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Chapter 16: Problem 14

Global warming at Earth's surface is generally producing greater temperature rises over land than over the oceans. Why might this be?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Greater temperature increases are seen on land relative to the oceans due to differences in heat capacity. Land has a lower heat capacity than water, resulting in quicker and more substantial temperature rises when the same amount of heat is applied. Additional factors include the extensive global coverage of oceans and the heat distribution effect of ocean currents.

Step by step solution

01

Define the Problem

Begin by understanding the key terms and concepts. Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth's average temperature. It is pertinent to note that not all regions experience the same degree of warming - some areas (like land) might warm more than others (like oceans). This discrepancy is due to various factors that we will explore next.
02

Properties of Land & Water

Land and water have different physical properties that influence their capacity to absorb and hold heat. Land doesn't hold heat as well as water, which means, during periods of warming, land temperatures rise more quickly than water temperatures.
03

Elaborate on the Heat Capacity Concept

The reason behind this phenomenon relates to the concept of 'heat capacity', which is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a substance by a certain amount. Water has a higher heat capacity than land, meaning it requires more energy (i.e., heat from the sun) to increase its temperature. Hence, though the same amount of heat is added to both land and ocean surfaces, land's temperature rises more because of its lower heat capacity.
04

Consider Global Distribution and Water Currents

Other factors contributing to lower oceanic temperature increases include the more extensive global distribution of water (70% of Earth's surface) and the existence of deep ocean currents. These currents distribute heat within the ocean, leading to a smaller temperature increase at the surface.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A Canadian meteorologist predicts an overnight low of \(-15^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) How would a U.S. meteorologist express that prediction?

A friend who's skeptical about climate change argues that the roughly \(0.85^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) increase in Earth's temperature during the industrial era could be caused by an increase in the Sun's power output. The Sun's average power has, in fact, increased by about \(0.05 \%\) during this time. Could your friend be right?

Why does the temperature in a stone building usually vary less than in a wooden building?

The table below shows temperature versus time for \(500 \mathrm{g}\) of water heated in a microwave oven. In a microwave, essentially all the microwave energy goes into the water-containing food in the oven. Plot the data, determine a best-fit line, and use the slope of your line to determine the microwave power of this particular oven. Assume that water's specific heat is independent of temperature (which is only approximately true; see Problem 73 ). $$\begin{array}{|l|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|} \hline \text { Time (s) } & 0 & 25 & 60 & 95 & 125 & 160 & 190 \\ \hline \text { Temperature ('C) } & 12 & 20 & 39 & 53 & 64 & 83 & 93 \\ \hline \end{array}$$

An oven loses energy at the rate of \(14 \mathrm{W}\) per \(^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) temperature difference between its interior and the \(20^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) temperature of the kitchen. What average power must be supplied to maintain the oven at \(180^{\circ} \mathrm{C} ?\)
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