Weather and Climate Quiz 2 Review

Where are oceans the warmest?

Oceans are warmest near the equator, particularly in regions such as the Caribbean Sea and the western Pacific where solar heating is most intense.

Where are oceans the coldest?

Oceans are coldest in polar regions, such as the Southern Ocean around Antarctica and the Arctic Ocean, where temperatures can drop below freezing.

What is a Scientific Model?

A scientific model is a representation of an idea, object, or process used to describe and understand phenomena in the natural world.

What happens when cold and warm water mix?

When cold and warm water mix, the warm water tends to rise while the cold water sinks due to differences in density, with warmer water being less dense and colder water being denser.

Looking at this table, what pattern do you notice? 

As the water gets deeper, the temperature gets lower. The deeper you go, the colder it gets

What causes sea breezes?

Sea breezes are caused by the differential heating of land and water. During the day, land heats up faster than water, causing air over the land to rise and creating a low-pressure area, while cooler, high-pressure air over the sea moves in to replace it.

How would weather on Earth be different if it had more land instead of more water?

If Earth had more land instead of water, weather patterns would likely be more extreme, with hotter summers and colder winters, as land heats and cools more quickly than water.

What causes water movement and currents in the ocean?

Water movement and currents in the ocean are caused by several factors including wind, the Earth's rotation (Coriolis effect), temperature variations, salinity differences, and gravitational pull from the moon and sun.

Explain what is happening in a SEA BREEZE.

In a sea breeze, during the day, the land heats up quickly leading to rising warm air, which creates lower pressure above the land. The cooler, denser air over the sea moves in to replace the rising air, creating a breeze from the sea to the land.

Explain what is happening in a LAND BREEZE.

In a land breeze, during the night, the land cools down faster than the sea. The warmer air over the sea rises, creating lower pressure, while cooler, denser air over the land moves in towards the sea, resulting in a breeze from the land to the sea.

What is the Coriolis Effect?

The Coriolis Effect is the apparent deflection of moving objects, such as air and water currents, caused by the rotation of the Earth. It causes currents to curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

What is the density of the water at the surface when sea ice forms?

When sea ice forms, the density of the water at the surface is higher than that of the ice, typically around 1.025 g/cm³, as the salt is left behind in unfrozen seawater, increasing its density.

What is the density of the water at the surface when sea ice melts?

When sea ice melts, the density of the water at the surface is approximately 1.025 g/cm³ for the surrounding seawater, while the melted ice becomes fresh water with a lower density of about 1.000 g/cm³.

What is the main cause of deep ocean currents?

The main cause of deep ocean currents is the thermohaline circulation, which is driven by differences in water density, affected by temperature and salinity levels in the ocean.