Which of the following factors has the greatest influence on the mean temperature of a place?
Answer Details
Altitude has the greatest influence on the mean temperature of a place. Temperature decreases with increasing altitude due to the decrease in air pressure, which causes the air to expand and cool. For every 1000 meters increase in elevation, the temperature typically decreases by about 6.5°C. This means that high-altitude areas are generally cooler than low-altitude areas at the same latitude. The other factors listed, such as ocean currents, winds, and distance from the sea, can also have an impact on temperature, but altitude has the greatest influence. For example, ocean currents can moderate temperatures in coastal areas, while winds can bring cooler or warmer air to a region depending on their origin. However, these effects are generally smaller than the influence of altitude.