Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) Integrated Science (024) Practice Exam

Which phenomenon is driven primarily by the temperature difference between land and water?

1. Sea breeze

2. Chinook winds

3. Monsoon winds

4. Santa Ana winds

The correct answer is: Sea breeze

The phenomenon primarily driven by the temperature difference between land and water is the sea breeze. This occurs when the sun heats the land more quickly than it heats the water. During the day, the warm air over the land rises, creating an area of low pressure. Meanwhile, the cooler air over the water, which is denser, moves in to replace the rising warm air, resulting in a breeze from the sea toward the land. This temperature differential is the key factor in generating a sea breeze. Other phenomena, such as Chinook winds, monsoon winds, and Santa Ana winds, are influenced by different meteorological factors, such as orographic lifting (Chinook winds), seasonal changes in wind patterns (monsoon winds), or high-pressure systems related to local geography (Santa Ana winds). While these winds may also be affected by temperature differences in broader contexts, they are not primarily driven by the direct temperature distinctions between land and water, which is what characterizes the sea breeze.