On clear nights, how does the absence of clouds affect temperature?

On clear nights, the absence of clouds significantly affects temperature by allowing heat to escape quickly from the Earth's surface into the atmosphere. During the day, clouds can act like a blanket, trapping heat and keeping surface temperatures warmer. However, once night falls and the sky is clear, there are no clouds to retain that heat, leading to rapid cooling of the ground and air near the surface.

This process, known as radiative cooling, results in lower temperatures at night. The ground loses heat through radiation without the insulating effect of clouds, causing temperatures to drop more quickly compared to nights with cloud cover. Thus, the correct choice reflects the phenomenon of increased heat loss on clear nights, leading to a sharp decrease in temperature.