Question

how do you appreciate the role of higher specific heat of water in stabilising atmospheric temperature during winter and summer season

Answer 1

   High specific heat means the substance takes a lot of heat to raise its temperature by 1⁰C. Also, water gives out a lot of heat when it cools by 1⁰C.

   Water has a high specific heat capacity as compared to sand/Earthen material on the ground.   During winter, waters in the oceans and rivers collect heat during the day, and then give that out during the night. The atmosphere gets warmed up in the night. It helps people in the neighbourhood of oceans, lakes, rivers etc. to keep warm from cold.


During summer because water takes a lot of time to heat up, water remains relatively cool during the day compared to the atmosphere. That is why people swim a lot in pools and in rivers during the day.  But however, that heat is again sent back to the atmosphere in the night.

   Water evaporates taking a lot of heat and goes up into clouds. That evaporation keeps the water on surface and atmosphere cool. Breezes from the rivers, oceans blow towards the land due to the pressure difference (created by hotter temperature of air & lighter density)   .

   Thus natural convection currents are a consequence of the large difference in the specific heats of water and lands nearby.

   Also, during summer  water absorbs a lot of heat to become vapour and rise to the clouds.  So a lot of cooling affect is experienced near water bodies. Materials with high specific heat also have high values of latent heat of vaporization.