ESC1000 Final Test Questions with Verified
Correct Answers
Salinity
The proportion of dissolved salts to pure water; the total amount of solid material dissolved in
water. It varies with temperature. (PPT) #1= NaCl
thermocline
"heat-slope" a layer of water in which there is a rapid change in temperature in the vertical
dimension. It is the change below the zone of mixing.
Halocline
Zone of rapidly changing salinity; corresponds with thermocline
pycnocline
"density-slope"a layer of water in which there is a rapid change in density with depth. cold
water with high salinity means high density.
sea salts
chemical weathering of rocks, and the process of outgassing from volcanic eruptions is the
source of what?
depth
temperature and salinity of seawater change with what?
half life
the time required for 1 half of the atoms of a radioactive substance to decay.
isothermal
, a change of a system in which the temp remains constant.
isotherm
"equal-temperature" a line that connects points on a map that have the same temperature;
used to examine the distribution of air temperatures over large areas.
upwelling
the rising of cold water from deeper layers to replace warmer surface water that has been
moved away.
shallow surface mixed zone
(2% of ocean water) solar energy is received at the ocean surface therefore water temp is the
warmest here. The mixing of water by waves, and turbulence from currents & tides,
distributes heat gained at the surface through a shallow layer. It has uniform temperatures.
deep water zone
(80% of ocean water) sunlight never reaches this area so water temps are just above freezing.
transition zone
(18% of ocean water) this area exists between the warm surface layer above and the deep
zone of cold below. it includes a prominent thermocline and associated pycnocline.
gyre
the large, circular surface-current pattern found in each ocean
increase salinity
how do high evaporation rates and formation of sea ice affect seawater salinity?
decrease salinity
Correct Answers
Salinity
The proportion of dissolved salts to pure water; the total amount of solid material dissolved in
water. It varies with temperature. (PPT) #1= NaCl
thermocline
"heat-slope" a layer of water in which there is a rapid change in temperature in the vertical
dimension. It is the change below the zone of mixing.
Halocline
Zone of rapidly changing salinity; corresponds with thermocline
pycnocline
"density-slope"a layer of water in which there is a rapid change in density with depth. cold
water with high salinity means high density.
sea salts
chemical weathering of rocks, and the process of outgassing from volcanic eruptions is the
source of what?
depth
temperature and salinity of seawater change with what?
half life
the time required for 1 half of the atoms of a radioactive substance to decay.
isothermal
, a change of a system in which the temp remains constant.
isotherm
"equal-temperature" a line that connects points on a map that have the same temperature;
used to examine the distribution of air temperatures over large areas.
upwelling
the rising of cold water from deeper layers to replace warmer surface water that has been
moved away.
shallow surface mixed zone
(2% of ocean water) solar energy is received at the ocean surface therefore water temp is the
warmest here. The mixing of water by waves, and turbulence from currents & tides,
distributes heat gained at the surface through a shallow layer. It has uniform temperatures.
deep water zone
(80% of ocean water) sunlight never reaches this area so water temps are just above freezing.
transition zone
(18% of ocean water) this area exists between the warm surface layer above and the deep
zone of cold below. it includes a prominent thermocline and associated pycnocline.
gyre
the large, circular surface-current pattern found in each ocean
increase salinity
how do high evaporation rates and formation of sea ice affect seawater salinity?
decrease salinity
