Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Weather and Climate II: Seasonal Differences ~ Item CL070002 ~ Student Performance

On a clear, cloudless day, students at schools in several different countries in the northern hemisphere determine the highest air temperature outside their school that day. Will all of the schools have the same air temperature?

Yes, but only if all of the schools are the same distance from the equator because the air temperature is the same everywhere that is the same distance from the equator.
Yes, but only if all of the schools are the same distance from the equator and the same height above sea level because these are the only factors that affect air temperatures.
Yes, but only if the schools are the same distance from the equator, the same height above sea level, and the same distance from the ocean because these are the only factors that affect air temperatures.
No, even if schools are the same distance from the equator, the same height above sea level, and the same distance from the ocean, they can have different air temperatures because there are other factors that affect air temperatures.

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice		Overall	Grades		Gender		Primary Language
		n = 3404	6–8 n = 1757	9–12 n = 1629	Male n = 1651	Female n = 1642	English n = 2836	Other n = 391
A.	Yes, but only if all of the schools are the same distance from the equator because the air temperature is the same everywhere that is the same distance from the equator.	7%	7%	6%	7%	7%	6%	8%
B.	Yes, but only if all of the schools are the same distance from the equator and the same height above sea level because these are the only factors that affect air temperatures.	13%	13%	12%	13%	12%	12%	16%
C.	Yes, but only if the schools are the same distance from the equator, the same height above sea level, and the same distance from the ocean because these are the only factors that affect air temperatures.	15%	15%	15%	16%	15%	15%	18%
D.	No, even if schools are the same distance from the equator, the same height above sea level, and the same distance from the ocean, they can have different air temperatures because there are other factors that affect air temperatures.	66%	65%	66%	65%	67%	67%	57%

Science Assessment

Item CL070002: Places at the same latitude can have different high temperatures on a given day even if they are at the same elevation and the same distance from the ocean.