5: Chemical Oceanography

Learning Objectives

• After reading this chapter you should:
• understand some of the unique properties of water
• understand hydrogen bonds and how they affect water’s properties
• understand the concept of outgassing
• understand the concept of residence time
• understand how salinity is measured and calculated
• know the major ions in seawater
• understand the rule of constant proportions
• understand how and why salinity changes as a function of latitude and depth
• know the processes responsible for dissolved gases in the ocean
• be able to produce and describe depth profiles for oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nutrients
• understand the role of carbon dioxide as a buffer in the ocean
• understand the issue of ocean acidification