7. Ocean TEMPERATURES
How do ocean temperatures vary with depth and how do the various ocean zones associate with ocean temperatures?
SURFACE ZONE-
The sun is the main source of heat for the ocean, and its safe to say that the temperature is highest at the top of the ocean because that's where the sun hits the most. However, when waves occur, the heat from the top layer is pushed downward into the coolness of the under layer. The part that is mixed by waves and currents is called the surface zone and it goes for about 100-400 meters deep. The water in this layer also changes with location! The water near the equator is generally warmer (because the sun is direct) and the ocean near the North and South poles is generally cooler.
THERMOCLINE-
Underneath the surface zone, is water that drops greatly in temperature. The reason this water is so cold is because elite sunlight hits it,and cooler water is more dense which causes it to "sink". Warmer water is less dense which causes it to float making it not mix well with each other.
DEEP ZONE-
This water is the coldest out of the three because absolutely no sunlight hits it, and it's extremely dense. This part of the ocean is the largest and extends at least 4000 meters.
The sun is the main source of heat for the ocean, and its safe to say that the temperature is highest at the top of the ocean because that's where the sun hits the most. However, when waves occur, the heat from the top layer is pushed downward into the coolness of the under layer. The part that is mixed by waves and currents is called the surface zone and it goes for about 100-400 meters deep. The water in this layer also changes with location! The water near the equator is generally warmer (because the sun is direct) and the ocean near the North and South poles is generally cooler.
THERMOCLINE-
Underneath the surface zone, is water that drops greatly in temperature. The reason this water is so cold is because elite sunlight hits it,and cooler water is more dense which causes it to "sink". Warmer water is less dense which causes it to float making it not mix well with each other.
DEEP ZONE-
This water is the coldest out of the three because absolutely no sunlight hits it, and it's extremely dense. This part of the ocean is the largest and extends at least 4000 meters.
These temperature zones only occur with certain oceans. In the Arctic and Antarctic area, even the surface water is freezing. The diagram below is an example of the three ocean zones.