Are caused by differences in temperature and salinity?

Thermohaline water movement is caused by differences in both temperature and salinity. Thermo- comes from the Greek word for temperature, and -haline comes from the Greek word for salt. This activity models thermohaline water flow.

How does temperature and salinity affect ocean currents?

Since warmer water thus can hold more salt and other molecules than cold water; it can have a higher salinity. To relate this to ocean currents, the higher the salinity of ocean water, the more dense it becomes. When the salinity is high enough, the water will sink, starting a convection current.

Why would differences in water temperature or salinity encourage water movement?

There currents are set in motion by variations in water density caused by differences in temperature and salinity, a process called convection. Water’s density varies with temperature; when heated it will expand and therefore increase in volume. This means its mass per volume will decrease and it becomes less dense.

How does temperature affect water movement?

Water expands when it warms up – heat energy makes its molecules move around more and take up more space. When water cools, it contracts and becomes denser. Temperature and salinity both affect the density of water, resulting in water moving up or down through the ocean layers and moving as currents around the ocean.

How does salinity and temperature affect density?

The warmer the water, the more space it takes up, and the lower its density. When comparing two samples of water with the same salinity, or mass, the water sample with the higher temperature will have a greater volume, and it will therefore be less dense.

How do salinity and temperature affect density in deep ocean currents?

High salinity makes water denser. This is because there is more salt packed into the water. High temperature makes water less dense. As water gets warmer, its molecules spread out, so it becomes less dense.

Does salinity increase with temperature?

With increasing temperature, salinity decreases….and conversely, with decreasing temperature, salinity increases.

How does temperature and salinity affect the density of water?

Ocean water gets more dense as temperature goes down. So, the colder the water, the more dense it is. Increasing salinity also increases the density of sea water. Temperature has a greater effect on the density of water than salinity does.

How is temperature related to the motion of water molecules?

Temperature causes water molecules to move more quickly, because each individual molecule has more energy as it gets hotter (according to Kinetic molecular theory). If you get water hot enough, the molecules move so much that the hydrogen bonds that hold them together start to break and the water becomes a gas …

What causes the change in temperature of the water?

Heat transfer, whether from the air, sunlight, another water source or thermal pollution can change the temperature of water. Heat flow and the fluctuation of temperature determine what species will live and thrive in a body of water.

What is the relationship between temperature and density?

Density and Temperature Relationship When density decreases, temperature increases. When more temperature increases, density reduces. When the temperature decrease, density increases.

How does temperature and salinity affect the density of seawater?

The density of seawater depends on temperature and salinity. Higher temperatures decrease the density of seawater, while higher salinity increases the density of seawater. Seawater will become stratified with less dense water on the surface and more dense water below it.

What is the relationship between salinity and temperature?

Temperature-Salinity Relationship. Empirical relationships between salinity and temperature, which vary with longitude, latitude, and depth, have been identified from past data from conductivity-temperature-pressure (CTD) probes and from Argo profiling floats.

How does temperature affect salinity?

The most direct way ocean salinity is influenced by temperature is through the rate of evaporation. As sea surface temperatures increase, so too does the evaporative rate. As fresh water evaporates from the ocean surface, salt is left behind, making the remaining waters more saline.

Why salinity and temperature are measured?

The measurement of salinity and temperature is important due to the water density and the formation of ocean currents. In another hand, we know that many chemicals in ocean water so that they result in the salty water. The salty sources come from many places such as the rivers carrying chemicals dissolved out of soil and rock.

Does temp affect salinity readings?

With increasing temperature, salinity decreases….and conversely, with decreasing temperature, salinity increases.