Specific Heat, Oceans, and FogThis fog along the coast of Maine results from the temperature differe
Specific Heat, Oceans, and FogThis fog along the coast of Maine results from the temperature difference between the air and water, which causes droplets of water to condense on particulates when the dew point is reached.Temperature gradients exist between the ocean or land and the air, as each passes heat to one another. Water has a huge ability to hold a lot of heat, affecting the surrounding air and land.This ability of water to hold heat is related to the concept of specific heat, the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of substance by 1 degree Celsius. Water has a very high specific heat, due to the hydrogen bonds forming between the polar water molecules.The heat capacity of a substance is its specific heat multiplied by its mass, and water has a much higher mass than air. Combine this high mass with a very large specific heat, and water has the ability to hold a lot of heat! This is why coastal climates are more regulated than inland locations, as the large bodies of water release great stores of heat slowly in the winter, and slowly absorb the heat in the spring to summer. Land and air, however, have lower specific heats, and lose and gain their heat much faster than water.-MHRead More:http://bit.ly/13w5lFPhttp://bit.ly/1wIG5WiPhoto Credit: MH -- source link
#maine#weawther#science#chemistry#water#physics#specific heat#heat capacity#coast#ocean