The Unique
Nature of Pure Water
Nature of Pure Water
Marine organisms are mostly what in weight?
water
What color light penetrates the deepest
blue light
What is the most abundant dissolved substance in seawater besides water?
Dissolved salts
What gas dissolves in seawater and contributes to ocean acidification?
Which ocean layer receives the most sunlight?
epipelagic zone
What 2 things make up 99.5% of seawater
Water and salt
Pressure ____ dramatically with ocean
increases
What two elements make up most of the dissolved ions in seawater?
Sodium and chlorine
What process allows plants and algae to absorb carbon dioxide using sunlight?
Photosynthesis
What is the name of the ocean layer where temperature decreases rapidly with depth?
Thermocline
Molecules are the result of two or more atoms bonded ____
Chemically
What free diver is known as the deepest man on earth?
Herbert Nitsch
What is the chemical name of the salt that makes up most of the dissolved salts in seawater?
Sodium chloride
What happens to ocean pH when more carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater?
The Ph decreases
What is the name of the ocean layer where salinity changes rapidly with depth?
Halocline
The negative charge of one molecule is attracted to the ____ charge of other molecules.
positive
Organisms on land are under how much atm?
1 atm
What natural process breaks down rocks and helps release dissolved minerals that eventually reach the ocean?
Weathering
What acid forms when carbon dioxide reacts with water in the ocean?
Carbonic acid
Why is the deep ocean generally colder than the surface ocean?
Sunlight does not penetrate deeply enough to warm the deep water.
What is the only substance that naturally occurs in all three states on Earth—solid, liquid, and gas.
water
Marine organisms are under the weight of water and the ____
the amosphere
Why does seawater contain a mixture of dissolved chemicals rather than just sodium chloride?
Rivers, seafloor processes, and chemical reactions add different dissolved substances to the ocean.
Why does ocean acidification make it harder for corals and shell-building organisms to grow?
It reduces the availability of carbonate ions
How do temperature and density differences create layers in the ocean?
Warm, less-dense water stays near the surface, while colder, denser water sinks, creating distinct layers