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One way that land and water differ when it comes to absorbing and losing heat is that water can do so by way of phase change - freezing, melting, evaporating, or condensing. Land tends to stay solid.

Water also tends to be much more reflective than land - not always, but in general it is. Land tends to be both a better absorber and radiator of heat.

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12y ago
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5mo ago

Water has a greater heat capacity than land. This means that water requires more energy to change its temperature compared to land. As a result, bodies of water can help moderate the temperature of nearby areas, such as Coastlines.

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11y ago

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Since there is so much more water than land, one expects that most of the solar energy absorbed by Earth is absorbed into the oceans. That is correct.

Crudely, twice as much energy is absorbed by the oceans as the land since there is roughly a bit more than twice as much ocean as land.

More Technical (Albedo):

The characterization of how much solar energy is absorbed by a portion of the surface of the Earth is something called the albedo of the surface. Some surfaces, like dirt, forests and the ocean absorb most of the Sun's energy. Others, like Snow reflect most of it. Deserts are in between.

The albedo of a surface is the fraction of light it reflects. (The term "reflects" does not mean like a mirror but rather means scatters or causes to light bounce back to distinguish "reflection" from the process where light is absorbed.) Normally, one refers to sunlight when quoting an albedo, but if a different or specific wavelength range is being considered, there are different values of the albedo that are defined for different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

On average, the ocean surface has a low albedo meaning it absorbs most of the light that gets to it.

The same is true for bare soil and most forests.

Though the albedo is variable, 70 or 80 % of the light is absorbed.

Desert areas typically have high albedos and can reflect most of the light.

Most land areas are in an albedo range of 0.1 to 0.4, so 90% to 60% of the light is absorbed.

The average albedo of the Earth is about 0.3, somewhat higher than typical of oceans or much of the land area primarily because of the contribution of clouds.

Clouds reflect light very effectively, absorbing little.

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11y ago

That ability - called the heat capacity - is lower for air, meaning air is much more easily heated and cooled.

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11y ago

Land warms up (absorbs heat) and cools down (releases heat) more quickly than water.

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12y ago

It absords more energy.

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14y ago

more

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14y ago

Water.

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Q: Which has a greater heat capacity--water or land?
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Why does the land heat up faster than the ocean?

Land heats up faster than water because it has a lower specific heat capacity, meaning it requires less energy to raise its temperature. Additionally, water has greater thermal inertia due to its higher heat capacity, which allows it to heat up and cool down more slowly than land.


Why is the sufrace of land is usually warmer than the surface of a nearby body of water because the water?

has a higher specific heat capacity than land, meaning it takes longer to heat up or cool down. Additionally, water has greater heat capacity compared to land so it can absorb more heat energy without significantly changing its temperature. This results in the land heating up faster than the water during the day and losing heat quicker at night.


If Specific heat of water is greater than that of land This means?

This means that water requires more energy to increase its temperature compared to land. As a result, water heats up and cools down more slowly than land, leading to more stable temperatures near bodies of water.


From which surface is evaporation greater land or ocean?

Evaporation is generally greater over the ocean than over land due to the larger surface area of water bodies and the availability of moisture in the atmosphere. The ocean has a higher evaporation rate compared to land surfaces due to the water's ability to store heat and release it slowly over time.


Which heats up most rapidly during the day land or sea?

Land heats up more rapidly during the day compared to the sea due to its lower specific heat capacity. Land absorbs and releases heat quickly, while the sea has a greater capacity to store and release heat, resulting in slower temperature changes.

Related questions

Why does the land heat up faster than the ocean?

Land heats up faster than water because it has a lower specific heat capacity, meaning it requires less energy to raise its temperature. Additionally, water has greater thermal inertia due to its higher heat capacity, which allows it to heat up and cool down more slowly than land.


Do isotherms show a greater seasonal shift over land or ocean?

Isotherms, which are lines connecting areas with the same average temperature, generally exhibit a greater seasonal shift over land compared to the ocean. This is because land heats up and cools down more quickly than the ocean due to differences in heat capacity and heat transfer mechanisms. Therefore, the temperature variation on land between seasons is usually more pronounced than that over the ocean.


Why is the sufrace of land is usually warmer than the surface of a nearby body of water because the water?

has a higher specific heat capacity than land, meaning it takes longer to heat up or cool down. Additionally, water has greater heat capacity compared to land so it can absorb more heat energy without significantly changing its temperature. This results in the land heating up faster than the water during the day and losing heat quicker at night.


If Specific heat of water is greater than that of land This means?

This means that water requires more energy to increase its temperature compared to land. As a result, water heats up and cools down more slowly than land, leading to more stable temperatures near bodies of water.


Which is greater land or water?

Water has a larger surface area on the earth. Land has a greater mass.


How can sea temperature change a hurricane?

As I understand it, hurricanes develop, and enlarge as a result of absorbing ENERGY in the form of HEAT from the water over which they travel.Therefore, the greater the heat, the greater the chances of a hurricane growing larger and more violent. And the converse of that is also true: As the temperature of the mass [water or land] over which the hurricane travels decreases, the greater the tendency for it to weaken and dissipate.


From which surface is evaporation greater land or ocean?

Evaporation is generally greater over the ocean than over land due to the larger surface area of water bodies and the availability of moisture in the atmosphere. The ocean has a higher evaporation rate compared to land surfaces due to the water's ability to store heat and release it slowly over time.


Which heats up most rapidly during the day land or sea?

Land heats up more rapidly during the day compared to the sea due to its lower specific heat capacity. Land absorbs and releases heat quickly, while the sea has a greater capacity to store and release heat, resulting in slower temperature changes.


Why does water have a greater specific heat over then sand?

water has a greater specific heat than sand becasue it takes longer to heat up than sand does


Which dissipates heat more quickly land or water?

Land heats and cools faster than water.


How are the amount of heat transferred and the change in temperature of water related?

Hi, heat transferred = mass x specific heat capacity x rise/fall in temperature If heat is lost then fall in temperature If heat is gained then rise in temperature. More the transfer then greater the difference in temperature.


Does land absorbs heat faster?

Yes, land absorbs heat faster than water because it has a lower specific heat capacity. This means that land can heat up and cool down more quickly than water.