AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Water’s high heat capacity is a property caused by hydrogen bonding among water molecules. When heat is absorbed, hydrogen bonds are broken and water molecules can move freely. When the temperature of water decreases, the hydrogen bonds are formed and release a considerable amount of energy.

Detailed explanation-2: -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-3: -Water’s high surface tension is due to the hydrogen bonding in water molecules. Water also has an exceptionally high heat of vaporization. Vaporization occurs when a liquid changes to a gas, which makes it an endothermic reaction.

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.