Week 7 Discussion – Properties of Water

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Week 7 Discussion – Properties of Water

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Week 7 Discussion – Properties of Water

1. What does it mean when we say “water is a polar molecule”? 

2. What is a hydrogen bond? How does one form? 

3. How do hydrogen bonds relate to the following properties of water: cohesion and adhesion?

4. What is surface tension? Which properties of water cause this phenomenon?

5. What is the difference between heat and temperature?

6. What is heat capacity? How do hydrogen bonds affect this property?

7. Name and describe the three phases of matter. Use Fig. 6.5 to relate each phase to molecular behavior (speed, relationship). Relate the three phases of water to the hydrologic cycle.

8. Copy and paste Fig. 6.7 into your response. Use this figure to describe what happens to the phase AND temperature of water as heat is added. How does this relate to the concept of heat capacity?

9. What is latent heat? What is sensible heat?  Use Fig. 6.7 to distinguish between the two.

10. Define and quantify the latent heat of fusion. Use Fig. 6.7 to describe what happens when water absorbs the latent heat of fusion. Also describe what happens when water releases this heat.

11. Define and quantify the latent heat of fusion. Use Fig. 6.7 to describe what happens when water absorbs the latent heat of fusion. Also describe what happens when water releases this heat.

12. Copy and paste Fig.6.15 into your response. Use this figure to describe how sea surface TEMPERATURE varies with latitude. Explain why this pattern occurs.

13. Copy and paste Fig.6.15 into your response. Use this figure to describe how sea surface SALINITY varies with latitude. Explain why this pattern occurs.

14. Define density. Copy and paste Fig. 6.4 into your response. Use this figure to describe how the density of liquid water changes with temperature. At what temperature is density highest? Lowest? 

15. What is density? Use Fig. 6.4 to describe how the density of solid water (ice) compares with the density of liquid water. Explain why.

16. What is salinity? Refer to Fig. 6.10 to explain how it affects the freezing point of water.

17. Copy and paste Fig. 6.10 into your response. Explain how salinity affects the density of sea water.

18. Use. Fig. 6.18 to describe how ocean TEMPERATURE changes with depth. Explain why temperature changes this way. Define and relate this to the concept of the thermocline and explain how this affects density stratification (Hint: You may need to refer to Fig. 6.4 to understand the relationship between temperature and density).

19. Use. Fig. 6.18 to describe how ocean SALINITY changes with depth. Explain why salinity changes this way. Define and relate this to the concept of the halocline and explain how this affects density stratification (Hint: You may need to refer to Fig. 6.10 to understand the relationship between salinity and density).

20. Use Fig. 6.18 to respond to the following questions: What is the pycnocline? What factors contribute to its formation? How does it affect the density stratification of the ocean?

21. Copy and paste Fig. 6.19 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?

22. 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. Give ONE example of how ONE of these properties helps to regulate climate? (Multiple students may respond, provided that different examples are shared.)

23. 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?

24. Copy and paste Fig. 6.23 into your response. What does the wavelength of light determine? Use this figure to help explain why ocean water looks blue.

25. Copy and paste Fig. 6.25 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?

26. Define and relate SOFAR to wave refraction. (Hint: You may wish to refer to Fig.  6.21, 6.25 and 6.26 in your response.)

27. Define and relate the shadow zone to wave refraction. (Hint: You may wish to refer to Fig. 6.21, 6.25 and 6.27 in your response.)

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This question is taken from Ocean 115 – Introduction to Oceanography » Spring 2021 » Discussions