Latitude

• Physical Geography reports that latitude has a large effect on the heating of both land and water. Despite the surface of the Earth being covered by both land and water, the area near the equator receives and maintains the most solar radiation, making it the warmest region. The areas at the top and bottom of the Earth, known as the poles, receive the least amount of solar radiation, making them the coolest regions.
  
  

Absorption

• Solar radiation heats water more efficiently than it does land, as radiation moves through water heating a greater area. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources reports that land only receives solar radiation on its surface, meaning it loses more heat at a faster rate than water.
  
  

Balance

• To maintain an even temperature, areas of the Earth must absorb and emit equal amounts of heat from solar radiation. According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the oceans of the world are also responsible for carrying heat to cooler regions of the world.