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Near the equator, in countries like Brazil, one can find lush rainforests, tropical beaches, and warm oceans. At the poles, however, the environment is very different. Barren fields of ice that are thousands of years old and air temperatures lower than anywhere else on earth make up the entire continent of Antarctica.
This great contrast of environment is called a difference in climate. Many different climates exist all over the Earth, including hot, barren deserts, tropical rainforests, and polar regions.
[ What determines an area's climate? ]
Many factors affect climate, including position relative to land and water masses, altitude, topography, prevailing winds, ocean currents, and prevalence of cyclonic storms (Encyclopedia.com N. Pag.) However, the most important factor is latitude, or position between the equator and the North or South Pole. In general, warmer climates are found closer to the equator, while colder climate are found as one moves nearer to the poles.
This is because the sun, which is the primary source of warmth and energy on earth, (see Why do we need the sun?) does not shine equally on all parts of the planet. The earth rotates on an axis defined by the north and south poles, and the sun is located perpendicularly to this axis, meaning that its rays are received with greater intensity near the equator and with less intensity near the poles. The result is a difference in climate.
When we think of the sun we think of many things, but we generally do not appreciate it's role in our lives. Indeed, it is much more important than it often seems. Without the sun, it is unlikely that life would have ever formed on Earth; nearly all organisms are highly dependant on the sun and its products for numerous reasons, a fact which has made Earth the lush, fertile planet that it is.
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