Explain why Keuka Lake (the nearest finger lake to Alfred, NY) still has a temperature of 62°F even though the nights and days have been so cool, and why the hood of my beloved minivan (steel) is cold.
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer:
Keuka Lake remains at 62°F despite cool days and nights because water has a high specific heat capacity, meaning it resists temperature changes. In contrast, the steel hood of your minivan feels cold because metal has a low specific heat capacity and conducts heat very efficiently, rapidly equalizing with the cooler air temperature.
300-Word Explanation:
Keuka Lake, like all large bodies of water, heats up and cools down much more slowly than the surrounding air and land due to water’s high specific heat capacity—the amount of energy needed to change its temperature. Water can absorb or release large amounts of heat with only a small change in its temperature. So even if the air temperatures around Alfred, NY have been cool during both day and night, the lake retains warmth absorbed from previous warmer weather, keeping its temperature relatively stable at around 62°F.
Additionally, water mixes vertically (a process called convection), distributing heat throughout its depth. This means the lake’s entire body helps regulate the surface temperature, preventing it from dropping quickly. Lakes also lose heat primarily through evaporation and radiation, which are slower processes compared to the rapid heat exchange of metals.
On the other hand, the hood of your minivan is made of steel, which has a low specific heat capacity and high thermal conductivity. This means it doesn’t require much energy to change its temperature and it easily transfers heat. At night, when the air cools, the metal hood loses heat quickly to the surrounding environment and matches the air temperature rapidly—often becoming colder than the ambient air due to radiative cooling. When you touch it, the steel draws heat from your hand quickly, making it feel even colder.
So, while Keuka Lake holds onto summer’s warmth, your minivan’s hood quickly conforms to the chill—demonstrating how different materials respond to temperature changes based on their thermal properties.