Temperature contrast continents vs oceans greater in summer; specific heat of water vs land
Question
Consider the following statements: Statement-I: The temperature contrast between continents and oceans is greater during summer than in winter. Statement-II: The specific heat of water is more than that of land surface. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Options
Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Explanation
Statement-I is incorrect; the temperature contrast between continents and oceans is actually starker in winter (especially in the Northern Hemisphere) because landmasses lose heat far more rapidly than oceans, creating extreme cold continental interiors relative to oceans. Statement-II is correct; water possesses a significantly higher specific heat capacity, meaning it heats and cools much slower than land.
Answer: (d).
Question details
Year
2023
Paper
GS Paper 1
Question
Q64
Subject
Geography
Sub-topic
Climatology & Atmosphere
Type
Assertion-Reason
Difficulty
Medium
Nature
Static
Source hint
NCERT Geography Cl.11 Ch.9
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