Chapter 15.1 and 16.1 Oceans

Salinity

The proportion of dissolved salts to pure water, usually expressed in parts per thousand (0/00).

What temperature is seawater below 1500 meters in the low latitudes?

2 Degrees

Oceanographers generally recognize a 3 layered structure in most parts of the ocean; a shallow surface mixed zone, a transition zone, and a deep zone.

3 main zones of the open ocean

Thermocline

A layer of water in which there is rapid change in temperature in depth.

Pycnocline

A layer of water which there is a rapid change of density with depth.

Mixed Zone

An area of the ocean surface with uniform temperatures created by the mixing of water by waves, currents, and tides.

What units are used to express the salinity of ocean water?

Because the proportion of dissolved substances in seawater is such a small number, oceanographers typically express salinity in parts per thousand (0/00)

How can fresh water be naturally added to seawater?

Four ways in which fresh water is naturally added to seawater are decreasing its salinity, precipitation, runoff from land, icebergs melting, and sea ice melting.

true

Is the following sentence true or false? Most of the salt in seawater is sodium chloride, or common table salt.

True

Is the following sentence true or false? Seawater contains dissolved substances that give it a salty taste.

true

Is the following sentence true or false? Sodium chloride, other salts, metals, and gases are dissolved in seawater.

false

Is the following sentence true or false? The average salinity of seawater is 35%.

true

Is the following sentence true or false? Two sources of dissolved substances in the ocean are chemical weathering of rocks on the continents and earth's interior.

Density

Mass per unit volume in a substance, usually expressed as grams per cubic centimeter.

What are the sources of salt in ocean water?

Most of the salt in seawater is sodium chloride, common sea salt.

What are the two main factors that influence density of seawater?

Salinity and Temperature

What factors affect seawater density?

Salinity and Temperature

What is salinity?

Salinity is the total amount of solid material dissolved in water.

What factors affect the density of ocean water?

Seawater density is influenced by 2 main factors: Salinity and Temperature.

What factors affect seawater temperatures?

Sunlight and Depth

Explain the relationship between latitude and sea surface temperature.

The oceans surface temperature varies with the amount of solar radiation received, which is primarily a function of latitude.

What is the temperature profile of seawater in the high latitudes?

The temperature is a constant 2 degrees.

Is the following sentence true or false? The ocean's surface water temperature varies with the amount of solar radiation received, which is primarily a function of latitude.

True

What increases the salinity of seawater?

Two natural processes that increase the salinity of seawater are evaporation and the formation of melting sea ice.

What are the sources of sea salts?

Weathered Rocks and Volcanic Rocks

Ocean Current

mass of ocean water that flows from one place to another