Deck 3: Chemical and Physical Features of Seawater and the World Ocean

Question 1

In unusually cold winters the northern Black Sea sometimes freezes, while the nearby Adriatic Sea usually doesn't, even if it is just as cold. Fresh water runoff gives the surface of the Black Sea a low salinity of about 18‰. What would you guess about the salinity of the Adriatic?

Answer 1

Water plays crucial role in the life of an individual. Water can be found in different sources including sea, river, lakes, and oceans. The majority of water available on the earth is found in oceans and is unsuitable for drinking.
The question states that the Black Sea had 18% salinity. The Adriatic Sea is adjacent to it and has salt concentration of 38 to 39% in the south region. This area has higher salt content due to frozen black sea. The salt concentration of Adriatic Sea does not get concentrated. On the contrary, the Black Sea is not frozen towards the northern region, thus the Adriatic Sea has salt concentration 25 to 33%.

Question 2

Just for the fun of it, someone in Beaufort, South Carolina, throws a message in a bottle into the sea. Some time later, someone in Perth, on the west coast of Australia, finds the bottle. Referring to Figure 3.20 and the fold-out map at the back of this book, can you trace the path the bottle probably took?
FIGURE 3.20 The major surface currents of the oceans. In the main ocean basins the currents combine to form large circular systems called gyres.

Answer 2

Water plays crucial role in the life of an individual. Water can be found in different sources including sea, river, lakes, and oceans. The majority of water available on the earth is found in oceans and is unsuitable for drinking.
The question requires tracing the path of bottle from South Carolina to Perth. The most probable path followed by the bottle would be from the Gulf Stream. The bottle would then move towards the Equator with the help of Canary Current. It would continue its path to South America with the help of South Equatorial and Brazilian Current. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current will take the bottle further away. Finally, the bottle will reach the western coast of Australia in the North.

Question 3

If you owned a seaside home and a bad storm brought heavy winds and high surf to your coastline, would you prefer it to be during a new moon or a quarter moon? Why?

Answer 3

A storm during a quarter moon would be less destructive because tidal range is at its lowest. The highest tides are observed during new and full moons. A storm during these periods would be more destructive since storms cause tides that are higher than predicted tides.

Question 4

Most tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean, as indicated by the map in Box 3.3, "Waves That Kill." How would you explain this?
Box 3.3 Waves That Kill