The image of shows of beach with the temperatures of the ocean water and the sand and the daytime and the night time which of the following is the best explanation for the change in temperature from day to night and water versus on land
The change in temperature from day to night on the beach can be explained by several factors:
1. Radiative Cooling: During the day, the sun's rays warm the sand and ocean water. However, at night, these surfaces lose heat through a process called radiative cooling. As the Earth's surface cools down, it emits thermal radiation back into space, causing the temperatures to drop.
2. Heat Capacity: Sand has a lower heat capacity compared to water. Daytime heating affects the sand more quickly, causing it to heat up faster and cool down faster at night. Conversely, the water has a higher heat capacity, meaning it takes longer to warm up and cool down. Thus, the sand will experience larger temperature fluctuations between day and night compared to the ocean water.
3. Thermal Properties: Water has a higher thermal conductivity than sand, which means it can absorb and transfer heat more efficiently. This property allows the ocean water to retain heat for a longer duration, resulting in slower temperature changes compared to the sand.
Therefore, due to radiative cooling, differences in heat capacity, and thermal properties, the change in temperature from day to night on the beach affects the land (sand) more significantly than the ocean water.