Question

24. Palm trees and subtropical plants are commonplace in Land's End, England, whose latitude is the equivalent of Labrador in coastal Canada, where the local flora is subarctic. Which statement best explains why this apparent anomaly exists between North America and Europe? A) Labrador does not get enough rainfall to support the subtropical flora found in Land's End. B) Regions such as Labrador are actually colder than England because colder Arctic water flows down to eastern North America and warm water from the equator flows to England. C) Rainfall fluctuates greatly in England; rainfall is consistently high in Labrador. D) Labrador is too windy to support tall plants, such as palm trees. E) Labrador receives sunlight of lower duration and intensity than does Land's End.

Answer 1

Answer:

B) Regions such as Labrador are actually colder than England because colder Arctic water flows down to eastern North America and warm water from the equator flows to England

Explanation:

Even though Labrador and England are roughly on the same latitude, the climates in these two places are very different. The reason for this is the influence of the ocean currents on the climate. Labrador is influenced by dry and cold ocean currents, bringing in very cold weather conditions and harsh cold winds, thus not providing conditions for the growth of palm trees. On the other side of the Atlantic, England is influenced by warm and wet ocean current, the Gulf Stream. This brings in relatively small fluctuations in the temperature, with both the summer and the winter being mild and without extreme temperatures. Also, it brings in a lot of precipitation, so the palm trees manage to survive with only slight adaptations.