Oceanography

NSC 401 Project

Shannon Carpenter

Allison Larson

Table of Contents Oceanography Project

(Appropriate for Grades 7-9) Introduction to Oceanography History of Oceanography (2-3 days)

Oceanographic Explorers and Discoverers Eratosthenes Finds Diameter of Earth (Internet Activity) Finding Your Longitude and Latitude

Physical and Geological Oceanography (5 days)

Seafloor Spreading Ocean Topography Create a Seafloor Diagram Boat Building Contest Tides of Change (Internet Activity)

Physical Properties of Water (2 days)

Heat Flow Water Pressure Waves in Motion

Chemical Properties of Sea Water (3-4 days)

Water density and Stability Measuring Aquatic pH Secret Agents of Dissolved Oxygen

Marine Oceanography (2 days)

Underwater Scene Make a Miniature Deep Sea Vent

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Introduction Oceans are great bodies of salt water comprising nearly three-fourths of the surface of the earth, and the scientific study of the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the so-called world ocean. The major goals of oceanography are to understand the geologic and geochemical processes involved in the evolution and alteration of the ocean and its basin, to evaluate the interaction of the ocean and the atmosphere so that greater knowledge of climatic variations can be attained, and to describe how the biological productivity in the sea is controlled. Some of the main objectives in this activity packet include:

• To provide an overview of the processes which determine the state of the atmosphere and the ocean and their dynamics.

• To describe our planetary environment and the governing cycles and processes which control its behavior.

• To describe the processes and phenomena which directly affect the nature and behavior of the "fluid" Earth, namely, the composition of the atmosphere and of seawater, the balance of forces which controls winds, ocean currents and waves in both media.

• To describe the natural atmospheric and oceanic processes which impact on use of the Earth's resources including industrial, commercial and recreational use and conservation.

• To let students appreciate the importance of scientific understanding of physical processes in ocean and atmosphere and the forces behind them for environmental pollution and management problems.

The world ocean covers 71 percent of the earth's surface, or about 361 million sq km (140 million sq mi). Its average depth is 5,000 m (16,000 ft), and its total volume is about 1,347,000,000 cu km (322,300,000 cu mi). The three major subdivisions of the world ocean are the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean, which are conventionally bounded by the continental masses or by ocean ridges or currents.

In the central parts of the oceans are the mid-ocean ridges, which are extensive mountain chains with inner troughs that are heavily intersected by cracks, called fracture zones. The ridges are sections of a continuous system that winds for 60,000 km (40,000 mi) through all the oceans. The ridge systems are in areas of great geologic activity, characterized by volcanoes, or earthquakes and faults. The mid-ocean ridges play a key role in plate tectonics (movements in the earth's crust), for it is from the inner troughs of these ridges that molten rock upwells from the earth's mantle and spreads laterally on both sides, adding new material to the earth's rigid crustal plates. The plates are moving apart, currently at the rate of 1 to 10 cm (0.39 to 3.9 in) a year and are being forced against adjacent plates. From the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the continents, which rest on the plates and which once were joined, have moved away from one another.

The structure and topography of the ocean floor are studied through the use of satellite mapping which measures the level of the ocean surface to estimate the shape of the ocean

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floor; sonar, which measures the depth of the oceans; and seismic techniques, which measure the thickness of sediments of the ocean floor. Depth measurements are made by sonar from ships that travel slowly, so only a small fraction of the ocean's floor has been mapped from depth measurements. Even using the latest sonar techniques, it would take about 125 years to map the ocean floor with depth measurements.

Seawater is a dilute solution of several salts derived from weathering and erosion of continental rocks. The salinity of seawater is expressed in terms of total dissolved salts in parts per thousand parts of water. Salinity varies from nearly zero in continental waters to about 41 parts per 1,000 in the Red Sea, a region of high evaporation, and more than 150 parts per 1,000 in the Great Salt Lake. In the main ocean, salinity averages about 35 parts per 1,000, varying between 34 and 36.

