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    Class Prep 12 Hydrosphere Function and Evolution

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    katie.robinhood
    Seawater chemically changes as it interacts with mid-ocean ridges through hydrothermal metamorphism. The primary process controlling surface ocean currents is wind currents and gyres. The oceanic conveyor circulation takes around 1,000 years for a single water molecule to circulate through, regulating global climate. Periods of high sea levels influence Earth's albedo and climate by creating more ocean surface area.

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    Class Prep 12 Hydrosphere Function and Evolution

    Uploaded by

    katie.robinhood
    11 views2 pages
    Seawater chemically changes as it interacts with mid-ocean ridges through hydrothermal metamorphism. The primary process controlling surface ocean currents is wind currents and gyres. The oceanic conveyor circulation takes around 1,000 years for a single water molecule to circulate through, regulating global climate. Periods of high sea levels influence Earth's albedo and climate by creating more ocean surface area.

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    Class prep 12 Hydrosphere Function and Evolution

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    Seawater chemically changes as it interacts with mid-ocean ridges through hydrothermal metamorphism. The primary process controlling surface ocean currents is wind currents and gyres. The oceanic conveyor circulation takes around 1,000 years for a single water molecule to circulate through, regulating global climate. Periods of high sea levels influence Earth's albedo and climate by creating more ocean surface area.

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    11 views2 pages

    Class Prep 12 Hydrosphere Function and Evolution

    Uploaded by

    katie.robinhood
    Seawater chemically changes as it interacts with mid-ocean ridges through hydrothermal metamorphism. The primary process controlling surface ocean currents is wind currents and gyres. The oceanic conveyor circulation takes around 1,000 years for a single water molecule to circulate through, regulating global climate. Periods of high sea levels influence Earth's albedo and climate by creating more ocean surface area.

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    Class prep 12: Hydrosphere Function and Evolution

    1. In what way is seawater chemically altered as it interacts with mid-ocean ridges?

    Seawater chemically changes as it interacts with mid-ocean ridges through a process called
    hydrothermal metamorphism/hydrothermal weathering where seawater percolates through hot
    ocean crust altering the concentrations of certain dissolved ions in the seawater.

    2. Please fill in the blanks: “The modern ocean basins have an average depth of 3.8 km
    [~2.4 miles] and represent over 70% of Earth’s surface. The oceans store 96.5% of
    Earth’s water, account for 86% of all evaporation, and receive 78% of all
    precipitation.

    3. What is the primary process that controls surface currents in the ocean?

    The primary process that controls surface currents in the ocean are wind currents/gyres.

    4. Please explain the function and significance of the “oceanic conveyor”. What drives
    vertical ocean circulation? How long does it take for a single water molecule to
    circulate through the oceanic conveyor?

    The significance of the “oceanic conveyor” is that it’s the flow of the water through the ocean
    system. The drive of oceanic circulation is the temperature of the ocean as it rises and falls in
    convection currents. A single water molecule will take about 1,000 years to circulate through the
    oceanic conveyor.

    5. How do periods of high sea levels influence Earth’s albedo? Thus, how does
    relatively high sea level influence Earth’s climate?

    Periods of high sea levels influence Earth’s albedo by creating more surface area and more dark
    spots, which raises global temperatures. This affects the global climate by heating it, reducing
    land area, and changing the climates on the coast.

    6. During glacial periods, does the 18O:16O ratio recorded in the shells of marine
    organisms increase, decrease, or stay the same? Please explain your answer.

    During glacial periods the O18 and O16 decreased because there was less oxygen present due to
    a decrease in circulation in the ocean.

    7. Recall that the term “transgression” refers to sea-level rise. [During the time of Noah,
    the earth was flooded because of transgression!] How might ocean transgression
    influence the 13C:12C ratio. Please explain your answer.

    Transgression would influence the 13C and 12C ratio because as the ocean raises the albedo will
    also increase causing more precipitation, and the Carbon in the ocean will rise into the
    atmosphere causing the Carbon ratio to increase.
    8. Please list the names and ranges of the six major transgressive-regressive marine
    depositional sequences recognized by Sloss (See Fig. 6.13). For example, the Sauk
    Sequence has a range of Proterozoic-Early Ordovician. [You’ll need to know these
    for Exam 3.]

    Sauk: Proterozoic to early Ordovician.

    Tippecanoe: Middle Ordovician to early Devonian.

    Kaskaskia: Early Devonian to end of Mississippian.

    Absaroka: Pennsylvanian to early Jurassic.

    Zuni: Early Jurassic to end Cretaceous.

    Tejas: Cenozoic Era.

    9. What controls sea level? In other words, why has sea level changed through time?

    Sea level is controlled by the suns influence on warming the ocean and melting the glaciers. Sea
    level has changed over time because the ability the atmosphere to reflect the incoming heat from
    the sun changes with the composition, and the composition is constantly changing.

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