Ocean Unit test part 1 Flashcards
Mass, volume, and density are all measurement properties of…
matter
matter is…
anything that takes up space
what does density help with
helps us to classifying
objects and understand why they behave they way they do in nature
what is density
measure of how compact something is or more technical how much mass
per unit of volume
how do you measure density
D= m/v
where does the ocean salt come from?
weathering of rocks on the continents and Earth’s interior
salinity is?
measure of the total amount of salt dissolved in water
example of decrease in salinity
Precipitation, Runoff, Icebergs and Sea Ice Melting
example of increase in salinity
Evaporation, Formation of Icebergs and Sea Ice
The more salt in the water…
the denser it becomes
do dense things sink or float
sink
higher latitudes get less direct sunlight so generally cooler is from what?
Latitude
the deeper you go the colder it gets… to a point. This is from sunlight not reaching lower layers is the?
depth
thermocline is…
period of steep temperature drop
what is the largest reservoir of heat on Earth
the ocean
The colder water gets…
the denser it becomes until it freezes.
why does ice float
because the water expands when it freezes which causes it to be less dense
what are the 2 greatest factors that determine the density of oceanwater?
Salinity and temperature
what causes the ocean’s to drive out many processes?
Density differences
More salt =
more dense
colder water=
more dense
how does the ocean water hold gasses?
It stores oxygen and carbon dioxide. Many marine organisms rely on dissolved oxygen in order to live
which holds more oxygen, cold or warm water?
cold water
Aquatic plants, algae, and waves all add
oxygen back into the water
Algae in the oceans are an important source of what?
atmospheric oxygen
This increased CO2 can make ocean water…
more acidic and be dangerous for
organisms
why is the amount of carbon dioxide rising in the ocean’s?
because the CO2 levels in the atmosphere rise
what keeps Europe warm even though it has a high latitude
the gulf stream
Surface currents are caused by
wind
Gyres are?
large circular current systems
the Coriolis effect is?
the rotation of Earth causes things to move in a particular way (Currents in the northern hemisphere move to the right and in the southern hemisphere to the left)
thermohaline currents are also known as?
deep ocean currents
Freshwater at the poles freezes in the ice caps leaves what?
salty and really cold water that sinks.
what happens when water sinks?
warmer water gets pulled into its place created a global conveyor belt system
Upwellings are also caused by the
wind
upwellings push out warm surface water and…
bring up cold nutrient rich water to the
surface
upwellings are important to…
fishing
Longshore currents are…
waves hit the shore at an angle more, moves
sediment down the shore
what are Barrier Islands
islands parallel to the shore
what is an Undertow
waves break water is pulled back out to deeper water by gravity
how should you get out of rip currents
Swim parallel to the shore, then to the beach once you get past the current!
what are waves
energy moving through water, they get their energy from the wind.
In ocean waves the energy moves but…
water goes in a circular orbit.
what are Tsunamis?
giant waves created by underwater earthquakes. The breaking of the crust releases a large amount of energy
what is Spring tide
when Earth, Moon, and Sun are in a
line (Large tidal range)
Neap tide-
when the Moon is at a right angle
(Small tidal range)
