Brain Teasers
The Kite
Science
Science brain teasers require understanding of the physical or biological world and the laws that govern it.Science
Frank wants to go to the beach to try out his new kite. Unfortunately, it is very delicate, and made of thin paper that is easily waterlogged. He wants to go fly it at a time when it won't fly over the sea and run the risk of dropping into it, getting wet, and being destroyed.
Should he fly it in the morning or night?
Should he fly it in the morning or night?
Answer
Frank should fly it after sunset.The sand of the beach has a lower heat capacity than the water in the ocean. Therefore, it cools faster when the sun sets. As a result, the air above it cools as well. The hot air over the still-warm sea, however, rises, and the cool air over the shore takes its place. This creates a breeze outward to the sea lower down, but higher up, where the kite would fly, the breeze would come inward, toward shore, completing the convection cell.
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