Unit 2: Lesson 5: The Composition of Seawater Assessment Questions

Why does the salinity of seawater remain relatively constant over time?

Dissolved components are being removed as rapidly as they are being added.

What is salinity?

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

Explain the relationship between latitude and sea surface temperature.

Sea surface temperature is higher at the equator and low latitudes. Sea surface temperature decreases as latitude increases.

Explain the general pattern of temperature variation with depth in low-latitude oceans.

Temperature decreases with increasing depth; a thermocline is present between 300 m and 1,000 m.

What are the sources of salt in ocean water?

chemical weathering of rocks on continents; Earth's interior

What are the three main zones of the open ocean?

surface mixed zone, transition zone, and deep zone

What factors affect the density of ocean water?

temperature and salinity

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

parts per thousand