CHEMICAL and PHYSICAL FEATURES

Water Properties

• Water's ability to dissolve polar molecules is due to its polar nature, which is responsible for its high dielectric constant.
• A water molecule has a net dipole moment, resulting in a slight positive charge on the hydrogen atoms and a slight negative charge on the oxygen atom.
• Water is considered a universal solvent because of its high polarity and ability to dissolve a wide range of substances, from salts to organic compounds.

Thermal Properties

• Water has a high specific heat capacity (4.184 J/g°C), which means it can absorb and release a large amount of heat energy without a significant change in temperature.
• The high latent heat of water (334 J/g) is responsible for the significant energy required to change its state from liquid to gas or solid.

Temperature and Earth's Surface

• Temperature affects the heating and cooling of the Earth's surface, with warmer temperatures causing expansion and cooling causing contraction.

Hydrogen Bonds

• Hydrogen bonds between water molecules are responsible for many of water's unique properties, such as its high boiling point and surface tension.

Optical Properties

• Water's transparency to visible light is due to its low absorption of light in the visible spectrum, allowing it to transmit light with minimal scattering.

Shape and Polarity

• The bent shape of a water molecule, with its hydrogen atoms bonded at an angle of about 104.5°, contributes to its polarity.

Salinity and Conductivity

• Salinity affects the chemistry of natural waters, with changes in salinity influencing the concentration of dissolved ions and the conductivity of the water.

Ocean Circulation

• The global conveyor belt in the ocean is driven by thermohaline circulation, which is influenced by changes in temperature and salinity.
• Wind-driven waves are caused by the transfer of energy from the wind to the ocean surface.
• Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on the ocean.
• The Coriolis effect, resulting from the Earth's rotation, plays a significant role in ocean circulation patterns.
• The thermocline is a layer in a body of water where the temperature changes rapidly with depth, which affects the circulation of water masses.
• The pycnocline is a layer in an ocean where the density changes rapidly with depth, often due to changes in salinity or temperature.
• The halocline is a layer in an ocean where the salinity changes rapidly with depth.
• Water piles up at mid-latitudes due to the Coriolis effect and the resulting Ekman transport.
• The primary factor determining the circulatory patterns of ocean currents driven by wind stress is the wind stress itself.
• The deflection of wind and surface ocean currents is mainly caused by the Coriolis effect.