AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -To summarize, large bodies of water tend to moderate the temperature of nearby land due to the high heat capacity of water. This high heat capacity results from both the higher specific heat of water and the mixing of heat throughout a greater depth over oceans.

Detailed explanation-2: -What property of water explains why large bodies of water do not quickly fluctuate in temperature? Water has a high specific heat capacity, so it takes a lot of energy to increase its temperature.

Detailed explanation-3: -Water has a high specific heat capacity-it absorbs a lot of heat before it begins to get hot. You may not know how that affects you, but the specific heat of water has a huge role to play in the Earth’s climate and helps determine the habitability of many places around the globe.

Detailed explanation-4: -Because water absorbs and releases heat at a rate much slower than land, air temperatures in areas near large bodies of water tend to have smaller fluctuations.

Detailed explanation-5: -Because of its high heat capacity, water can minimize changes in temperature. For instance, the specific heat capacity of water is about five times greater than that of sand. The land cools faster than the sea once the sun goes down, and the slow-cooling water can release heat to nearby land during the night.