Some of the resources we used are as follows:

http://pao.cnmoc.navy.mil/Educate/Neptune/Neptune.htm

http://www.coast-nopp.org/resource_guide/elem_mid_school/plate_tectonics_acts/

http://www.math.rice.edu/~ddonovan/

http://www.kyes-world.com/

http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/

http://www.kings.k12.ca.us/

http://www.neaq.org/index1.html

http://tea.rice.edu/

http://encarta.msn.com/

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History of Oceanography

Oceanographic Explorers and Discoverers

Eratosthenes Finds Diameter of Earth (Internet Activity)

Finding Your Longitude and Latitude

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Oceanographic Explorers and Discoverers

Introduction:

One of the first modern day persons to study the ocean's physical characteristics was Matthew Maury. Due to a stagecoach accident in 1839, he spent most of his career on land. Consequently he was able to read and study the charts and logbooks written by other captains of naval ships. In 1855 he wrote a textbook, "The Physical Geography of the Sea", which established oceanography as a bona fide scientific endeavor. And although Matthew Maury is considered by most to be the father of modern day oceanography, it was the British Government, which commissioned the first extensive study of the oceans. Many other people make up the rich history of oceanography. It is important to study their contributions to the oceanographic community, in order to help us use oceanography today.

Objectives:

• Students will be able to describe the influences of various historical figures on the study of oceanography.

Materials:

• Computer access • Various reference materials

Activity:

Students will work in groups of two.

1. Your group will be assigned a historical figure. 2. Research and prepare a five to ten minute oral presentation on the figure. 3. Requirements for presentation include: two page write up on the historical figure

and visual aid.

Teacher’s Notes:

Here are some examples of historical oceanographic figures, if you need more historical figures, there are plenty more, and you can always use the Minoans, Phoenicians, Vikings, and Egyptians as other examples.

1420 - Prince Henry of Portugal founded the first school of navigation.

1486, 1498 - Bartholomew Dias and then Vasco de Gama sailed around Africa and into the Indian Ocean.

1490s - Columbus sailed the Atlantic and re-discovered the Americas.

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1513 - Ponce de Leon 'discovered' the Pacific Ocean.

Magellan (1520) and later Sir Francis Drake (1580) circumnavigate the Earth.

1728-1761 - John Harrison developed a sea-going chronometer, which revolutionized the ability to determine longitude. This led to markedly improved navigation and maps.

1768-1779 - Captain James Cook - on four voyages, he determined the outline of the Pacific Ocean, measured winds, currents, and temperatures, conducted soundings, and researched coral reefs. By proving the value of John Harrison's chronometer, he made possible the first accurate maps of the Earth's surface. He discovered New Zealand, Australia, Great Barrier Reef, Sandwich and Hawaiian Islands.

1777 - Benjamin Franklin published a map of the Gulf Stream based on ship reports.

1806-1873 - Matthew Fontaine Maury, the father of modern oceanography, was a career officer in the USA Navy. He compiled analyses of wind and current logs, and published maps of wind and current patterns. Wrote the first oceanography textbook in 1855, The Physical Geography of the Sea.

1831-1836 - Voyage of HMS Beagle with Charles Darwin. His observations led to The Origin of Species.

1815-1854 - Edward Forbes established the vertical distribution of life in the Oceans and divided the sea into life-depth zones.

1893-1895 - Fridtjof Nansen mapped the Arctic Ocean while trapped in sea ice aboard the Fram.

Assessment:

Oral Presentations can be graded for accuracy and teamwork. Students can be made aware of an objective quiz on some of the historical figures. This will motivate the students to stay focused and take notes during the oral presentations.

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Eratosthenes Finds Diameter of Earth!

Introduction: Eratosthenes made a remarkably precise measurement of the size of the earth. He knew that at the summer solstice the sun shone directly into a well at Syene at noon. He found that at the same time, in Alexandria, Egypt, approximately 787 km due north of Syene (now Aswan), the angle of inclination of the sun’s rays was about 7.2°. With these measurements he computed the diameter and circumference of the earth as we will do.

Objectives:

• Estimate the diameter and circumference of the Earth by repeating Eratosthenes’ experiment.

• Use the Internet to exchange measured data and results. • Use the Internet to research the mathematical and scientific contributions of

Eratosthenes.

Materials: Each lab group (2 or 3 students):

• Computer with Internet connection and e-mail access. • Meter stick or pole of comparable length • Measuring tape (or second meter stick) • Scientific calculator

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Activity: Part 1: How did Eratosthenes get a result?

