Why does the presence of large bodies of water tend to moderate the climate of nearby land—to make it warmer in cold weather and cooler in hot weather?
Solution 26E Step 1 Water has higher specific heat capacity than solids. So, it can hold the heat energy for a long time while comparing with the solids. In the case of land and water, land can be considered as a solid body. The specific heat capacity of land is very less when comparing with water. During winter, the land will cool very fast than the water. The water will not cool off that much faster and it will impart its heat energy into the nearby atmosphere due to the temperature difference between the warm water and cold air. So, the water will maintain the atmospheric temperature as warm for the nearby land. During summer, the process will be reversed, the land will become hot comparatively faster than water. So, the hot atmosphere nearby the large water body will impart the heat into water. So, the atmosphere will become as cool. Conclusion The specific heat capacity of water plays a vital role in maintaining the temperature of atmosphere in hot and cold climates.
