Physical Properties of the Ocean

What are the physical states of water?

-Gas (water vapour)

-Liquid

-Solid (ice)

Hydrogen Bond

Weak bond formed when a changed part of a molecule having polar covalent bonds forms a electrostatic interaction with a substance of opposite charge

How many calories is the latent heat of fusion?

80 calories

How many calories is the latent heat of vaporisation?

540 calories

What causes variations in solar energy?

Latitude

-Affects declination

-Earth-location to Sun angle

Date

-Affects angle of planet

-Interacts with declination to define seasons

Latitude+Longitude+Date

-Defines cloud and dust that reflects light incident with the atmosphere

What is the common unit for solar energy?

Wm^-2

What is the unit for solar energy in physiology?

Photons Flux Density (PFD)

-µmol photons m^-2 s^-1

Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR)

-400 to 700 nm

Percentage of light at depth relative to surface

Equation for irradiance

Light attenuation

Light is absorbed by various components of seawater as it travels downward, resulting in a decrease in irradiance with depth

Specific heat capacity

Amount of energy change when the temperature of 1 g of the substance changes by 1 C

What does high specific heat capacity of water do?

-Minimise water temperature variations

-Slow response to climate change

Constituents of seawater

Water density is a function of?

-Temperature

-Salinity

-Depth

What is the oceans circulation driven by what?

-Density gradients from temperature

-Salinity variations

What happens to salt during ice formation?

Salt is expelled

-Sea ice is mostly fresh