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Question

The lower atmosphere is mostly warmed by radiated heat from Earth's surface. However, water heats up and cools down more slowly than land. Knowing this, which of the following statements is most likely true?
A.
On a sunny day, the air over a piece of land will be cooler than the air over a bordering lake.
B.
On a sunny day, the air over a lake will be cooler than the air over the bordering land.
C.
On a cloudy day, the air over a southern section of the ocean will be warmer than the air over a northern section of the ocean.
D.
On a cloudy day, the air over a northern section of the ocean will be warmer than the air over a southern section of the ocean.
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Answer 1

The statement that is most likely true is:

B. On a sunny day, the air over a lake will be cooler than the air over the bordering land.

This is because water has a higher specific heat capacity than land, meaning it takes longer to warm up. Therefore, on a sunny day, the land heats up quickly, leading to warmer air above it, while the lake, which heats up more slowly, will have cooler air above it.