Oceans Unit 2 Flashcards
What is the molecular structure and polarity of water
water is polar and has an unequal sharing of electrons
cohesion
attraction between same molecules
adhesion
attraction between different molecules
high specific heat
water resists changes in temperature, creates breezes
how are humans impacting ocean chemistry?
glaciers, sea level, and temperature
what is the difference between heat and temperature?
heat is the energy of moving molecules and temperature is the measurement of kinetic energy
what are the 3 phases of water?
solid (ice), liquid (water), gas (water vapor)
why is the melting and boiling point of water not the same as pure water?
due to temperature and salinity
when does pure water freeze?
0 degrees Celsius
when does pure water boil?
100 degrees Celsius
what is salinity?
a measurement of how much salt is dissolved in the water
3 factors that influence salinity
freshwater input, evaporation, and precipitation
why is knowing salinity important?
it controls the density of ocean water and is the reason we have ocean currents
what are the salinity levels of earth?
poles = low salinity
30 degree latitude line = high salinity
equator = low salinity
how does temperature, evaporation, and precipitation play a role in salinity?
low temp. = low evaporation = lots of ice = low salinity
high temp. = high evaporation = high salinity
thermocline
thin layer in the ocean between warmer mixed water at the surface and cooler deep water below
halocline
vertical zone in the ocean where salinity changes rapidly with depth
pycnocline
ocean layer where the density gradient is greatest within a body of water
what controls the thermocline?
the ocean’s biological pump
3 things that define our oceans
salinity, temperature, and density
what is denser? colder, saltier water or warmer, less salty water?
Colder, saltier water
why is knowing pH important?
so we don’t kill of certain organisms and their habitats
examples of acidic items
battery acid, soda, orange juice, vinegar, coffee, milk
examples of basic items
bleach, ammonia, hand soap, sea water, blood
the equation for pressure
pressure = force/area
hydrostatic pressure
weight of the water column pressing down on an object due to gravity
boyle’s law
volume of gas related to pressure
the more depth…
the more pressure there is
ekman’s transport
the realization that ice was not moving in the same direction as the wind
why do items rotate to the right?
water beneath the surface moves at an angle
how are ocean currents and weather related?
warm surface currents = warm weather
cold surface currents = cold weather
global conveyor belt
if global temperatures increase, this changes the overall temperature and chemistry in the oceans
what is an ocean gyre?
collection spots for trash washed into the ocean
western boundary currents
narrow, deep, fast-flowing
eastern boundary currents
shallow, weaker
upwelling
when the surface currents mix with the upper water column
downwelling
water is forced downwards where it delivers 02 into deeper waters
how does thermohaline circulation play a role in deep water and surface currents?
it increases the density of surface waters at high latitudes
what drives our ocean currents?
wind
what is El Nino?
a warm phase of weather that is associated with low productivity and downwelling
what is La Nina?
a cold phase of weather that is associated with high productivity and upwelling
how is Idaho affected by El Nino and La Nina?
we get lots of snow and colder winters
when do tides occur?
every 6 or 12 hours
the equation for force
f = ma
how are centrifugal and gravitational forces related to the moon?
the moon’s gravitational pull generates tidal force. this causes Earth, and it’s water, to bulge out on the side closest to the moon.
spring neap tide
the maximum tidal range
3 types of tidal patterns
diurnal, semidurnal, and mixed
3 types of tidal patterns
diurnal, semidurnal, and mixed
what is a tidal bore?
a wall of water that moves up certain low-lying rivers due to an incoming tide
where do whirlpools occur?
in shallow passages connecting 2 large bodies of water that have different tidal cycles
