Evidently, the Tracking Hurricane Katrina Learning Tool. shows that the intensity of Hurricane Katrina increased as it traveled over the ocean but decreased as it traveled over land. How does this relate to the specific heat capacity of water?

Because water has a high specific heat capacity, in the right geographic and seasonal conditions, the ocean is able to absorb and hold huge amounts of energy. However, when these conditions change, and a storm is forming over a warm ocean, the air in the storm is able to absorb this energy from the ocean. By absorbing energy from the ocean, the storm becomes more and more violent, with stronger and stronger winds.

By contrast, the specific heat capacity of land is relatively low, so that land does not hold huge amounts of energy. Therefore, when a storm such as Hurricane Katrina reaches land, the storm can no longer absorb energy and increase in intensity. Rather, the intensity of the storm gradually diminishes until it dissipates entirely.

Your Turn

Explain how the high specific heat capacity of water allows for the formation of violent storms.