The highest annual values for latent heat of evaporation (LE) on land occur in the tropics because
A) there is a net annual energy surplus there.
B) rainfall makes water available for evaporation from soils.
C) the dark color of forests (as opposed to sandy soils) results in the absorption of heat energy by vegetation.
D) all of the above
E) B and C only

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The high annual values for latent heat of evaporation (LE) in the tropics are due to a combination of factors, including the net annual energy surplus, the availability of water for evaporation from soils due to high rainfall, and the absorption of heat energy by vegetation in forests (as opposed to sandy soils). Therefore, all three options (A, B, and C) are correct, resulting in choice D being the best option.

The Highest Annual Values for Latent Heat of Evaporation (LE)