Ethiopian Highlands. In these, very high insolation and low cloud cover allow for average maximum temperatures of around 35˚C (95˚F). In the Guajira Peninsula of Colombia, rain shadowed by the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, average maxima are around 33˚C 90˚F), whereas in the humid tropics they are around 30˚C (86˚F).

Answer 2

The sun's rays strike Earth at increasingly lower

angles with increasing distance from the equator,

thus providing less and less direct sunlight.

Answer 3

Because the sun is more concentrated on the earths equator.

Answer 4

The angle of the sun's rays changes as you get nearer the poles - meaning the heat has to travel through a greater thickness of atmosphere.