Chapter 15 - Section 1 - The Vast Ocean World

Thermocline

a layer of water in which there is a rapid change in temperature with depth

Factors that increase salinity

evaporation, formation of sea ice

Surface mixed zone

(0-200 m deep) Warmest, least dense, low salinity; 2% of the world's seawater.

Salinity

A measure of the amount of dissolved salts in a given amount of liquid

deep zone

Level of the ocean in which no light penetrates; very cold temperatures

Density

Mass per unit volume

Factors that decrease salinity

Precipitation, Runoff from land, Ice melting

Two factors that impact ocean water density...

temperature and salinity

As salinity of seawater decreases, its density

decreases

As temperature of water increases, density

decreases

With depth, ocean temperature

decreases

As temperature of water decreases, density

increases

As the salinity of seawater increases, its density

increases

transition zone

sits between warm surface layer and deep zone; includes thermocline

The most comment salt in the ocean is

sodium chloride

3 layers of the open ocean

surface mixed zone, transition zone, deep zone