The transfer of heat and water vapor from the ocean to the air

Question

The transfer of heat and water vapor from the ocean to the air above it depends on a disequilibrium at the interface of the water and the air. Within about a millimeter of the water, air temperature is close to that of the surface water, and the air is nearly saturated with water vapor. But the differences, however small, are crucial, and the disequilibrium is maintained by air near the surface mixing with air higher up, which is typically appreciably cooler and lower in water-vapor content. The air is mixed by means of turbulence that depends on the wind for its energy. As wind speed increases, so does turbulence, and thus the rate of heat and moisture transfer. Detailed understanding of this phenomenon awaits further study. An interacting-and complicating-phenomenon is wind-to-water transfer of momentum that occurs when waves are formed. When the wind makes waves, it transfers important amounts of energy--energy that is therefore not available to provide turbulence.    1 
 B 
  The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) resolve a controversy
(B) describe a phenomenon
(C) outline a theory
(D) confirm research findings
(E) classify various observations

2 
 A 
 According to the passage, wind over the ocean generally does which of the following?

I. Causes relatively cool, dry air to come into proximity with the ocean surface.
II. Maintains a steady rate of heat and moisture transfer between the ocean and the air.
III. Causes frequent changes in the temperature of the water at the ocean's surface.

(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) I and II only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II, and III

3 
 E 
 It can be inferred from the passage that the author regards current knowledge about heat and moisture transfer from the ocean to air as

(A) revolutionary
(B) inconsequential
(C) outdated
(D) derivative
(E) incomplete

4 
 A 
 The passage suggests that if on a certain day the wind were to decrease until there was no wind at all, which of the following would occur?

(A) The air closest to the ocean surface would become saturated with water vapor.
(B) The air closest to the ocean surface would be warmer than the water.
(C) The amount of moisture in the air closest to the ocean surface would decrease.
(D) The rate of heat and moisture transfer would increase.
(E) The air closest to the ocean would be at the same temperature as air higher up.

RC Butler 2021  -  Practice Two RC Questions Everyday.   
Passage # 228 Date: 09-Jun-2021
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2021 .  Click here for Details

Anshuman0902 · Answer

Someone explain question number 4 
please !!!

saswat1987 · Answer

The passage suggests that if on a certain day the wind were to decrease until there was no wind at all, which of the following would occur?
( A) The air closest to the ocean surface would become saturated with water vapor.  - Correct Answer- 
  But the differences, however small, are crucial, and the disequilibrium is maintained by air near the surface mixing with air higher up, which is typically appreciably cooler and lower in water-vapor content .  - Means that air is helping to maintain the disequilibrium and lack of this will have the stated effect. 
Also, rest of the answer choices is irrelevant. Using POE.

(B) The air closest to the ocean surface would be warmer than the water.
(C) The amount of moisture in the air closest to the ocean surface would decrease.
(D) The rate of heat and moisture transfer would increase.
(E) The air closest to the ocean would be at the same temperature as air higher up.

svasan05 · Answer

Hi Anshuman

Q4 asks: The passage suggests that if on a certain day the wind were to decrease until there was no wind at all, which of the following would occur?

Before answering this question, let us examine what the passage says about wind. According to the passage, the wind plays two roles:

i) " The air is mixed by means of turbulence that depends on the wind for its energy ". What is this "mixing" that is spoken about here? The answer lies in the previous two sentences: "  Within about a millimeter of the water, air temperature is close to that of the surface water, and the air is  nearly  saturated with water vapor. But the differences, however small, are crucial, and the  disequilibrium is maintained by air near the surface mixing  with air higher up, which is typically appreciably cooler and lower in water-vapor content ".

Therefore, we can surmise that there is a disequilibrium due to which the air near the surface is only "nearly" saturated (as evidenced by the words "the differences, however small, are crucial"). This disequilibrium is maintained by turbulence caused by the wind.

ii) " An interacting-and complicating-phenomenon is wind-to-water transfer of momentum that occurs when  waves  are formed ".

The correct answer has to therefore negate one fo the above two phenomena.

(A) The air closest to the ocean surface would become saturated with water vapor.  Correct - it negates (i) above. Water is no longer "nearly" saturated but fully saturated.

(B) The air closest to the ocean surface would be warmer than the water.  Wind is not shown to impact temperature. Eliminate.

(C) The amount of moisture in the air closest to the ocean surface would decrease.  Incorrect - the opposite would happen as discussed above. Eliminate.

(D) The rate of heat and moisture transfer would increase.  Incorrect - the opposite would happen to moisture transfer as discussed above, while we know nothing about heat transfer. Eliminate.

(E) The air closest to the ocean would be at the same temperature as air higher up.  Wind is not shown to impact temperature. Eliminate.

Hope this helps.

Gknight5603 · Answer

can someone pls explain question 2

Posted from my mobile device

Carcass · Answer

18. According to the passage, wind over the ocean generally does which of the following?

I. Causes relatively cool, dry air to come into proximity with the ocean surface.

CORRECT

II. Maintains a  steady rate  of heat and moisture transfer between the ocean and the air.

Not true

III. Causes frequent changes in the temperature of the water at the ocean's surface.

I did not see frequent fluctuations in the temperature. Wrong

(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) I and II only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II, and III

Only A is correct

JamesPatrick · Answer

Can someone explain me question 2 I'm not able to elucidate

Posted from my mobile device

AnirudhaS · Answer

did you read the above explanation? what exactly did you not understand?

JamesPatrick · Answer

I cannot infer the sentence from the given line

Arielltl · Answer

I. Causes relatively cool, dry air to come into proximity with the ocean surface.
-- “the disequilibrium is maintained by air near the surface mixing with air higher up, which is  typically appreciably cooler  ... The air is  mixed by  means of turbulence that  depends on the wind ”.

>> Typically, the air is cooler but because of the wind it comes closer in proximity with the air of the ocean surface. Hope it clarifies.

snigdha3108 · Answer

true, thank you for such a good explainantion...... I would further like to highlight the word 'nearly' in the lines 
''Within about a millimeter of the water, air temperature is close to that of the surface water, and the air is  nearly  saturated with water vapor.''

The air closest to the ocean surface would become saturated with water vapor

so in absence of this air

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

The transfer of heat and water vapor from the ocean to the air

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

The transfer of heat and water vapor from the ocean to the air

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards