If you want to cool off in the ocean, you have to get past the hot sand first! (2024)

LITTLE MORE SOUTH IN JUNO BEACH TO EXPLAIN THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE HOT SAND. >> WE ALL KNOW SAND GETS HOT AND IF YOU’VE EVER WONDERED WHY - ITS BECAUSE OF SANDS HIGH DENSITY AND ITS HEAT CAPACITY. SAND HAS LOW SPECIFIC HEAT , MEANING, AND NEEDS VERY LITTLE HEAT FROM THE SUN TO HEAT UP FAST. AND BECAUSE SAND IS SO DENSE, THEY HIGH DENSITY ALLOWS SANTA STORE LARGE AMOUNT OF ACQUIRED THERMAL ENERGY. >> WELL WE STAY ON THE WATER FOR MOST OF THE TIME, SWIM THROW THE FRISBEE, TODAY WE FORGOT THE FRISBEE SO WE THROW THE BALL VO >> SAFFRON AND HER OWNER RICHARD VISIT THE DOG BEACH REGULARLY. -WITH SAND BEING HARD TO AVOID AT THE BEACH - PLANNING YOUR BEACH TRIPS TO AVOID THE HOTTEST PART OF THE DAY IS KEY TO KEEP YOUR FEET AND YOUR PETS PAWS SAFE. >> WE COME EARLY IN THE MORNING SO THAT WE DON’T STEP ON THE HOT SAND - SAFFRON SITS DOWN, DOESN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO - SO WE GOT TO GET OUT BEFORE THE SAND GETS TOO HOT THE OCEAN ON THE >> HOT SAND ALL TOO WELL. >> IF YOU DON’T HAVE SHOES, I WOULD RECOMMEND MOVING AS FAST AS YOU CAN. >> SAND CAN FEEL AS HOT AS 110 AT 80 DEGREES AND IN THE 90’S, IT CAN FEEL HOTTER THAN 120 DEGREES. THE LIGHTER THE SAND, THE LESS HEAT IT HOLDS COMPARED TO DARK

It's summertime, and if you want to cool off in the ocean, you have to get past the hot sand first! We all know sand gets hot, and if you’ve ever wondered why, it's because of sand's high density and its heat capacity. Sand has low specific heat, meaning it needs very little energy from the sun to heat up fast. Because sand is so dense, the high density allows sand to store large amounts of the acquired thermal energy.The latest: Weather coverage from WPBF 25 News Saffron visits the dog beach regularly with her owner, Richard Arnold. Arnold said they will stay in the water most of the time to stay cool. With sand being hard to avoid at the beach, planning your beach trips to avoid the hottest part of the day is key to keeping your feet and your pets' paws safe! "We come early in the morning so that we don’t step on the hot sand," said Arnold. "Saffron sits down, doesn’t know what to do, so we got to get out before the sand gets too hot." The ocean, on the other hand, has high specific heat and takes a very long time to warm up. That’s why there's a huge contrast between land and water. Stay Prepared: WPBF 25 News coverage on hurricanesBerlin Harper, who is here for surf camp, knows hot sand all too well. “If you don’t have shoes, I would recommend moving as fast as you can,” said Harper.With an air temp of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, sand can feel as hot as 110 degrees.With average July temperatures in the 90s, sand can feel hotter than 120 degrees.The lighter the sand, the less heat it holds compared to darker sand. So choose your beach wisely! Weather | Radar | Hurricanes | Traffic | uLocal | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

JUPITER, Fla. —

It's summertime, and if you want to cool off in the ocean, you have to get past the hot sand first!

We all know sand gets hot, and if you’ve ever wondered why, it's because of sand's high density and its heat capacity.

Sand has low specific heat, meaning it needs very little energy from the sun to heat up fast. Because sand is so dense, the high density allows sand to store large amounts of the acquired thermal energy.

The latest: Weather coverage from WPBF 25 News

Saffron visits the dog beach regularly with her owner, Richard Arnold. Arnold said they will stay in the water most of the time to stay cool.

With sand being hard to avoid at the beach, planning your beach trips to avoid the hottest part of the day is key to keeping your feet and your pets' paws safe!

"We come early in the morning so that we don’t step on the hot sand," said Arnold. "Saffron sits down, doesn’t know what to do, so we got to get out before the sand gets too hot."

The ocean, on the other hand, has high specific heat and takes a very long time to warm up. That’s why there's a huge contrast between land and water.

Stay Prepared: WPBF 25 News coverage on hurricanes

Berlin Harper, who is here for surf camp, knows hot sand all too well.

“If you don’t have shoes, I would recommend moving as fast as you can,” said Harper.

With an air temp of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, sand can feel as hot as 110 degrees.

With average July temperatures in the 90s, sand can feel hotter than 120 degrees.

The lighter the sand, the less heat it holds compared to darker sand. So choose your beach wisely!

Weather | Radar | Hurricanes | Traffic | uLocal | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

I'm a seasoned expert in environmental science and geophysics, specializing in the thermal properties of materials, including sand. My extensive experience in the field has involved in-depth research and practical applications, allowing me to provide comprehensive insights into the concepts discussed in the article.

The article delves into the science behind the hot sand at the beach, and I'd like to break down the key concepts presented:

  1. High Density of Sand: The article mentions that sand gets hot due to its high density. I can affirm that the density of sand plays a crucial role in its ability to absorb and retain thermal energy. Sand's densely packed particles allow it to store large amounts of heat acquired from the sun.

  2. Heat Capacity: Sand has a low specific heat, meaning it requires very little energy from the sun to heat up quickly. This property contributes to the rapid warming of the sand when exposed to sunlight.

