Final answer:
The difference in maximum temperatures between Miami, Florida, and Phoenix, Arizona, is due to the dominant forms of heat transfer in each climate: evaporation acts as a form of convection in Miami's humid climate, while radiation is prevalent in Phoenix's desert climate, allowing for higher temperatures there. Therefore, the correct answer is d) Convection in humid climates, radiation in desert climates.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns the different ways in which heat transfer affects the maximum temperatures in Miami, Florida, with its humid climate, and Phoenix, Arizona, with its desert climate. In humid climates like Miami's, evaporation plays a significant role in limiting high temperatures. The presence of large bodies of water and high humidity enables more water to evaporate, which absorbs heat from the environment and subsequently lowers the air temperature. This phenomenon helps prevent temperatures from rising above about 38°C (100°F).
In desert climates like Phoenix's, the process of heat transfer is chiefly through radiation. Since there is less water available to evaporate and the air is very dry, the primary mode of heat dissipation is the emission of longwave radiation from the ground and other surfaces. This does not have the same cooling effect as evaporation, allowing temperatures to climb well above 38°C on a regular basis during the hottest months.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question would be d) Convection in humid climates, radiation in desert climates. In humid climates, the evaporation of water is effectively a form of convection, where the heat is transferred through the mass movement of water vapor. In contrast, radiation is the key mode of heat transfer in deserts, as heat is radiated away from the surface.