======Land vs Water Heating======


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**Alternative titles:** Differential Heating of Land and Water
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Fill one beaker with 200 mL of sand or soil and another with 200 mL of water.  
  - Place a thermometer about 1 cm below the surface in each beaker, securing with clips if necessary.  
  - Position both beakers 10–15 cm below a heat lamp, making sure they are equally distant from the bulb.  
  - Record starting temperatures at 0 minutes.  
  - Turn on the lamp and record both temperatures every minute for 10 minutes.  
  - At the 10-minute mark, turn off the lamp and move it away.  
  - Continue recording temperatures every minute for another 10 minutes while the samples cool.  
  - Plot your data on a graph (temperature vs. time) with separate lines for sand/soil and water.



====Links==== 
Uneven Heating of Land vs Water - Bill Young: 
{{youtube>QdFSjYJPjDE?}}\\

Heating of Land and Water - Vernier Science Education: 
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📄 Heating Earth’s Surfaces: Land Versus Water - NASA JXA: [[https://gpm.nasa.gov/education/sites/default/files/lesson_plan_files/Global%20Energy%20Budget/GPM%20Global%20Energy%20Budget%20-%20Land%20vs%20Water%20Lab.pdf]]\\

====Variations====
  * Test different materials such as gravel, clay, or dark-colored soil.  
  * Change the distance from the lamp to see how intensity affects heating.  
  * Compare results indoors vs. outdoors using real sunlight.  
  * Extend the cooling period to see longer-term temperature changes.



====Safety Precautions====
  * The heat lamp and bulb become very hot; avoid touching them during or immediately after the experiment.  
  * Handle glass beakers carefully to prevent breakage.  
  * Use caution when working with water and electrical equipment nearby.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Which material heated up faster, the soil or the water? (Soil heats faster.)  
  * Which material cooled faster after the lamp was turned off? (Soil cools faster.)  
  * Why does water heat and cool more slowly than land? (Water has a higher specific heat capacity and circulates to distribute heat.)  
  * How do these results explain temperature differences between coastal and inland areas? (Coastal areas have smaller day-night temperature ranges, while inland areas have greater extremes.)  
  * Based on your results, which city would have a greater temperature swing between day and night—Seattle or Bismarck? (Bismarck, because land heats and cools more quickly than water.)