Since light rays travel parallel to each other, we get pairs of congruent angles. With the central angle measuring 7.2° and the length of the arc between Syene and Alexandria 787 km we can write the proportion:

7.2 / 360 = 787 / X Therefore X = 39350 km, the circumference.

Convert this value to miles: _____________________

Find the radius and diameter of the earth: (use C = 2*Pi*r )

Radius: _______________ km ______________ mi Diameter: _____________ km ______________ mi

Part 2: It’s our turn now!!

Procedure:

Find a school that you can contact via e-mail that is approximately 787 km (how many miles? ________ ) either due north or due south of your school. Each group should choose a different city. For example, from Houston we could choose a school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Using an atlas to measure the distance between them, I get approximately 705 km.

Each group must drive a meter stick or pole into the ground at a 90-degree angle. Make sure it is in a sunny location.

1. One school’s groups must monitor their poles. When the sun is directly overhead and the pole casts no shadow or its minimum shadow, e-mail the partner school’s group to measure the sun’s angle of inclination from the shadow cast by their pole and return the result. See diagram below for measurements.

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2. Using the distance value and the measured angle, compute the circumference and diameter as done in activity 1.

Part 3: Compare your results.

1. How do your results compare with your partner school’s results? The earth’s average radius is usually accepted as 6.38 * 10^6 m.

2. Compute the percent of error for Eratosthenes’ result.

______________% 3. Compute the percent of error for your result.

______________%

Assessment:

***Assessment should include the following questions either in a homework assignment or should be discussed in a class discussion. ***

4. Why do you think we need to choose two cities that lie roughly on the same longitudinal line? Why couldn’t we use New York and Los Angeles?

5. How did Eratosthenes measure the distance between Alexandria and Syene over 2000 years ago?

6. How could Eratosthenes know that at noon on the summer solstice in Syene the sun’s rays shown directly to the bottom of the well while at the same time in Alexandria they did not?

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Finding Your Longitude and Latitude From Local Solar Noon Time

Introduction:

Improvements in navigation have played a critical role. Until the 20th century navigation at sea was based identification of the angular position of stars. Calculation of latitude is straightforward because the earth's axis of rotation remains approximately fixed with respect to the celestial background. For this reason, the latitudinal positions of ships were precisely known. One of the most important developments in instrumentation in the 18th century was the development in the 1780s of sufficiently accurate and rugged chronometers to allow precise determination of longitude. As a result, the major zonal currents of the tropics such as the North Equatorial Counter Current were gradually mapped during the 18th century, again with the main source of data being provided by the ship's logs of commercial ships.

Objectives:

• Students will find their latitude and longitude location.

Materials:

• Fairly straight stick, about 1 meter long • String or soft rope, about 1 1/2 to 2 meters long • 3 fist-sized rocks • Small rocks or shells to mark north/south and east/west lines on the ground • Compass (to check your results)

Activity:

Part 1: Determining North and South:

1. Using the compass, review the basic four directions, keeping in mind that compasses show magnetic north and our compass will show rotational (true) north.

2. Push the stick into the ground so that it stands straight up; securely on its own. 3. Notice the shadow it casts on the ground and place a fist-sized rock on the

ground at the TOP of the shadow. 4. Hold the end of the string at the base of the stick. Pull the string straight and

hold the spot where it meets the rock. Now make an arc in the soil using the measured string length for the radius and the stick for the center point. Start at the rock, swing to the north and continue around to the east.

5. OPTIONAL; check on the project around local noontime. Notice that the length of the shadow is the shortest at local noon.

6. Come back to the project in a little less time than double the time that elapsed from the start to local noon. Keep an eye on the project until the top of the shadow meets the arc made earlier.

107. Place a second rock on the arc at the point where the shadow meets it.

8. Lay the string down in the arc to measure its length between rocks. Fold this length in half, still in the arc, starting at one of the rocks.

9. Place a third rock at this midway point. 10. Mark a straight line from the third rock back to the base of the stick. This is your

north/south line. Mark it with a row of rocks (or whatever).

