Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the average salinity of ocean water?
What is the average salinity of ocean water?
- 2.5%
- 3.5% (correct)
- 5.0%
- 4.0%
Ocean salinity remains constant regardless of depth.
Ocean salinity remains constant regardless of depth.
False (B)
What happens to temperature as depth increases in the ocean?
What happens to temperature as depth increases in the ocean?
Temperature decreases.
Ocean water has a high specific heat of ___ J/g*C.
Ocean water has a high specific heat of ___ J/g*C.
Match the following climate characteristics to their respective regions:
Match the following climate characteristics to their respective regions:
What primarily determines the density of ocean water?
What primarily determines the density of ocean water?
How does evaporation affect ocean salinity?
How does evaporation affect ocean salinity?
Ocean water cools faster than land.
Ocean water cools faster than land.
Study Notes
Temperature
- Decreases with depth
- Energy from the sun only penetrates the surface of the oceans
General water properties
- High heat capacity
- Water holds onto heat much longer than land
- Oceans cool more slowly than land
- Important for heat transfer on Earth
- High specific heat
- It takes a lot of energy to heat up water
- Takes longer to heat up water than land
- 4.184 J/g*C, meaning it takes 4.184 joules of energy to raise 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celcius
Climate Impacts
- Coastal regions: Water moderates temperatures (smaller variation)
- Inland regions: Lacks the amount of water to moderate temperatures
- Coastal regions have higher amounts of water vapor in the air.
- Inland regions have less water vapor in the air.
- Coastal summers are cooler, with warmer winters.
- Inland summers are warmer, with colder winters.
Salinity
- Increases with depth
- Ocean salinity averages ~3.5%
- The other 96% is pure water.
- Salinity varies depending on location.
- Range: 3.4-3.7%
- Salinity at the surface:
- River runoff decreases salinity
- Ice/glacial melt decreases salinity
- Evaporation increases salinity
Density
- Increases with depth
- Determined by temperature and salinity
- Decrease in temperature = Increase in density
- Decrease in salinity = Decrease in density
- Low temperature + high salinity = highest density
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
Explore the fascinating properties of water and their effects on climate in this quiz. Understand how temperature, heat capacity, and salinity influence coastal and inland regions. Test your knowledge on the role of oceanic conditions in moderating Earth's climate.
