Unique Nature of Pure Water
What is the chemical formula for a molecule of water?
H2O
How much does pressure increase for every 10 meters of depth in the ocean?
It increases by 1 atmosphere of pressure
What is the typical pH range of ocean water compared to pure water?
Ocean water is basic (8.1–8.3), while pure water is neutral (7.0).
What is marine snow?
A shower of organic matter in the ocean
What is the uppermost ocean layer where there is enough sunlight for photosynthesis?
The Epipelagic
What type of bonds hold different water molecules together?
Hydrogen bonds
Which color of light penetrates the deepest into the ocean?
Blue Light
What are the two most common ions dissolved in seawater?
Sodium and chloride
What is the difference between pelagic and benthic zones?
Pelagic refers to the open ocean water column and benthic refers to the ocean floor.
Which ocean layer is also known as the "Twilight Zone"?
Mesopelagic
What is the term for water molecules sticking to each other, and water molecules sticking to other surfaces?
Cohesion and adhesion
Why is water transparency an important physical property for the ocean?
It allows sunlight to penetrate so marine plants and phytoplankton can perform photosynthesis
What are the two primary ways ions enter seawater?
From rivers and volcanoes
How does increased carbon dioxide absorption impact the pH of ocean water?
It lowers the PH
What are the characteristics of the Bathypelagic (Midnight) Zone?
It’s pitch black and they experience high pressure
Why is water as ice unique compared to most other substances?
Ice is less dense
How does sound travel in water compared to how it travels in air?
Faster
What term describes the total amount of dissolved salts in seawater?
Salinity
Why is the carbon cycle closely linked to chemical properties of seawater?
Because carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater to form carbonic acid
Which ocean layer features near-freezing temperatures between 4,000 and 6,000 meters?
The Abyssopelagic zone
How do hydrogen bonds differ between the gas, liquid, and solid states of water?
Gas has completely broken bonds, liquid has constantly forming and breaking bonds, and solid ice has stable, fixed hexagonal crystal bonds.
What physical property controls how well marine organisms can see and communicate over long distances in the deep sea?
Light and sound transparency
What makes seawater such an effective solvent for a wide variety of chemical compounds?
The polar nature of water molecules
What marine organisms are most immediately threatened by dropping ocean pH levels?
Animals with shells
What is the deepest ocean layer found below 6,000 meters in trenches?
The Hadalpelagic