Unique nature of pure water
This type of bond makes water molecules stick together.
What are hydrogen bonds?
The ocean’s average saltiness is about this many parts per thousand.
What is 35 parts per thousand?
This ion is the most common one in seawater—it’s the salty superstar!
What is chloride?
This gas from the air is the main cause of ocean acidification.
What is carbon dioxide?
These are the two main kinds of carbon found in the ocean.
What are organic and inorganic carbon?
Water is called this because it has a positive side and a negative side, kinda like a magnet.
What is polar?
These two things affect how heavy or light seawater is.
What is temperature affects density?
The ocean doesn’t keep getting saltier because this balance keeps salts coming and going evenly.
What is the salt balance (inputs = outputs)?
When CO₂ mixes with seawater, it forms this weak acid.
What is carbonic acid?
Tiny phytoplankton use this process to turn CO₂ into food.
what is photosynthesis?
This special property lets water heat up and cool down super slowly.
What is high specific heat?
When water gets colder, it sinks. When it gets warmer, it floats. That’s because of this.
What is temperature affects density.
Evaporation makes seawater saltier, while this makes it less salty.
What is rain?
Ocean acidification makes it hard for these creatures to grow shells.
What are shellfish, plankton, or corals?
The ocean is called this because it traps and stores carbon from the air.
What is carbon sink?
Ice floats because of this reason, its molecules spread out when frozen.
What do hydrogen bonds cause?
The ocean near the equator is saltier than near the poles because of this process.
What is more evaporation at the equator?
These two natural sources add new chemicals and minerals to the ocean.
What are rivers and hydrothermal vents?
Coral reefs are in trouble because acidification takes away this important building material.
What is carbonate?
When dead stuff sinks to the deep ocean carrying carbon, it’s called this.
what is the biological pump?
Bugs can walk on water because of this strong “skin” on top caused by hydrogen bonds.
What is surface tension
This layer forms where warm, less salty water meets cold, salty water.
What is a pycnocline?
Even when salinity changes, the major ions stay in the same ratios because of this rule.
What is the Rule of Constant Proportions?
This is why the oceans PH matters.
what harms marine life?
As the ocean warms, it might release carbon instead of storing it. This happens because of this reason.
What is warm water holds less gas?