2. You visit a beach on a warm summer day. As you walk across the sand, you noti

Question

2. You visit a beach on a warm summer day. As you walk across the sand, you notice that it's very hot, but just a few inches below the surface, it's much cooler. Later, you walk into the water. Standing about knee-deep, you notice that the water temperature doesn't change from the surface to the bottom. a. Explain why there is a great temperature difference between the beach surface and a few inches down. b. Explain why there is little difference in the water temperature between the surface and a foot down.

(Hint: consider the materials involved. "Mixing" is not the right answer.)

Explanation / Answer

a) Explain why there is a great temperature difference between the beach surface and a few inches down.

The warm air on the ground rises upwards as the ground is heated. Now, the air pressure decreases into the ground. Due to this reduction of pressure, the sea-water is drawn to the ground surface. This is the reason why you get much cooler temperature just a few inches below the ground.

b) Explain why there is little difference in the water temperature between the surface and a foot down.

There is little difference in the sea water temperature between the surface and a foot down, because water easily passes the temperature it gets on the surface, to its bottom also. We know that the sea water is a good conductor of heat . That is why there is little difference in the water temperature between the sea surface and a foot down.

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