Question

You are swimming in the open ocean near the equator. The thermocline in this location is about \(1^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) per 50 meters of depth. If the sea surface temperature is \(24^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\), how deep must you dive before you encounter a water temperature of \(19^{\circ} \mathrm{C} ?\)

Short answer

You must dive 250 meters deep.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Problem

We need to find the depth at which the water temperature decreases from \(24^{\circ} \text{C}\) to \(19^{\circ} \text{C}\). The rate of temperature change is \(1^{\circ} \text{C}\) per 50 meters of depth.

Calculate Temperature Change Required

Calculate the total temperature change needed to decrease from \(24^{\circ} \text{C}\) to \(19^{\circ} \text{C}\). The temperature difference is \(24 - 19 = 5^{\circ} \text{C}\).

Determine Depth for Each Degree of Change

According to the problem, the temperature changes by \(1^{\circ} \text{C}\) for every 50 meters. Therefore, to find the depth for a \(5^{\circ} \text{C}\) change, we need to calculate the total depth.

Calculate Total Depth

Since each \(1^{\circ} \text{C}\) change requires diving 50 meters, for a \(5^{\circ} \text{C}\) change, the depth is \(5 \times 50 = 250\) meters.

Key concepts

Temperature Gradient

A temperature gradient refers to how temperature changes over a certain distance. In oceanography, it is often used to describe how the temperature of ocean water alters with depth. This concept is crucial for understanding the thermocline, which is the layer in the ocean where temperature decreases rapidly with depth.

• The thermocline acts as a barrier between the warmer surface waters and the colder deep waters.
• It plays an important role in ocean circulation and marine life distribution.

In our exercise, we see a specific temperature gradient where the water temperature drops by 1°C for every 50 meters you dive. This constant rate is helpful in predicting how deep a swimmer must go to reach a desired water temperature.

Open Ocean

The open ocean, often called the pelagic zone, is the part of the ocean that is not near the coast or sea floor. It covers about 70% of Earth's surface and has vast, continuous water masses.

• Contrary to coastal regions, the open ocean experiences fewer temperature fluctuations.
• Wind patterns and currents substantially influence water temperature in these areas.
• The open ocean also serves as a major carbon sink, absorbing significant amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Understanding the characteristics of the open ocean helps scientists study large-scale marine processes and climate-related changes.

Water Temperature

Water temperature is a principal factor in determining the physical and chemical properties of marine ecosystems. It affects the behavior, growth, and survival of marine organisms.

• Temperature variations can influence sea life, nutrient cycles, and oxygen levels in the water.
• Water temperature typically decreases with depth due to reduced sunlight and increased pressure.
• In the exercise, we calculate how deep one must dive to experience cooler water, highlighting how temperature impacts ocean dynamics.

Accurate measurements of water temperature allow for better forecasting of weather patterns and assessment of climate change impacts.

Oceanography

Oceanography is the scientific study of the ocean, encompassing the study of ecosystem dynamics, ocean currents, and marine organisms, among other topics. Researchers in this field work to understand how oceans function and how they impact the global environment.

• Temperature gradients and thermoclines are key subjects within physical oceanography.
• Oceanography informs us about the distribution of marine life, nutrients, and how oceans regulate climate.
• The discipline combines principles from biology, chemistry, geology, and physics to study various ocean phenomena.

By analyzing exercises like ours, which involve temperature changes with depth, students can gain insights into fundamental oceanographic principles and their real-world applications.