LAB: Heating Land and Water

One of the most important concepts that my students learn about in our study of meteorology/climate is that contintents and oceans heat up and cool off differently. Understanding this difference is crucial to learning about daily and seasonal changes that impact weather and climate. The “Heating of Land & Water Lab” helps students learn and remember this important concept. This lab is similar to ones that I have seen featured in various texts and lab books. The students will be recording the temperature of the materials as they are heated beneath a light for 10 minutes and also monitoring them as they cool in the 10 minutes after the light is removed.

Each lab group will need the materials shown in the photo above. . . a lamp (we use 75 watt bulbs), a clothes pin, a ring stand with ring to support the lamp, two small 8 oz. cups, two cheap thermometers, some dark sandy soil, water, a stopwatch or clock with a second hand

Place the two cups 10-15 cm below the base of the lamp so that they will receive equal light. The bulb of the thermometers should be about 1 cm below the surface (of the water and the soil) The clothes pin will hold the thermometer in the water in place.

The temperature of the soil will rise from about 27 C to 43 C while the light is on. The water will go from about 25 C to 33 C. After the light is shut off, the soil will cool faster than the water, however neither will reach their starting temperature.