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Re: [Phys-l] Thermal mass

-----Original Message-----
From: Anthony Lapinski
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2011 1:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Thermal mass

The last phrase is not true. The hottest days are about a month after the
summer solstice, and the coldest days are about a month after the winter
solstice. This "thermal lagging" is due to the large mass of the Earth and
the time it takes it to cool/warm.
========================================================================
This is visually apparent by looking at the 2 graphs in the bottom half of the seasons poster that plot average daily solar insolation and average daily temperature vs. month.

<http://www.sci-ed-ga.org/modules/materialscience/color/images/SeasonsPoster.jpg>
(click on it to see it in higher resolution)

Note that it is not the entire thermal mass of the earth that is relevant; rather it is the oceans and the top part of the land mass.

Larry Woolf