In the spring, blossoms on cherry trees can be damaged when temperatures fall below −2°C. When the forecast calls for air temperatures to be below −5°C for a few hours one night, a farmer sprays his blossoming cherry trees with water, claiming that the blossoms will be protected by the water as it freezes. Which of the following is a correct scientific justification for spraying water on the blossoms to protect them from temperatures below −2°C? The freezing point of water is 0°C A. Water on the blossoms will not freeze unless the air temperature falls significantly below −5°C.
B. Water is a good thermal conductor that transfers heat from the cold air to the blossoms, keeping the blossoms from going below −2°C.
C. The freezing of water is an endothermic process; thus, water that freezes on the blossoms absorbs heat from the atmosphere, which in turn keeps the blossoms above 0°C.
D. The freezing of water is an exothermic process; thus, water that freezes on the blossoms releases heat to keep the blossoms at or above −2°C.