Why Does the Beach Breeze Change Direction in the Evening?

In summary, the conversation discusses the movement of beach breezes and its relation to temperature, convection, and specific heat capacity. The air above the sand heats up and rises due to convection, creating a breeze towards the shore. However, in the evening, the direction of the breeze reverses as the land cools faster than the ocean. The formula for specific latent heat is mentioned as Q=m.l, where l represents the latent heat and Q is the amount of heat required to change the state of a substance with mass m.
  • #1
Phyzor
9
0
Specific Heat Capacity help!

This question is simple but I'm a little confused, it involves beach breezses, temperature, and convection.

Sand on the beach get much hotter than water on sunny day so air above sand heats up and rise due to convection then cold air moves in from over water making the breeze blow TOWARDS shore right?

But why does the beach breeze move AWAY (reverse direction) from the shore later in the evening?
 
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  • #2


Originally posted by Phyzor
But why does the beach breeze move AWAY (reverse direction) from the shore later in the evening?
Because being a good absorber of radiant heat means being a good radiator of heat. The ground cools quickly and gets cooler than the ocean. So the warmer (relatively) air over the ocean rises and the cooler air from the land moves out to replace it.
 
  • #3
Thanx alot.:smile:

BTW is this the formula for LATENT HEAT or SPECIFIC LATENT HEAT: l=Q/m
rearanged: Q=m.l
 

1. What is specific heat capacity?

Specific heat capacity, also known as specific heat, is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius.

2. How is specific heat capacity measured?

Specific heat capacity is typically measured in units of joules per gram per degree Celsius (J/g°C) or calories per gram per degree Celsius (cal/g°C). It can be measured experimentally by heating a known mass of a substance and measuring the change in temperature.

3. What factors affect the specific heat capacity of a substance?

The specific heat capacity of a substance is affected by its mass, temperature, and chemical composition. Substances with higher molecular complexities, such as water, tend to have higher specific heat capacities.

4. How does specific heat capacity relate to thermal conductivity?

Specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity are related, but not interchangeable. Specific heat capacity refers to the amount of heat energy required to change the temperature of a substance, while thermal conductivity refers to the rate at which heat flows through a substance.

5. Why is specific heat capacity important in various industries?

Specific heat capacity is important in various industries, such as engineering, metallurgy, and thermodynamics. It is used to design and optimize heating and cooling systems, determine heat transfer rates, and understand the behavior of materials under different temperatures.

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