Climate and the Ocean Main terms: heat capacity, thermal inertia, and thermal equilibrium

Climate and the Ocean??? Heat capacity: Heat capacity: –Provides Earth with Thermal Inertia Tendency to resist temperature change Tendency to resist temperature change Seawater temperature does not rise/fall much Seawater temperature does not rise/fall much Most sun’s energy absorbed by ocean Most sun’s energy absorbed by ocean Heat returned to atmosphere (evaporation…) Heat returned to atmosphere (evaporation…) –Heat sources are balanced –Thermal equilibrium Cools at same rate that it heats Cools at same rate that it heats

Climate and Ocean Ocean is Earth’s “Global Thermostat” Ocean is Earth’s “Global Thermostat” –Prevents temperature swings caused by uneven solar heating No thermal equilibrium? No thermal equilibrium? –No heat transfer –Drastic heat changes Drastic climate Drastic climate –NO LIFE ON LAND OR OCEAN!