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== Basic idea ==
If a [[wiktionary:perturbation|perturbation]] — such as an increase in greenhouse gases or [[solar variation|solar activity]] — is applied to Earth's [[climate system]] the response will not be immediate, principally because of the large [[heat capacity]] (i.e., [[Volumetric heat capacity#Thermal inertia|thermal inertia]]) of the [[ocean]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Abraham |first1=John |last2=Cheng |first2=Lijing |last3=Mann |first3=Michael E. |last4=Trenberth |first4=Kevin |last5=von Schuckmann |first5=Karina |title=The ocean response to climate change guides both adaptation and mitigation efforts |journal=Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters |volume=15 |number=100221 |pages=1-9 |date=1 July 2022 |doi=10.1016/j.aosl.2022.100221 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
:''As an analogue, consider the heating of a thin metal plate (by the sun or by a flame): the plate will warm relatively quickly. If a thick metal block is heated instead, it will take much longer for the entire block to reach [[Thermodynamic equilibrium|equilibrium]] with the imposed heating because of its higher heat capacity.''
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