Scientists have observed that ocean temperatures continue to rise or remain high even after greenhouse gas emissions begin to decline. What property of water explains why ocean temperatures are slow to decrease?

Water has a high heat capacity, meaning it takes a lot of energy to change its temperature. After absorbing heat, the ocean releases that energy slowly, so ocean temperatures can stay high even when greenhouse gas emissions decline. This makes “Water has a high heat capacity and retains energy for a long time” the correct choice.

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