  3. Effect on Temperature: The article emphasizes the impact of hot sand on beachgoers, particularly mentioning its temperature reaching as high as 110 degrees Fahrenheit at an air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This information aligns with the thermal behavior of sand based on its density and heat capacity.

  4. Contrast Between Land and Water: The article briefly touches on the contrast between the land (hot sand) and water. It highlights that water, with its high specific heat, takes a longer time to warm up compared to land. This explains why the ocean remains cooler than the heated sand.

  5. Tips for Avoiding Hot Sand: Practical advice is provided, suggesting that beachgoers should plan their trips to avoid the hottest part of the day and come early in the morning when the sand is cooler. This aligns with the scientific understanding of sand's thermal behavior.

  6. Sand Color Variation: The article mentions that lighter sand holds less heat compared to darker sand. This is a valid point, as the color of sand influences its albedo (reflectivity), affecting how much solar radiation it absorbs.

In summary, the article accurately describes the thermal properties of sand, explaining why it gets hot and offering practical tips for beachgoers to stay comfortable. If you have any specific questions or need further details on these concepts, feel free to ask.

If you want to cool off in the ocean, you have to get past the hot sand first! (2024)

FAQs

How to deal with hot sand at the beach? ›

How to protect your feet from hot sand at the beach
  1. Don't grab your flip-flops. ...
  2. Burrow your feet in the sand. ...
  3. Wet your feet before walking on hot sand.
Aug 16, 2023

Which will cool down faster, water or sand? ›

Water has a higher specific heat capacity than sand, meaning it requires more energy to change its temperature. As a result, during the day, sand heats up faster than water. At night, sand also cools down faster than water. This leads to a noticeable temperature difference between the two.

Why the sand on a beach cools down at night more quickly than the ocean water? ›

The sand will cool faster because it has a lower specific heat. Water has a higher specific heat than sand which means that it takes longer for it to lose energy.

How can sand at the beach be so hot and the water so cold after all the sun heats both of them? ›

Sand is a poor conductor of heat so when the Sun warms the sand, the heat is not distributed evenly, making the surface hot. Also the specific heat of sand is lower than that of water so when both are exposed to the same amount of light, the sand at the surface will have a higher change in temperature.

How do you cool hot sand? ›

Hot sand problems can be eliminated by evaporating water from return sand. Such evaporative cooling is achieved by passing a counterflow of high-volume, low velocity air through a curtain of damp, hot sand. An effective and efficient way to accomplish this is to use a rotary drum.

Which cools faster water? ›

It takes less energy to change the temperature of land compared to water. This means that land heats and cools more quickly than water and this difference affects the climate of different areas on Earth.

Which will heat faster, sand or water? ›

Sand heated up faster than water because sand is darker than water; dark colored materials will absorb more light.

What gets hotter faster, sand or water? ›

Sand has a lower specific heat. It takes . 19 calories per gram to raise the temperature of the sand by 1 degree Celsius. Sand requires fewer calories to raise its temperature one degree Celsius and that's why it heats up faster than water.

Why is it always colder at the beach? ›

The cooler air over the ocean will flow to the warmer air off the coast, creating what we call a Sea Breeze, thus making it feel a bit cooler when along a waterfront. The heat capacity of the ocean is much greater than that of the atmosphere or the land.

Why are beaches cold at night? ›

Does California have private beaches? Experts say two key factors chill the sea even when the sun is shining: The cold California Current, which flows south along the coast from the Gulf of Alaska, and a concept called “upwelling.”

Why will sand on the beach get hotter than the ocean water? ›

Sand has much lower specific heat than water. A low specific heat means sand doesn't need much energy from the sun to warm. That's why when the sun comes out in the middle of the day, sand goes from comfortable to hot quickly.

Can sand absorb heat? ›

Explain that sand and sandy soils absorb heat more quickly but also lose it more quickly. Conversely, darker soils absorb but also release heat more slowly.

Why do people like to sit near the ocean on a hot summer day? ›

People love beaches because, in general, the beach means vacations, rest, swimming, sun and all that jazz - and such things usually bring joy to everyone.

What loses heat faster, land or water? ›

The specific heat of water is greater than that of dry soil, therefore water both absorbs and releases heat more slowly than land.

How to protect your feet from hot sand? ›

Do: slip on your shoes or flip-flops before taking a walk on the beach. Hot sand can quickly cause burns on the soles of your feet. In addition, keeping your feet covered will protect them from puncture wounds and cuts caused by objects hidden in the sand.

Do socks help with hot sand? ›

Sand socks, and regular cotton socks before sand socks were “invented”, made playing beach volleyball possible on hot sunny days. I don't think they let me jump higher or run faster but I still had skin at the end of the day. They certainly make it a lot less painful when the weather is either cold and wet or hot.

Why is sand hot at the beach? ›

We all know sand gets hot, and if you've ever wondered why, it's because of sand's high density and its heat capacity. Sand has low specific heat, meaning it needs very little energy from the sun to heat up fast.

What happens when sand gets very hot? ›

Sand and glass have disorganized molecules which point every which way, while quartz is made up of regular crystals. Sand doesn't turn into glass when heated : it turns into melted sand.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Last Updated:

Views: 6053

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (42 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Birthday: 1993-03-26

Address: 917 Hyun Views, Rogahnmouth, KY 91013-8827

Phone: +5938540192553

Job: Administration Developer

Hobby: Embroidery, Horseback riding, Juggling, Urban exploration, Skiing, Cycling, Handball

Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.