Transcript Ocean Physics - THS Aquatic Science

Ocean Physics
Unit 5
Ocean Physics
Physical characteristics of the world
ocean is determined by water’s
properties of…
Heat Capacity
Density
Salinity
& Ability to Transmit Light and Sound
Thermostatic Properties
 Ocean has a thermal inertia:
 it resists change in temperature.
 The poles receive less solar energy because the sun’s angle is
further away, as compared to the tropics.
 The equator receives about 400% more solar energy than the poles.
 Currents in the atmosphere and in the ocean move heat from the
tropics to the poles.
 ex. Gulf Stream
 Ocean currents and weather are a result of unequal solar heating.
 Heat transported by water vapor in atmosphere is greater than heat
transported by water.
 Weather accounts for 2/3 poleward heat
 Ocean currents account for 1/3 poleward heat.
Light in the Ocean
 Refraction - bending of light waves,
magnifying objects
 Refractive index - The amount light is
refracted from one medium to the next
 The refractive index of seawater increases
with salinity
Light in the Ocean
 Light is electromagnetic radiation that can
have many wavelengths, other than just
the visible spectrum.
 Only green and blue wavelengths pass
through water at any appreciable depths
and quantities.
 The ocean is the color it is because
those colors are not absorbed but
reflected back to you.
 As you go deeper, colors are absorbed
except for blue and green.
 At 33 ft down, red appears gray.
 Underwater pictures appear their true
color because a light source is used.
 Water color can also be a result of
sediment, organisms (or lack there of),
pollution or chemistry of water.
Sound in the Ocean
 Sound can travel great distances and 4-5x faster in
water
 Speed of sound is faster in high temperatures and
pressure.
 Sound is fastest at the surface and very deep.
 Loud noises at deep depths (sound channel) can be heard for
thousands of km.
 Sound bounces off the thermocline to produce an area of
poor sound transmission known as the shadow zone
(subs hide here)
Equipment
 Hydrometer
 ratio of the density of the liquid to the density of water
 Calorimeter
 measures heat capacity
 pH meter/probe
 Measures pH
 Osmometer
 measures osmotic pressure
 Nansen bottle
 salinity measured at different depths
 bottle is sent down upside down on a string, flipped open at a desired
depth, and a sample of water is taken
 Salinometer
 electronic electricity conductor
 Refractometer
 measures salinity by the degree the light is bent