What does high thermal inertia imply for ocean temperature in response to heat input?

What does high thermal inertia imply for ocean temperature in response to heat input?

• A. It heats up quickly.
• B. It changes slowly.
• C. It never changes.
• D. It depends only on salinity.

Answer: (B)

When heat is added, a body with high thermal inertia resists temperature changes. The ocean has this property because water has a high specific heat capacity and because there is a vast amount of water. This means a lot of energy is required to produce a small rise in temperature, and the heat is quickly spread through mixing and currents. As a result, ocean temperature changes slowly in response to heat input. If inertia were low, the temperature would rise quickly; with high inertia, the response is gradual. Salinity doesn’t determine this rate—the dominant factors are the water’s heat capacity and the ocean’s massive volume.

When heat is added, a body with high thermal inertia resists temperature changes. The ocean has this property because water has a high specific heat capacity and because there is a vast amount of water. This means a lot of energy is required to produce a small rise in temperature, and the heat is quickly spread through mixing and currents. As a result, ocean temperature changes slowly in response to heat input. If inertia were low, the temperature would rise quickly; with high inertia, the response is gradual. Salinity doesn’t determine this rate—the dominant factors are the water’s heat capacity and the ocean’s massive volume.