Earth Science: Salinity and Ocean Production Study Guide

1. 	What is the salinity of seawater?

2. 	Ocean salinity is usually expressed in ________________.

3. 	What is the most abundant salt in the sea?

4. 	What is the principal source of dissolved substances in the oceans?

5. 	Does evaporation increase or decrease the salinity of seawater?

6. 	What is the second major source of elements in seawater?

7. 	Which layer of the ocean experiences rapid change in temperature with depth?

8. 	Which layer of the ocean experiences a rapid change in density with depth?

9. 	In addition to salinity, what other factor affects the density of seawater?

10. 	What are the zones in the three-layered structure of the ocean relating to density?

11. 	Where would you find the lowest density seawater?

12. 	What are the 3 categories of marine organisms?

13. 	Organisms that drift with ocean currents are called ____. 

14. 	What term describes organisms that live on or in the ocean floor?

15. 	Marine organisms are classified according to how they ____.

16. 	How are organisms that are plankton different from nekton?

17. 	How would you best describe the ocean bottom?

18. 	Which ocean zone is characterized by high water pressure, low temperatures, and no sunlight?

19. 	The open ocean of any depth is called the ______ zone. 

20. 	Which ocean zone does sunlight penetrate?

21. 	Can an animal be a main producer of food in the ocean?

22. 	Which term best describes energy transfer between trophic levels?

23. 	All the complex feeding relationships among a number of different organisms is known as a(n) ____.

24. 	Is a food chain is the passage of energy along a single path or many interactive organisms?

25. 	Where would a primary producer be located in a food chain (at beginning or the end)?