Properties of Ocean Water Chapter 20-1 Properties of Ocean Water

Pure Water Colorless Odorless Tasteless Ocean water contains solids and gases dissolved within

Dissolved Gases Most abundant gases in ocean: Nitrogen N2 Oxygen O2 Carbon dioxide CO2

How do they get there? From streams and rivers Volcanic eruptions Organisms that live there Directly from atmosphere

Temperature Dissolve more readily in cold water Pop goes ‘flat’ quicker on warm days Cold areas dissolve gases more than tropical areas

Temperature Cold areas hold onto CO2 Warm areas release more CO2 into the atmosphere

Carbon Sink Oceans have 60% more carbon than atmosphere Important to regulate climate. Why?

Dissolved Solids 3.5% of oceans mass Sea salts Halite makes up 85% of solids

Where do they come from? Volcanic eruptions Chemical weathering on land Chemical weathering between water and rocks

Salinity Salinity – Measure of amount of dissolved salts and other solids

Salinity Factors that change: Evaporation Precipitation

Surface Water Distributes heat from 100 – 300 m Tropical: 30 C Polar: -1.9 C Ocean water can freeze at this temperature

Pack Ice Pack ice – floating sea ice 5 m thick

Thermocline Thermocline – layer in ocean where water temperatures drop faster than in other areas

Deep Water 2 C Colder = denser Controls deep water currents

Density Salinity and temperature Denser than pure water Denser - colder

Color Determined by the way it absorbs or reflects sunlight Blue light reflected Phytoplankton can affect color