AICE Marine Science AS Level Unit 2.2 and 2.3

List 6 factors that affect tidal height

1- Shape of the seabed

2- Alignment of the sun and moon

3- Air pressure

4- Wind speed

5- Wind direction

6- Gravitational pull of sun and moon

Describe sedimentation

Deposition of suspended particles

Describe erosion

Transportation/ movement of rock particles

Describe upwelling

Wind blows parallel to the shore, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water from the seabed up to the surface, where warm water is replaced.

Define weathering

Breaking down of rocks

Describe the thermocline current

Colder or more saline water sinks due to density (more dense) or less saline and warmer water rises due to lower density.

Explain why ocean currents are important

1- It moves water around the Earth, which distributes nutrients through upwelling; these nutrients are needed by producers for photosynthesis

2- Uses natural currents to supply food/oxygen and remove waste/carbon dioxide, since deep water currents are slow-moving and the seabed acts as a carbon sink

List 4 factors that create ocean currents

1- Uneven heating of Earth’s surface by the Sun

2- By tides (neap tide/ spring tide)

3- Movement of tectonic plates

4- Shape of the seabed

5- Differences in fluctations in temperature and salinity

Explain the impact of fish population along the west coast of south america during la nina

Due to an increased upwelling and nutrients in surface waters replaced, there is an increase in producer populations and food for fish.

Describe liquid water erosion

Precipitation(through run-off), rivers, floods, and the ocean transporting rock particles/sand)

List 4 impacts of el nino along the west coast of south america

1- Easterly trade winds stop/reduce, which stops upwelling

2- Reduced photosynthesis

3-Decreased fish catch

4-Increased rainfall

List 4 types of shores found in the littoral zone

Muddy shore, rocky shore, sandy shore, and delta

Describe the relationship between water velocity/speed and particle size as it relates to erosion

As water velocity increases, its ability to transport heavier/larger particles increases. This means that faster water can move bigger/heavier objects. They are directly related

Explain the effect of el nino on local producers

Reduced photosynthesis and less energy is passed up along the food chain

Describe how 2 different characteristics of wind affect tidal height

Wind direction and wind speed

Describe biological/ organic weathering

Cracks form in rocks caused by organisms, where rocks force rocks apart or animals dig into rocks

Describe what happens after sea ice forms in the artic

Water cools and sinks because it is more dense. Then, it pulls more surface water and north sinking water moves south, down to antartica

Describe physical/mechanical weathering

Force/ impact breaks rocks by constant wave action or sand particles, causing abrasions, or water freezes in cracks forcing them apart or thermal stress

Define the littoral zone

Intertidal region of a shoreline between the highest and the lowest spring tide marks

Describe the coriolis effect

Due to earth’s rotation, currents in northern hemisphere deflect clockwise and currents in southern hemisphere deflect counterclockwise

Describe the effect of melting ice on habitats/the environment

1- Releases large amounts of fresh water, which increases levels of seawater, causing flooding

2- Increases turbidity, which decreases sunlight penetration

3- Decreases biodiversity

4- Reduces salinity

Explain why air pressure can decrease tidal range

High air pressure during high tide pushes water down, so it compacts it

Describe the relationship between water velocity/speed and particle size as it relates to sedimentation

As water velocity decreases, its ability to deposit heavier/larger particles increases. As water loses speed, heavier objects fall out and deposit first; only very slow water deposits fine sediment

State 4 factors that cause sea water to mix

1- Precipiation

2- Upwelling

3- Run-off

4- Coriolis effect

Explain why wind direction can decrease tidal range

Offshore wind during high tide blows water away from land

Describe wind erosion

Transports sand

Describe how melting sea ice can cause an algal/phytoplankton bloom

Increased nutrients in sea ice and increases producer productivity

Describe la nina

Sea surface temperature in the eastern pacific decreases and the speed of easterly winds increases. Increases fish populations, increases upwelling, nutrients in surface waters are replaced, increased productivity, and increase food for fish

Explain why differences in temperature and salinity create ocean currents

Cold water sinks because it is more dense and saltier water sinks because it is more dense

Describe a spring tide

Largest tidal range; sun and moon are in a 180 degree aligment with earth as the pivot point; gravitational forces act together/ in the same direction so that it is greatest

Describe how 3 factors (other than alignment and gravitational pull) affect tidal height

1- Air pressure decreases tidal height

2- Small body of water decreases tidal height

3- Offshore wind decreases tidal height because stronger wind pushes more water

Define tidal range

Differences in height betwen the high tide and the following low tide

Describe a neap tide

Smallest tidal range; sun and moon are at right angles aligment with earth as the pivot point; gravitational forces act against each other/ opposite directions

Describe el nino

Easterly trade winds reduce, where warm water builds up and stops upwelling. No nutrients are brough up to the surface from the ocean floor, reduces photosynthesis, less energy passed up along the food chain, and it decreases fish catch. It also increases rainfall along south america coastline, which increases flooding

Describe chemical weathering

Change in molecular structure of rocks that produce soluble minerals. Acid rain/acidification occurs and dissolves rocks. It takes over long periods of time

List 4 types of erosion

1- Liquid water erosion

2-Wind erosion

3-Ice/ glacier

4- Gravity

Describe the impact on local human populations during a large tidal heigh/r

Flooding, coastal erosion, damage to property/ incfrastruc

List 4 impacts of el nino on asia/autralia

Descreased rainfall, droughts, decreased crop production, and increases risk of forest fire.

Explain the effect of el nino on the amount of precipitation along the west coast of south america

it increases flooding and rainfall

Explain why the tidal cycle at the mounth of a river affects salinity

High tide increases salinity, which increases the proportion of sea water to fresh water.ORA spring tides cause greater increased in salinity

Describe what happens to the warm water of the gulf stream

Heated at the equator/gulf of mexico. Warm water grows north and warms atmosphere of cold northern regions

Describe what happens as the current travels through the indian ocean

Water warmed as current travels thorough the indean ocean; water rises as warmer/ less dense water to surface due to upwelling

Describe what happens at the Antarctic circumpolar

Antartic circumpolar current moves around the globe through oceans and then travels back to the circumpolar region.

Describe the formation of delta

River transport rock/soil; there is depostion of sediment, and there is more sedimentation than erosion; little wave action

Describe the formation of a sandy shore

It deposits small sandy particles on shore; gentle slope; Rate of erosion is less than the rate of deposition, where there are low erosion levels

Describe the formation of a muddy shore

Fine particles deposit in slow current. Since the river widens, very low wave action. Flat beach allows for sedimentation of very fine particles. Sedimentation rate is higher than low erosion

Describe the formation of a rocky shore

Exposed to high wave action, affected by weathering (physical, organic or chemical) and low rate of erosion, but more erosion than sedimentation.