discussion Flashcards
what is heat capacity
the energy required per unit mass per unit temperature rise
why is the heat capacity of water so high
hydrogen bonds
how is temperature different from heat
heat is energy
temperature is the response to input of energy
how much does salinity change throughout the ocean
34.3-36.0 pp thousand
what makes the ocean more or less salty
precipitation/run off
evaporation
what are the main properties that determine the density of seawater
salinity
temperature
pressure
where in the ocean is the water densest
at the bottom, below pycnocline/thermocline
what influences water movement
water flows around density surfaces
what is the deepest penetrating wavelength of light
blue
what is the most efficient way to transmit waves
soundwaves
why are soundwaves more efficient
not absorbed by water molecules- travel fast as molecules packed together
looking down on the north pole which direction does the planet spin
anticlockwise
why is earth not a perfect sphere
centrifugal force changes the effective gravity
if a ball is travelling northward in the southern hemisphere, which direction does the Coriolis force defect the ball
west
what is the path of a ball in the southern hemisphere
circles
what forces balance leasing to the net southward flow of the California current
wind stress, pressure gradient
what does it mean to be in geostrophic balance
forces are balanced between wind stress and coriolis
what is Ekman transport
the net movement of water in geostrophic balance
if the wind blows clockwise around Antartica what is the net flow of water and why
clockwise
geostrophic balance of wind, Coriolis and pressure gradient
does the gulf stream carry more of less heat than the Californian current
more
if the oceans circulate around the edges of the boundaries, what happens to the water in the ocean basin
subduction in ocean gyres
where is water brought from to replace surface water at the edges of ocean basins
water from deep ocean
where are the worlds more productive fisheries
upwelling is greatest
what are the main forces that causes tides
gravitational force from moon and sun
why are there two tidal bulges on opposite sides of the earth
inertia
centrifugal force
why don’t all coasts get 2 high and low tides per day
moon changes angle relative to the earth
moon and sun move quickly so cannot reach equilibrium
continents block way
amphidromic pints
what is the primary force causing surface waves
wind
what are the primary restoring force for most waves
gravity
name a short wavelength wave
capillary
name a long wavelength wave
tidal
tsunami
seiche
seismic
when is a wave deep
wavelength smaller than depth of ocean
speed proportional to depth
when is a wave shallow
wavelength longer than depth
speed proportional to wavelength
how does the length and speed of internal waves differ from surface waves
longer wavelength
slower as a smaller density difference
what generates internal waves
breaking on continental slope
hydrogen bonds are important to the ocean because they affect
the heat capacity of water
the ability of water to dissolve salts
the surface tension at the surface ocean
the ocean surface over a deep ocean
dips
a southward blowing wind off the west coast of California makes the surface water move
offshore
the geostrophic current along Californian coast goes
south
the time interval between successive high tides is not exactly 12 hours at most ports because
the moon orbits around the Earth while the Earth is rotating on its own axis
