LAVC Oceanagraphy and Global Weather Patterns Discussion

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. What does it mean when we say “water is a polar molecule”? What is a hydrogen bond? How does one form? How does it relate to the following properties of water: cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, capillary action and heat capacity?2. Name and describe the three phases of matter. Use figure from NASA article to relate each phase to molecular behavior (speed, relationship). Relate the three phases of water to the hydrologic cycle.

  1. Copy and paste Fig. 5.12 (Webb) into your response. Use this figure to describe what happens to the phase and temperature of water as heat is added. Your response should include a discussion of heat capacity, latent heat of fusion and latent heat of vaporization.
  2. Define and relate the following: solute, solvent and solution. What does solubility measure? Use this graph to describe the general relationship between salt solubility and temperature. How does solubility relate to saturation and precipitation?

Graph of solubility of salts as a function of temperature

  1. Define and relate the following: ions and salinity.  What is the average salinity of seawater (make sure to include appropriate units). Copy and paste Fig. 5.31 (Webb) into your response. Use this figure to describe the main ions dissolved in seawater. What are the two main sources of salt to the ocean?
  2. Up to three students may respond to this question, provided each chooses a different letter below to respond to:
    • A: Copy and paste Fig. 6.2.1 (Webb) into your response. Use this figure to describe how sea surface temperature varies with latitude. At which latitudes is sea surface temperature highest? lowest? Explain why these patterns occur?
    • B: Copy and paste Fig. 5.3.2 (Webb) into your response. Use this figure to describe how sea surface salinity varies with latitude. At which latitudes is sea surface salinity highest? lowest? Explain why these patterns occur?
    • C: Copy and paste Fig. 5.3.3 (Webb) into your response. Describe the patterns of precipitation across the globe. Which latitudes experience the largest rainfall? the least? Relate these patterns to the way sea surface temperature and salinity change with latitude.
  3. Copy and paste Fig. 5.1.5 (Webb) into your response. Use this figure to describe how the density of liquid water changes with temperature. At what temperature is density highest? Lowest? How does the density of solid water (ice) compare with the density of liquid water? Why?
  4. Use. Fig. 6.2.2 (Webb) to describe how ocean temperature changes with depth. Explain why temperature changes this way. Define and relate the thermocline, pycnocline, and density stratification. (Hint: You may need to refer to Fig. 5.1.5 (Webb) to understand the relationship between temperature and density).
  5. Use. Fig. 5.3.5 (Webb) to describe how ocean salinity sometimes changes with depth. Explain what would cause salinity to change this way. Define and relate the halocline, pycnocline, and density stratification. (Hint: Think about  the relationship between salinity and density).
  6. Copy and paste Fig. 6.24 (Webb)  into your response. Use this figure to describe how the thermocline varies with latitude. What does this imply about how surface waters may interact with deep water at different latitudes?
  7. Define and quantify the following heat properties of water: heat capacity, latent heat of fusion, latent heat of vaporization. Relate these three properties to the hydrologic cycle. How do these properties help to regulate climate?
  8. Up to TWO students may answer this question, provided each chooses to respond to a different letter:
    • A: What are the three main gases dissolved in seawater? What are the main source(s) of each? Why are each important?
    • B: Use the gas solubility graph below to describe, in general how temperature and pressure affect gas solubility (assume that all gases behave similarly to oxygen). 

13. Up to TWO students may answer this question, provided each chooses to respond to a different letter: 

  • A: Copy and paste Fig. 5.4.1 (Webb)  into your response. Use this figure to describe how the concentration of oxygen changes with depth. Use what you know about the biological importance of oxygen to explain why its concentration changes this way with depth.
  • B: Copy and paste Fig. 5.5.1 (Webb)  into your response. Use this figure to describe how the concentration of oxygen changes with depth. Use what you know about the biological importance of oxygen to explain why its concentration changes this way with depth.

14. What does pH measure? What is the average pH of the ocean? Describe the system of chemical equations responsible for preventing broad swings in pH?15. Copy and paste Fig. 5.5.2 (Webb)  into your response. Use this figure to explain how the bicarbonate ion (HCO3-) plays a role in the carbonate buffer system to help maintain constant pH in the ocean.16. How do temperature and pressure change with depth? How does gas solubility vary with temperature and pressure (Hint: It may help to see figures referenced in Questions 8 & 12 above)? Define the calcite compensation depth (CCD) and relate to how CO2 concentration changes with depth.17. Copy and paste Fig. 5.5.5 (Webb)  into your response. Describe what this figure shows. Define and relate the carbonate buffer system to the causes and consequences of ocean acidification.18. Define the following concepts and use them to explain how light behaves in the ocean: scattering, absorption, wavelength, photic zone, and aphotic zone. Why is light important in the ocean?19. Copy and paste Fig. 6.5.1 (Webb) into your response. What does the wavelength of light determine? Use this figure to help explain why ocean water looks blue.20. Copy and paste Fig. 6.4.1 (Webb)  into your response. Use this figure to explain how the speed of sound varies with depth and why? Why is sound important in the ocean?21. Define and relate SOFAR to wave refraction. 22. Define and relate the shadow zone to wave refraction. 

23. Up to THREE students may respond to this question, provided that each chooses a different letter to answer:

  • A: How do dissolved salts affect the heat capacity of water?
  • B: How do dissolved salts affect the freezing point of water?
  • C: How do dissolved salts affect the boiling point of water?

24. What are the three most abundant gases in Earth’s atmosphere? What is humidity? How does the temperature of air influence how much water vapor the air can hold? How does humidity influence air density?

25. What is the difference between weather and climate? Which atmospheric layer contains the greatest mass and generates the weather?

26. What two factors influence atmospheric pressure and how? How does this relate to density and the movement of air mass?

27. How does air temperature change as air expands? as it is compressed? How does this relate to atmospheric convection?

28. Describe in detail what happens when air containing water vapor rises. Relate the hydrologic cyle to the movement of energy in the atmosphere.

29. How does solar heating vary with latitude and why? How does solar heating vary with the seasons and why?

30. How and where (at what latitudes) do atmospheric convection cells form?31. Describe the Coriolis Effect and how it influences the movement of air masses. Relate to the pattern of prevailing winds.32. What is meant by thermal equilibrium? Is Earth’s heat budget in balance?  Explain why or why not.33. What is the meteorological equator? Why is atmospheric circulation centered at the meteorological equator rather than the geographical equator?34. What is a monsoon? Why and where do they typically occur?35. How are extratropical cyclones similar to tropical cyclones? How are they different? Include the Coriolis Effect in your explanations.36. Explain how sea breezes and land breezes form.37. What are the two main type of ocean currents and their causes?38. What is a gyre? How many are there and where are they located (attach a map with your response).39. Give the general name for the four boundary currents that make up a gyre and their characteristics.40. What is westward intensification? Why does it occur? How does it influence ocean surface currents?41. Explain where and why downwelling occurs? Upwelling? Which is associated with high biological productivity?42. What is caballing? Why does it happen and what is the result?

43. Why does El Niño occur? How often? Give two specific examples of how it affect global weather patterns.

44. Relate the concept of water masses to density stratification of the ocean and to thermohaline circulation. Describe how/where these currents originate and their role in the global conveyor belt.

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