Question

The land surface cools off more rapidly at night than water does because:

A) The energy is stored in a shallow layer near the surface of the land, and so it can be radiated away faster.
B) The amount of energy stored in the land is less than that stored in the water column.
C) All of the above are true.
D) None of the above—land does not cool off more rapidly than water at night.

Answer 1

The land surface cools off more rapidly at night than water does because the energy is stored in a shallow layer near the surface of the land, and so it can be radiated away faster. This is because the land has less energy stored compared to water.

Step-by-step explanation:

The land surface cools off more rapidly at night than water does because the energy is stored in a shallow layer near the surface of the land, and so it can be radiated away faster. This is option A. The amount of energy stored in the land is less than that stored in the water column, which is option B.

For example, when the sun sets and the air starts to cool down, the land loses heat more quickly because the energy stored in the top layer of the land can be radiated away faster. On the other hand, water has a higher heat capacity than land, meaning it can store more energy. As a result, water takes longer to heat up and cool down.