Tara goes to the beach during the summertime. One morning she wades into the ocean before the Sun has risen and notices that the water in the ocean feels warmer than the sand on the beach. In the afternoon of the same day, she wades back into the ocean and observes that now the water in the ocean feels cooler than the sand on the beach. Which of the following best explains the difference in temperature between the ocean and the sand?
The temperature difference between the ocean and the sand can be best explained by the difference in their specific heat capacities. The ocean has a higher specific heat capacity than sand. Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by a certain amount. In the morning, when the Sun has not yet risen, the sand on the beach has not absorbed much heat and therefore remains relatively cool. The ocean, on the other hand, being a large body of water, takes longer to heat up and retains heat better. Hence, the water in the ocean feels warmer than the sand. In the afternoon, after being exposed to the Sun for a longer duration, the sand has absorbed more heat and therefore become warmer than the ocean, which has slowly dissipated its heat into the surrounding environment. Hence, the water in the ocean feels cooler than the sand on the beach.
