NOTES! Salinity is the amount of dissolved substances in water What affects the density of water? Temperature and Salinity
How does density affect the ocean? Ocean water has formed layers according to density Low-density water occurs near the surface Higher-density water occurs below CHALLENGE QUESTION: From the video, is high-density water warm or cold?
Importance: Moves drifting organisms from place to place – plankton, disperse young Carries eggs and larvae of organisms that have external fertilization Brings food, oxygen Carries away waste, pollutants
Thermohaline Circulation (currents) Causes deep ocean circulation Vertical currents Temperature and salinity cause water density differences Due to density differences, water masses rise and fall
Thermohaline Circulation (currents) ↑ salinity = ↑ density = water mass sinks ↑ temp. = ↓ density = water mass floats