[Physics Class Notes] on Difference between Land Breeze and Sea Breeze Pdf for Exam

Nature is definitely unpredictable and hence it is possible that even after so many studies are conducted there are still a lot of things that are left untouched. For example, when walking through a park or near the beach you feel two different temperatures of the breeze hitting you but you might have not yet wondered where do they originate from or how are they formed! So here is a guide through where you get to know the difference between Land Breeze and Sea Breeze, how these are formed, and how they tend to be a lot different than just normal air.

Have you tried walking barefoot on the sand during noon? You can barely touch the sand because it is scorching hot. When such a thing happens, you may need to dip your feet in a lake nearby. 

Although the sun warms up both water and sand, the pace at which water absorbs heat is not the same as sand. This difference in heating is the basis for the formation of land and sea breeze.

What is a Sea Breeze?

Before learning about the difference between a land breeze and a sea breeze, let us learn a bit more about what a sea breeze is. 

The sea breeze blows during the day. The sun heats up both the land and sea at this time. However, the land heats up sooner, which causes the air over land to become hot faster than its counterpart above the sea. This hot air expands and rises, causing a low-pressure system.

At the same time, air over the sea remains cooler since water can retain its temperature more than the land. This cooler air is heavy and quickly flows toward the low-pressure region on land. This flow of cooler air from sea to land during the day is known as a sea breeze.

What is a Land Breeze?

A land breeze blows during the night. The process explained above is reversed when night falls. Land heats up quickly but also cools quickly. Thus, after the sun sets, sea air remains hotter for a longer duration. This leads to low-pressure creation over this sea. Land air being cooler, it quickly flows to replace the lighter air over the sea.

  

After understanding the basics, one can quickly assess the difference between a land breeze and a sea breeze. Read on to help you with this distinction.

Difference between Land and Sea Breezes

Several factors distinguish between the land breeze and sea breeze. Assess the table below for further knowledge regarding this difference.

Quick Question 

Q. Why do land and sea breezes occur?

Ans. Land and sea breeze occurs due to the difference in the heat absorption and retention capacity of land and water. If water and land retained heat at the same pace, such winds would not occur. 

Temperature Difference on Land and near the Sea

Now that you can differentiate between land and sea breeze, you can also understand why locations near seas tend to experience limited temperature variance throughout the year. This means that such locations usually witness constant temperature. In the case of inland locations, the temperature difference is more prominent.

During the day, temperatures soar in such inland areas. However, as night falls, these places tend to experience cooler weather. 

Interesting Note

You can perceive clouds from a coastal area at night, which dissipates in the morning. This happens due to this flow of breeze.

Our app can further accelerate your understanding of the difference between a land breeze and a sea breeze. With expert teaching staff, we can give you an edge over others, ensuring better learning and grades.

Things to Remember Regarding the Difference between Land Breeze and Sea Breeze

• Both the land and sea breeze occur near the shores of the sea.

• Both of the breeze types tend to influence the precipitation rates, the air temperature, and even the humidity of the air.

• The land breeze is comparatively slower and weaker than the sea breeze.

• The temperature that is present along the water bodies tends to not vary much due to the breeze flowing. The inland areas however tend to have a fluctuation in temperature.