The correct answer is: C. Several hours before sunrise.
The temperature of the Earth’s surface is affected by the amount of sunlight it receives. During the day, the sun heats the Earth’s surface, causing the temperature to rise. At night, the Earth’s surface cools down as it loses heat to space. The lowest temperature of the day is usually observed several hours before sunrise, when the Earth’s surface has had the most time to cool down.
Option A is incorrect because the temperature of the Earth’s surface is still rising at the time of sunset.
Option B is incorrect because the temperature of the Earth’s surface is at its lowest point near midnight.
Option D is incorrect because the temperature of the Earth’s surface begins to rise around sunrise.
Option E is incorrect because the temperature of the Earth’s surface is still rising several hours after sunrise.