CO_Chemical Oceanography Module Overview

Let's kick off this oceanography course with a fresh perspective. Instead of seeing the ocean as a big body of water, let's imagine it as a buzzing city of chemical reactions beneath the surface. Pretty cool, right? 

We're going to explore the basics of chemical oceanography in this section and learn about the composition of seawater, including its saltiness, dissolved gases, and nutrients. We'll also investigate how these components can vary at different depths and locations of the ocean. It's like we're detectives on a mission to uncover the mysteries of ocean chemistry!

But wait, there's more! We're going to delve into the connections between various chemical cycles in the ocean. For example, we'll take a look at the carbon cycle and how it helps regulate our climate. We'll also discuss challenges like ocean acidification and how it affects marine ecosystems. Plus, we'll explore how nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen cycle through the ocean and the problems that can arise when these systems get overloaded. 

Now, let's talk about biogeochemical cycles. Remember last semester when we learned about geological and physical oceanography? Well, get ready because things are about to get even more interesting! This unit will focus on how elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as the water cycle, work together in the ocean. We'll see how these cycles interact with the biological, geological, and chemical aspects of the ocean to keep it thriving with life. It's like a giant, living puzzle that we get to piece together!

So, are you ready to dive in? Let's get started on this exciting journey!

  1. How do chemical reactions in the ocean affect marine life and the Earth's climate? 
  2. What role does the ocean play in the global carbon cycle, and how does this influence climate change and ocean acidification? 
  3. What are the consequences of nutrient imbalances in marine ecosystems, specifically relating to eutrophication and ocean deoxygenation? 

  1. Ammonification: The conversion of organic nitrogen into ammonia by the action of decomposers (bacteria and fungi). 
  2. Assimilation: The process in the nitrogen cycle where plants absorb nitrate, ammonia, or ammonium and convert these into organic molecules such as amino acids. 
  3. Biogeochemical Cycles: Natural processes that recycle elements, molecules, or compounds in various chemical forms from the environment to organisms and then back to the environment. 
  4. Carbon Cycle: The series of processes by which carbon compounds are converted in the environment and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, decay, and combustion. 
  5. Chemical Oceanography: The study of the chemical composition and properties of seawater and the chemical processes occurring in the ocean. 
  6. Climate Change: Long-term significant changes in the climate of Earth, often referring to global warming caused by human activities and the increased levels of greenhouse gases. 
  7. Condensation: The process by which water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water; crucial in the formation of clouds. 
  8. Dead Zone: An area in a body of water, especially an ocean, having oxygen levels that are not adequate to support life; often a result of eutrophication. 
  9. Denitrification: The reduction of nitrates back into the largely inert nitrogen gas (N2), completing the nitrogen cycle. 
  10. Eutrophication: An increase in chemical nutrients, typically compounds containing nitrogen or phosphorus, in an ecosystem, leading to excessive plant growth and decay and the subsequent depletion of oxygen. 
  11. Evaporation: The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor; a key part of the water cycle. 
  12. Global Warming: A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants. 
  13. Greenhouse Effect: The trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface. 
  14. Heat Capacity: The ability of a substance to absorb heat energy to cause temperature change. Water has a high heat capacity as a large amount of energy is needed to change the temperature. 
  15. Hydrogen Bond: A weak bond between two molecules resulting from an electrostatic attraction between a proton in one molecule and an electronegative atom in the other. 
  16. Nitrification: The process by which ammonia is converted to nitrites (NO2-) and then to nitrates (NO3-) by bacteria in the soil. 
  17. Nitrogen Cycle: The series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition. 
  18. Nitrogen Fixation: The chemical process by which atmospheric nitrogen is assimilated into organic compounds, especially by certain microorganisms, as part of the nitrogen cycle. 
  19. Ocean Acidification: The ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. 
  20. Ocean Deoxygenation: The reduction in oxygen levels in the oceans, often caused by increased temperatures and eutrophication. 
  21. Phosphorus Cycle: The biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. 
  22. Polar Molecule: A molecule with a slight positive charge on one side and a slight negative charge on the other, often leading to hydrogen bonding. 
  23. Precipitation: Any form of water - liquid or solid - falling from the sky, including rain, snow, sleet, and hail. 
  24. Seawater Composition: Refers to the various elements and compounds present in ocean water, including salts, gases, and nutrients. 
  25. Transpiration: The process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released into the atmosphere. 

what will this module cover (2)

In this module, we will study the following topics:

  • Lesson 1 Chemical Features of Ocean Water 
  • Lesson 2 Carbon Cycling
  • Lesson 3 Anthropogenic Influences and Implications of the Carbon Cycle
  • Lesson 4 Nutrient Cycling
  • Lesson 5 Eutrophication & Ocean Deoxygenation

 

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