Part 2: Finding East and West from the Perpendicular

Make a line perpendicular to this north/south line for your east/west line by doing the following:

11. Holding the end of the string in one hand, anchor it at one end of the north/south line with your hand

12. Hold the string (about 3/4 as long as the north/south line) with your other hand. 13. Draw a short arc on each side of the line, using the string for the radius while

keeping the end of the string anchored on the end of the line 14. Do the same procedure, using the other end of the north/south line this time

*NOTE: the arcs should cross each other at some point, on each side of the line*

15. Make a straight line connecting the two criss-cross points. This is your east/west line. Mark it as you did the north/south line.

Teacher’s Note:

About the site: Choose a flat, outdoor area that can remain undisturbed for the day. The area should be in open sun from 3 hours before local noon to 3 hours after. (To estimate local noon look in your local newspaper for sunrise and sunset times. Midway between these two times is local noon.) Best results are accomplished when done on soft ground.

Preliminary preparation needed: Plan for a mostly sunny day. You will need to spend a few minutes setting up the project and 15 to 20 minutes at the end, as long after local noon as you started before local noon. Try to start about 2 - 3 hours before local noon.

Assessment:

***Assessment should include the following questions in a class discussion after the activity has been completed.***

1. Which way is the shadow moving? Why? ANSWER: a) From west to east on the north side of the stick b) Because the sun is moving from east to west and we are in the Northern Hemisphere

2. Why is it shorter (or longer) than before? ANSWER: the sun is higher (or lower) in the sky

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Physical and Geological Oceanography

Seafloor Spreading

Ocean Topography

Create a Seafloor Diagram

Boat Building Contest

Tides of Change (Internet Activity)

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Seafloor Spreading

Introduction:

At the Earth's center is the inner core. Surrounding this is the outer core, the mantle, and the crust. The Earth's crust is divided into seven major and approximately twelve minor plates, including the Pacific, Nazca, North American, South American, Antarctic, African, Eurasian, and Indian. These plates float on top of the Earth's molten interior layer, and the continents "ride" on top of the plates. A current is the transfer of heat in either a liquid or a gas that causes magma to rise through the mantle and into the crust and form oceanic ridges. Convection currents are believed to be the result of significant temperature differences between the upper and lower mantles. As magma moves under oceanic ridges, the oceanic plates move apart in a process called seafloor spreading.

Objectives:

• Observe the close fit of continental margins by cutting and piecing them together. • Model the phenomenon of polar reversal with magnets and a compass. • Relate the idea of convection currents as the driving force behind plate tectonics.

Materials:

• Tracing paper • Pencils and pencil shavings • Small world map • Paper • Bar magnets • Compass • Felt pens • Shallow metal pans • Hot plate • Scissors

Activity:

In cooperative learning groups:

1. Use a sheet of tracing paper to trace the outline of the continents on a world map. Then, carefully cut the traced continents and diligently fit them together into one landmass. Compare results with the other student groups. Which continents seem to fit together best?

2. Push two desks or two tables together and pull two sheets of paper in opposite directions through the tables that have been pushed together. Place the (N) poles of two magnets at the top of both papers where they exit the desk. Place a compass on the paper just below the magnets and draw an arrow on each sheet of paper in the direction of the compass needle. Pull the papers through the desktop

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or tables an inch on each side and reverse the magnets; again draw the direction of the arrows. Repeat this process three or four times. Discuss your results within your group.

Teacher’s Notes:

Possible Demo:

As a demonstration performed very carefully by the teacher wearing goggles and using protective gloves, place a pan of water on a hot plate. Turn on the hot plate; heat the water a few minutes, and then sprinkle pencil shavings in the middle of the pan. Wearing goggles, students should observe the pattern of the shavings as they move out and away from the center of the pan. This is believed to be a result of convection currents. The teachers will add food coloring to the water with a pipette to better observe the movement of the water. Students should record all observations in a journal with a diagram depicting the results of both experiments.

Possible Extension:

1. Fossil evidence or geologic formations could be integrated into this activity and could then be plotted on maps.

2. The relationship between the rock cycle and plate tectonics could be discussed. Then, draw a plate tectonics diagram.

Assessment:

Journal can be graded for content and accuracy. Evaluate class discussion and comprehension of the topic.

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Ocean Topography

Introduction:

The Earth's surface is divided into separate plates that move and influence global topography. Sea floor spreading is responsible for the "breakup" of the super continent, Pangaea, and is responsible for the creation of mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

Objectives:

• Students will locate major plate boundaries based on topographic features.

