Quiz: How do oceans and lakes affect local weather?

🌊 Quick Study Guide

• 🌍 Specific Heat Capacity: Water has a high specific heat capacity, meaning it takes a lot of energy to change its temperature. This makes oceans and lakes temperature regulators.
• 🌡️ Temperature Moderation: Water heats up and cools down slower than land, moderating coastal and lakeside temperatures. This leads to cooler summers and warmer winters.
• 💨 Evaporation and Humidity: Water evaporates, increasing humidity in the air. Higher humidity can lead to increased cloud cover and precipitation.
• 🌧️ Lake-Effect Snow: In colder regions, cold, dry air passing over a warmer lake can pick up moisture and heat, leading to heavy snowfall downwind.
• 🌬️ Sea Breezes and Land Breezes: During the day, land heats up faster than the ocean, creating a sea breeze. At night, the land cools faster, resulting in a land breeze.
• 🌀 Ocean Currents: Ocean currents distribute heat around the globe, influencing regional climates. Warm currents bring warmer temperatures, while cold currents bring cooler temperatures.
• ☀️ Albedo: Water has a lower albedo than land, meaning it absorbs more solar radiation. This can affect local temperatures and weather patterns.

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. What property of water allows oceans and lakes to moderate local temperatures?
   1. A) Low density
   2. B) High specific heat capacity
   3. C) Low viscosity
   4. D) High salinity
2. How do oceans typically affect the temperature of nearby coastal areas during the summer?
   1. A) They cause temperatures to increase significantly.
   2. B) They have no effect on the temperature.
   3. C) They help keep temperatures cooler.
   4. D) They cause extreme temperature fluctuations.
3. What is the primary effect of increased evaporation from large bodies of water on local weather?
   1. A) Decreased humidity
   2. B) Lower air pressure
   3. C) Increased cloud cover and precipitation
   4. D) Reduced wind speeds
4. Which phenomenon occurs when cold, dry air passes over a warmer lake, leading to heavy snowfall?
   1. A) Ocean acidification
   2. B) Lake-effect snow
   3. C) Thermal inversion
   4. D) El Niño
5. During the day, what type of breeze is typically experienced near a large body of water?
   1. A) Land breeze
   2. B) Sea breeze
   3. C) Mountain breeze
   4. D) Valley breeze
6. How do ocean currents influence regional climates?
   1. A) By changing the Earth's axial tilt
   2. B) By distributing heat around the globe
   3. C) By altering the composition of the atmosphere
   4. D) By affecting the gravitational pull of the moon
7. What is albedo, and how does it relate to the effect of water bodies on local weather?
   1. A) Albedo is the measure of a substance's pH level; water has a high albedo, reflecting more sunlight.
   2. B) Albedo is the measure of a substance's salinity; water has a low albedo, absorbing more salt.
   3. C) Albedo is the measure of a substance's reflectivity; water has a low albedo, absorbing more solar radiation.
   4. D) Albedo is the measure of a substance's density; water has a high albedo, reflecting more heat.