Specific heat and Climate

What is temperature?

• How hot something is
• A measure of the average kinetic energy of particles
• A measure of the average potential energy of particles
• A measure of the bond energy of particles

In a hot summer day, a student jumps in a pool. Which of the following is the best explanation of why the student felt much better as soon as he jumped in the water?

• The heat of the pool is transferred to the student making the water of the pool cooler
• The heat of the student is transferred to the pool making the water of the pool warmer
• The heat of the student is conserved and not transferred
• The heat of the pool is conserved and not transferred

A student leaves a hot plate plugged in for an hour. He quickly realizes this as he accidentally touches it with his finger. Which of the following best describes the heat transfer?

• The hot plate conducts heat to the student's finger and radiates heat to the air.

• The hot plate conducts heat to the students' finger and the air radiates heat to the hot plate.

• The students' finger transfers heat to the hot plate and to the air

• The student's finger conducts heat to the hot plate and hot plate radiates heat to the air

Copper has a specific heat of 0.385 J/g⁰C and aluminum has a specific heat of 0.902 J/g⁰C. If a pot of aluminum and a pot of copper filled with water were placed on the stove, which one would make the water boil first? Assume both pots have the same amount of water.

• the aluminum pot will heat up the water first because it has a higher specific heat
• the copper pot will heat up the water first because it has a lower specific heat
• both pots will heat up the water to boiling point at the same time because water boils at 100⁰C

Compared to land temperature changes, water surface temperature changes

• more slowly because water has a lower specific heat
• more slowly because water has a higher specific heat
• faster because water has a lower specific heat
• faster because water has a higher specific heat

Why does city B have a much lower temperature range than city A?

• City B is further away from water
• City A is further away from water
• City B has more precipitation
• City A has stronger winds

Why does location C have a cooler climate than location D if they are on the same line of latitude?

• Location C is farther east

• Location C is influenced by the high specific heat of ocean water

• Location C is further from the equator

• The ground around Location C has a lower specific heat

Chicago experiences cooler summers and warmer winters than Nebraska because Chicago

• is located closer to the equator

• is higher in elevation

• is closer to a large body of water

• has a greater average yearly rainfall

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature 1ºC for every kilogram is called____?

• Thermal Energy
• Specific Heat
• Temperature
• Kinetic Energy

Water has a specific heat of 4184 J/KgºC.  Wood has a specific heat of 1760 J/KgºC.  What material needs more energy to raise the temperature 1ºC

• Wood
• Water
• Both are the same