Materials:

• Paper • Pencil • Blank world map • Topographic/Physiographic map of the world • Map of fictitious planet • Materials for presentations, such as transparencies • Poster board • Markers

Activity:

In cooperative learning groups (two students per group):

***Each group should have a blank map and a physiographic map. ***

Part 1 of the Activity:

1. Identify the plate boundary locations from the physiographic map. 2. Next, research whether these are converging, diverging, or transforming plates

based on the information from the topographic map and knowledge of land forms associated with each type of plate boundary.

3. Then, draw your predicted boundaries on the blank map with converging boundaries in red, diverging boundaries in blue and transform boundaries in green. Arrows should be drawn on each plate to indicate the direction of plate movement.

4. In your group, discuss its results with another group and critique each predicted boundary map. At the conclusion of class, the instructor should present the actual map of plate boundaries on an overhead for the students to check the accuracy of their predictions.

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Part 2 of the Activity:

Re-divide students into cooperative learning groups (four students per group):

***Each group should have a map of a hypothetical planet. ***

1. The map contains plates with motion speeds and directions. It also contains the boundaries of four countries. Draw topographical features that would occur at each plate boundary. The features must correspond to the directions of plate movement of the adjacent plates.

2. Each person in your group must then take one of the four countries and describe the country in a brief report. This description should include topographic and tectonic features of the area. You must add a paragraph at the conclusion of the paper describing the manner in which the topography affected the development of the political and cultural infrastructure of the inhabitants.

Teacher’s Notes:

Class Discussion:

After the first part of the activity, the class could engage in a discussion of plate boundaries and the effects of plate configuration on the composition of the Earth in the future.

Possible Extension:

Students can prepare a publicity poster and travel brochures for their countries and develop a governmental system for their countries. The different groups should interact, just as representatives of different governments interact. This interaction could be based on a problem, such as earthquake activity, that might affect all the groups.

Assessment:

1. Give students pre- and posttests. Administer a rubric in advance, and then use it as a guide for grading.

2. Assess student performance during oral presentations. Administer an additional rubric, and then use it as a guide for grading.

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Create a Seafloor Diagram

Introduction:

Beneath the world's oceans lie rugged mountains, active volcanoes, vast plateaus and almost bottomless trenches. The deepest ocean trenches could easily swallow up the tallest mountains on land. Around most continents are shallow seas that cover gently sloping areas called continental shelves. These reach depths of about 650 feet (200 m). The continental shelves end at the steeper continental slopes, which lead down to the deepest parts of the ocean. Beyond the continental slope is the abyss. The abyss contains plains, long mountains ranges called ocean ridges, isolated mountains called seamounts, and ocean trenches, which are the deepest parts of the oceans. In the centers of some ocean ridges are long rift valleys, where Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common. Some volcanoes that rise from the ridges appear above the surface as islands. Other mountain ranges are made up of extinct volcanoes. Some seamounts, called guyots, are extinct volcanoes with flat tops. Scientists think that these underwater mountains were once islands but their tops were worn away by waves. The diagram below shows the main features found on the ocean floor.

Objectives:

• Students will create a visual representation of seafloor features discussed in science class.

Activity:

1. Students can create three-dimensional visual displays using clay, Styrofoam, paper, shoeboxes or any material that can be molded into a specific shape.

2. They should include at least five seafloor features and have each feature labeled with toothpicks, tags, or provide a key.

3. Encourage students to be creative and designate a portion of the grade to design. 4. Have the students share their model with the class, explaining how they designed

the seafloor features. 5. Display the visuals in class or in the school display case.

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Teacher’s Note:

This activity can be used as a culminating project grade, an in-class reinforcement of seafloor features, or an art extension to a science lesson. Modifications can be made to accommodate the class setting.

Assessment:

1. Give students pre- and posttests.

2. Assess student performance during oral presentations and grade projects based on the number and accuracy of the seafloor features in the student’s 3D diagram.

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Boat Building Contest (The Spring Sailing Regatta)

Introduction: Three-fourths of Earth's surface is covered with water. One of the properties of water is buoyancy, how well something will float. An object that floats will move aside, or displace, enough water to weigh as much as that object does. Design effects function. Objectives:

• To see how design affects a boat's speed and ability to carry cargo. Materials:

• Construction materials: Wood, plastic, foam, paper, polystyrene. • Rubber bands, balloons, etc. • Pool filled with water. • Pennies, weights, etc.

