At the beach, a student fills two beach pails, one with sand and one with seawater. She places both pails in the same spot in the bright sunlight. After several hours, what will the student MOST LIKELY observe?

Question

A.
The sand will be cooler than the seawater.


B.
Both will be the same temperature but cooler than before.


C.
Both will be the same temperature but warmer than before.


D.
The sand will be warmer than the seawater.

Answer 1

The student will most likely observe:

D. The sand will be warmer than the seawater.

This is because sand has a lower specific heat capacity compared to water, which means it heats up faster when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, after several hours in the sun, the sand is expected to be warmer than the seawater.