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?

Question

A.
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.
B.
On a sunny day, the air over a lake will be cooler than the air over the bordering land.
C.
On a sunny day, the air over a piece of land will be cooler than the air over a bordering lake.
D.
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.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

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

This is true because land heats up more quickly than water. Therefore, on sunny days, the land will reach a higher temperature than the water in the lake, causing the air over the land to be warmer than the air over the lake. This results in cooler air over the lake compared to the bordering land.