Activity (Rules of the Contest):

1. Size: the size of your "lake" will determine the necessary size limits. For a pool that's 1 meter in diameter, a maximum size of 20 cm in length and width is appropriate. Boats larger than the limit should be penalized by adding time onto its fastest trial run.

2. There must be space to carry cargo. 3. Types of power boats: Sailboats which are powered solely by wind; Rubber-band

Boats which are powered by one or more rubber bands attached to one or more propellers; Jet Boats which is powered by a balloon or other non-combustion jet (water jets, baking soda and vinegar, antacid tablets, dry ice). Either use all three methods or use only one power source.

4. Begin the regatta by making detailed drawings of their ideas. 5. You have two class days for construction.

8. On the race day, each contestant will make at least 3 trial runs in the speed category, against the clock. The boats will be timed from a starting signal until part of the craft touches a designated area at the opposite side of the pool. The winner will be determined using each entrant's best time.

9. Repeat the trial runs in the speed with cargo category. Load small weights such as pebbles, marbles, or pennies. Determine the winner. If there not enough time, you will instead compete to find whose boat stays upright and afloat with the most weight.

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Teacher’s Notes:

The only thing you'll have to provide for this activity is a body of water to hold the regatta in. A child's wading pool works easily. Use class time to discuss motion, forces, and fluid behavior, and shipbuilding

history and technology. Have an awards ceremony and for each category have ribbons, extra credit, or

whatever is appropriate.

Assessment:

Have the students discuss how they saw that a boat's shape determines how fast it can go and how much it can carry. Did the boat, which went the fastest, look like the boat that could hold the most weight? What do you change or lose if you design a boat for speed versus a boat to carry cargo?

Most regattas have strict limits on the type of boats that enter. A good example is the Americas Cup. Research the controversy around the race where the American Team sailed a Catermeran, a two-hulled boat. The race sailed the regatta into the courts and an international controversy.

The speed trials in this activity were adapted from Robert McDonald's "Wading Pool Regatta" which appeared in March 1990 Science and Children, pp. 16-17. He offers wonderful suggestions to tie the regatta into mathematics activities.

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Tides of Change Introduction:

At the surface of the earth, the earth's force of gravitational attraction acts in a direction inward toward its center of mass, and thus holds the ocean water confined to this surface. However, the gravitational forces of the moon and sun also act externally upon the earth's ocean waters. These external forces are exerted as tide-producing, or so-called "tractive" forces. Their effects are superimposed upon the earth's gravitational force and act to draw the ocean waters to positions on the earth's surface directly beneath these respective celestial bodies (i.e., towards the "sublunar" and "subsolar" points).

High tides are produced in the ocean waters by the "heaping" action resulting from the horizontal flow of water toward two regions of the earth representing positions of maximum attraction of combined lunar and solar gravitational forces. Low tides are created by a compensating maximum withdrawal of water from regions around the earth midway between these two humps. The alternation of high and low tides is caused by the daily (or diurnal) rotation of the earth with respect to these two tidal humps and two tidal depressions.

Objectives:

Part 1 Each student or partners will use the Internet to find the local time of daily high tides over a 4-day span in 4 different locations. They will then use the average of the daily time differences to determine the number of degrees the moon revolves in one day. This number will then be divided into 360° to determine the number of days required for a complete orbit. Part 2 Each student or partners will use the Internet to find the masses and distances of the sun and moon from the earth. They will then compare the ratio of the sun to the moon in each instance and find the ratios of the results using the formula for gravity.

Materials:

The only material needed for this activity is the use of a computer with Internet access.

Activity:

Part 1 of the Activity:

1. Log onto Why the Moon is Viewed in Phases for background on the phases of the moon.

http://kings.k12.ca.us./math/lessons/Tides_Support_Files/Why_Phases.html

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2. Log onto Make A Tide Prediction: USA Coast

http://www-ceob.nos.noaa.gov/tidetext.html

and record the information requested in the boxes below for 4 different U.S. coastal cities.

