What is the average salinity of ocean water?

About 3.5% About 1% About 10% About 25%

What is the most abundant salt found in ocean water?

Sodium chloride (table salt) Calcium carbonate Potassium chloride Magnesium sulfate

Where does the salt in the ocean originally come from?

Rivers carry dissolved minerals from rocks on land to the ocean over millions of years Salt forms naturally in cold ocean water It comes entirely from underwater volcanoes Rainwater brings salt directly from the atmosphere

How do oceans affect the climate of coastal areas?

They moderate temperatures, keeping coastal areas milder than inland areas They make coastal areas hotter and drier They cause more extreme temperature swings near the coast They have no significant effect on local climates

What is the typical pH of normal ocean water?

About 8.1 (slightly alkaline) About 6.0 (mildly acidic) About 7.0 (neutral) About 9.5 (strongly alkaline)

What gas do oceans absorb from the atmosphere in large quantities, helping to slow climate change?

Carbon dioxide Nitrogen Oxygen Methane

How do oceans influence precipitation patterns far inland?

Evaporated ocean water forms clouds that travel inland and fall as rain or snow Ocean currents carry warm air to inland areas Oceans absorb rainfall before it reaches inland areas Reflecting sunlight from the ocean warms inland air enough to cause rain

Why is the ocean considered Earth's most important 'heat sink'?

It has a very high heat capacity and absorbs and stores enormous amounts of solar energy It reflects most sunlight into space It releases heat faster than land, cooling the planet It cools the planet only through evaporation

Why is dissolved oxygen important in the ocean?

Marine animals use it for cellular respiration It prevents seawater from freezing It neutralizes ocean pollution It makes the water taste salty

El Niño is a climate pattern caused by:

Unusually warm surface water spreading across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean A sudden increase in volcanic activity under the Pacific A reversal of the Atlantic Ocean's thermohaline circulation The formation of a new gyre in the Southern Ocean