Oceans and Atmosphere Worksheet
Associate Level Material
Oceans and Atmosphere Worksheet
Using the assigned readings for Week Six, prepare a 50- to 75-word response to each of the following questions.
The Oceans
1. What is the composition of seawater? The salinity of seawater ranges from 3.3 to 3.7%. When seawater evaporates it leaves behind sodium chloride, better known as table salt. The other components of seawater are acquired through various methods. One of which is weathering. Chemical weathering of rock releases soluble such as salts of sodium, potassium, and sulfur. 2. What are the three major layers (zones) found in the ocean? Describe each layer briefly. The three layers of the ocean are the surface layer, the thermocline, and the deep zone. The surface layer goes up to 100 meters deep and consists of low density, warm water. In the thermocline temperatures decrease rapidly as it extends to depths of 1500 meters. The deep zone maintains a cold temperature of about -2 degrees Celsius and extends to the ocean floor beyond the thermocline.
3. What is an ocean current? Surface ocean currents are caused by winds. Wind presses on the ocean's surface and forces the water to move along with it. These currents range from 50 to 100 meters in depth and are contained to the surface layer. Deep ocean currents are caused by several factors including temperature and salinity, which accounts for the water's density.
4. How do oceans regulate climate? There are several ways in which the oceans regulate the climate. The oceans act as a sink for excess carbon dioxide which helps to regulate the greenhouse effect. Also there is a heat exchange that occurs within the ocean that is extremely important. Water can be heated more efficiently by the sun's rays rather than land. The sun's ray's can penetrate much further into the water. Water has a higher heat capacity than land. Latent heat also plays a role, as water is frozen heat is released and as water in unfrozen heat is absorbed.
Oceans and Atmosphere Worksheet
Using the assigned readings for Week Six, prepare a 50- to 75-word response to each of the following questions.
The Oceans
1. What is the composition of seawater? The salinity of seawater ranges from 3.3 to 3.7%. When seawater evaporates it leaves behind sodium chloride, better known as table salt. The other components of seawater are acquired through various methods. One of which is weathering. Chemical weathering of rock releases soluble such as salts of sodium, potassium, and sulfur. 2. What are the three major layers (zones) found in the ocean? Describe each layer briefly. The three layers of the ocean are the surface layer, the thermocline, and the deep zone. The surface layer goes up to 100 meters deep and consists of low density, warm water. In the thermocline temperatures decrease rapidly as it extends to depths of 1500 meters. The deep zone maintains a cold temperature of about -2 degrees Celsius and extends to the ocean floor beyond the thermocline.
3. What is an ocean current? Surface ocean currents are caused by winds. Wind presses on the ocean's surface and forces the water to move along with it. These currents range from 50 to 100 meters in depth and are contained to the surface layer. Deep ocean currents are caused by several factors including temperature and salinity, which accounts for the water's density.
4. How do oceans regulate climate? There are several ways in which the oceans regulate the climate. The oceans act as a sink for excess carbon dioxide which helps to regulate the greenhouse effect. Also there is a heat exchange that occurs within the ocean that is extremely important. Water can be heated more efficiently by the sun's rays rather than land. The sun's ray's can penetrate much further into the water. Water has a higher heat capacity than land. Latent heat also plays a role, as water is frozen heat is released and as water in unfrozen heat is absorbed.