(3) Seawater Properties and Ocean Circulation Dynamics

Solvent

Water effectively dissolves many substances.

Specific Heat

Water requires significant energy to change temperature.

Buoyancy

Water supports marine organisms, aiding their movement.

Polar Molecule

Water has distinct electrical charge regions.

Hydrogen Bonds

Attraction between water molecules keeps it liquid.

Cohesion

Water molecules stick together, creating high surface tension.

Adhesion

Water's attraction to charged surfaces makes them wet.

Capillary Action

Water rises in narrow spaces due to adhesion.

Heat Capacity

Ocean stores large amounts of heat energy.

Salinity

Concentration of salts in seawater, approx. 3.5%.

Practical Salinity Units

Salinity expressed based on conductivity measurements.

Dissolved Organic Matter

Organic substances passing through a 0.22 µm filter.

Particulate Organic Matter

Organic matter retained on a 0.22 µm filter.

Oxygen-Minimum Zone

Layer with low oxygen below sunlit waters.

Inorganic Carbon Forms

Includes CO2, bicarbonate, and carbonate ions.

Coriolis Effect

Deflection of winds due to Earth's rotation.

Gyres

Circular ocean currents formed by wind and Coriolis.

Western-Boundary Currents

Fast currents moving warm water poleward.

Eastern-Boundary Currents

Slow currents transporting cold water equatorward.

Thermocline

Layer with rapid temperature change with depth.

Halocline

Layer with rapid salinity change with depth.

Pycnocline

Layer with rapid density change with depth.

Thermohaline Circulation

Global water movement driven by temperature and salinity.

Coastal Upwelling

Nutrient-rich water rises to replace surface water.