Oceanography 1 Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary difference between temperature and heat?

Heat refers to the total energy of a substance, while temperature measures a substance's response to heat. (correct)

Heat is the application of energy, while temperature is a constant value.

Temperature can change more rapidly than heat.

Temperature is measured in degrees, while heat is not.

Which of the following accurately describes water's specific heat capacity?

Water's specific heat is higher than that of rock.

Water's specific heat is irrelevant for biological reactions.

Water has a low specific heat, allowing quick temperature changes.

Water resists changes in temperature due to its high specific heat. (correct)

Which property of water contributes to it being the universal solvent?

Its thermal conductivity.

Its ability to form hydrogen bonds. (correct)

Its viscosity and density.

Its low freezing point.

What role does temperature stability play in the marine environment?

It supports stable conditions for chemical reactions. Signup and view all the answers

What is one effect of ocean acidification on marine environments?

It can harm organisms that rely on calcium carbonate. Signup and view all the answers

What major limiting factor prevents some marine organisms from thriving in deeper waters?

Light Signup and view all the answers

Which organism accounts for the majority of marine primary productivity?

Phytoplankton Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason why oxygen can be a challenge for marine organisms?

It is less soluble in water compared to air. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary method by which marine organisms achieve gas exchange?

Pumping water across respiratory surfaces Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following accurately describes the nutrient dynamics in the ocean?

Nutrients are quickly depleted by photosynthetic organisms. Signup and view all the answers

What initiates rapid phytoplankton blooms in certain ocean zones?

Nutrient upwelling Signup and view all the answers

How does the efficiency of marine primary producers compare to terrestrial producers?

Marine producers convert light energy to organic matter with high efficiency. Signup and view all the answers

What effect does human activity have on marine environments?

It affects both the physical and chemical properties of the ocean. Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical salinity of ocean water?

35 ppt Signup and view all the answers

How does warmer water affect the concentration of dissolved gases?

It decreases the concentration of dissolved gases. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for the ocean acting as a carbon sink?

It contains more carbon dioxide than the atmosphere. Signup and view all the answers

Where is the oxygen minimum zone typically located?

Between 200 and 1000 m Signup and view all the answers

What effect does increasing human activities have on carbon dioxide levels in the ocean?

They increase carbon dioxide levels. Signup and view all the answers

At what pH range is seawater typically found?

7.5 - 8.5 Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon does the presence of a pycnocline indicate?

Rapid change in temperature and density Signup and view all the answers

Why does warm water have a unique heat-density relationship compared to other waters?

It is less dense than cold water. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Oceanography 1 (Physical Environment and Productivity)

Oceanography studies the physical and chemical properties of the ocean, including waves, tides, currents, and the environment's impact on marine life.
It's strongly connected to biology and meteorology.
The physical environment is a major driver of patterns in marine life, impacting factors like temperature, chemistry, light intensity, nutrients, and currents.
Similarly, the biological environment plays a part.
Examples of factors within the biological environment: predators, competitors, mutualisms, and diseases.
The physical marine environment is often defined by temperature stability which is influenced by water's high specific heat.
Water resists large fluctuations in temperature.
A high specific heat leads to stable conditions for chemical reactions in the water.
Daily temperature fluctuations in the air and water are less than fluctuations over seasons.
Daily temperature variations in air (31°C-28°C) and on rocks (62°C-28°C) are relatively smaller in comparison to seasonal changes in air (36°C - -2°C) and water (30°C-17°C).
Water has differing temperatures across the globe.

Chemical Properties

Water acts as a universal solvent, dissolving various solids and gases.
Salinity is the total concentration of dissolved substances in seawater, typically ~35 ppt (~3.5% dissolved substances).
Warmer water dissolves more solids, thus higher salinity.
Temperature strongly affects the amount of dissolved gases, and colder water dissolves more gases.
Gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) are crucial for marine life, as well as oxygen (O2).

Oxygen & Carbon Dioxide

Oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the ocean are not at equilibrium as dictated by chemistry.
The ocean's depth affects the concentrations of dissolved gases.
Oxygen levels are comparatively lower at depth compared to the surface.
The reverse is true for CO2 at depth.
The oxygen minimum zone occurs at depths between 200 and 1000 meters, which is associated with the rapid decrease in oxygen concentration and increase in CO2
This is often connected to respiration and less productivity with depth, which are related to photosynthesis and the organisms living there.
The ocean acts as a significant carbon sink (60 times more CO2), absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Water Density and Stratification

Water's density is affected by temperature and salinity.
A unique characteristic of water is that its density peaks at approximately 4°C (39.2°F).
Water density is inversely related to temperature in most cases.
Regions with a high density often have colder temperatures.
Water stratification is caused by the differences in temperature and salinity, creating layers (surface zone, thermocline, pycnocline, deep zone).

Primary Productivity

The ocean's productivity in creating oxygen matches terrestrial production but is much less dense.
Phytoplankton, mostly, are the key marine primary producers.
They capture light energy and convert it to organic matter.
Limiting factors for productivity include light extinction (depth) and nutrient availability.
Light extinction occurs quickly in water, so primary producers are restricted to surface regions.
Nutrients are taken up rapidly by photosynthetic organisms, making their concentration hard to measure.

Upwelling

Upwelling is a significant factor in productivity. It brings nutrient-rich water to the surface.
Upwelling helps create nutrient-rich areas, leading to rapid phytoplankton blooms.

Pelagic Food Chains

The ocean's primary producers, like phytoplankton, form the base.
Humans utilize the organisms in the ocean's food chains, making the productivity of phytoplankton crucial for human existence.

Summary (Oceanography)

Physical and chemical properties define the nature of marine life.
These properties fluctuate by region and time (season, depth).
Increasing human activities are affecting ocean conditions.
Primary productivity is critical for sustaining human existence.

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Test your knowledge on the physical environment and productivity of the ocean in Oceanography. Explore how waves, tides, and currents influence marine life and understand the relationship between physical and biological factors affecting the oceanic ecosystem.