Oceans Quiz

 Light and the Ocean

Why is the ocean blue?

The blue wavelength bounces and can penetrate the deepest.

Photic Zone

When matter is removed from space it creates a vacuum that must be filled

Heat rises and as it does new matter must take its place. This new matter is usually cooler than the heated matter that rises

Atmospheric Pressure

    One Atmosphere is equal to 14.7 pounds per square inch

        -Every 10m (33ft) one more ATM is added

            -What does this mean?

            -When you are standing on the beach there is 1 ATM pushing down on you

                -This is because of all the atmosphere (air) weighing down on you

            -When you dive 33ft under water you now have 2 ATM's pushing down on you

                -When you dive 99ft underwater you now have 4 ATM's pushing down on you

                    -4 ATM's is equal to 58.8 PSI

As you dive deeper the air inside your body compresses

    -If you dive to fast you get a headache because of the pressure trapped in your head

        -You have to dive slowly

    -When you start to ascend you need to do so slowly or the compressed air will expand too quickly

        -If the air in your body expands too quickly you get the "Bends"

    -Another problem with diving is nitrogen poisoning

        -Your body uses all the oxygen in your body but stores the nitrogen

        -If you build up too much nitrogen you could die

            -To help prevent this divers use a dive card that helps them with safe dive times

Surface Circulation

    -The wind drives the strongest ocean currents which occurs on the surface layer

    -Wind and surface currents are ultimately caused by heat from the sun

    -Wind and currents are also influenced by the Coriolis Effect

The Coriolis Effect

    -Because the earth is round, anything that moves across the earths surface tends to turn a little instead of moving in a straight line.

Wind Patterns and Weather

 Surface Currents

    -The wind blows the top layer of the ocean. This causes currents

    -Instead of the surface current moving in the same direction as the wind it curves at a 45 degree angle because of the Coriolis Effect

    -Ekman Spiral

        -Each layer of the ocean pushes the next causing a downward spiral of current

    -Ekman Layer

        -The Ekman Layer is the top layer of the ocean that is most affected by the spiral

    -Ekman Transport

        -Eventually if you go deep enough the Ekman Spiral is causing the current to move at a 90 degree angle from the direction the wind is blowing.

    -After 200 meters, the wind has little effect and the ocean water moves very slowly appearing almost still.