• Place the name of each city in column 1 • Place the time of both high tides for that city for each of 4 consecutive days in

columns 2,4,6, and 8. There may only be one high tide on a particular day. • Compute the number of minutes later that the high tides occur from one day to the

next between the two columns. These will go in columns 3,5, and 7. • Compute the average of the time differences (columns 3,5, and 7) and place it in

column 9.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 CITY High Tides

Day 1 Minute slater ->

High Tide sDay 2

Minutes later ->

High Tide sDay 3

Minutes later ->

High Tide sDay 4 Average of

Minutes

3. Now compute the average of all the averages in column 9 and place it here: ______ minutes

If the moon didn't orbit the earth, then the tides would occur about the same time every day, based only on the pull of the sun. Watch the short animation at Why the Tide Cycle is More than 24 hrs

http://kings.k12.ca.us./math/lessons/Tides_Support_Files/Tides_Cycle_24hrs.html

to see why the times change each day.

4. The number of minutes you computed in the previous step represents the distance further the earth must rotate in order to catch up to the new position of the moon. You will now use this information to determine how long it takes the moon to orbit all the way around the earth.

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First we must determine how many degrees the moon revolves each day. To do this, we will set up a ratio as follows:

Number of minutes in 1 day

360° =

Number of minutes to catch the moon

x°

Fill in the numerators below, and cross-multiply to solve for x:

360° = x°

Place your solution here: ___________ degrees of orbit per day.

5. Since 360° represents one complete revolution of the moon, divide 360 by the daily movement you computed in the previous step in order to compute the number of days required for one full orbit.

Place your solution here: _________ days.

Part 2 of the Activity:

1. Log onto Heavenly_Proportions.html

http://kings.k12.ca.us./math/lessons/Tides_Support_Files/Heavenly_Proportions.html

to view important information about the relative sizes and distances of the sun and the moon .

• Record the mass of the sun and moon in the chart below. • Record the distance of the sun and moon from the earth in the chart below.

Mass Distance from Earth Sun____________ Moon _____________

Sun____________ Moon_____________

2. The force of gravity between two objects depends on two things:

• The mass of the objects (the more mass, the stronger the pull)

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• The distance between the objects (the closer they are, the stronger the pull)

THE EFFECT OF MASS THE EFFECT OF DISTANCE

The force of gravity varies directly with the mass of the

object.

Examples: If the mass doubles, the force of

gravity doubles. If the mass is 50% greater (1.5),

the force of gravity is 50% greater

The force of gravity varies inversely with the cube of the

distance.

Examples: If the distance doubles, the force of gravity is divided by 8 (23). If the distance is 50% greater (1.5), the force of gravity is

divided by 3.375 (1.53)

If one object is 4 times the mass of another object, than it's force of gravity with the earth will be 4 times as much.

If one object is four times as far away from the earth as another object, the force of gravity with the earth will be (1/4)3, or 1/64 as much.

3. Determine the ratio of the mass of the sun to the mass of the moon as a decimal: Mass of the Sun

= Mass of the Moon

Ratio of Masses _______________

4. Determine the ratio of the distances from the earth to both the sun and to the moon.

Sun's Distance from Earth =

Moon's Distance from Earth

Ratio of Distances ________________

5. Use the ratios from #3 and #4 above to determine the ratio of the sun's force of gravity to the moon's force of gravity on earth

Ratio of the Masses =

Ratio of the Distances3

Ratio of Forces ________________

Check your answer with your teacher before you continue!

6. During spring tides, the gravitational forces of moon and the sun are aligned.

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When they are on the same side of the earth, the force of the sun's gravity is added to the moon's force. When they are on opposite sides of the earth, the sun's force is subtracted from the moon's force.

Log onto Solar_Lunar_Tides.html http://kings.k12.ca.us/math/lessons/Tides_Support_Files/Solar_Lunar_Tides.html

to learn about spring and neap tides. 7. How much more pull is there on the tides when the sun and moon are on the same side of the earth than there is when they are on opposite sides of the earth? Let the effect of the moon's pull equal 1. a.) Add your results in problem 5 to the number 1 to represent the combined pull on the tides during a spring tide. ___________ b.) Now subtract your results in problem 5 from the number 1 to represent the combined pull on the tides during a neap tide. _____________ Now divide the combined total in part a by the opposed amount from part b to find the ratio of the combined pull during spring tides to that of neap tides.

Pull when sun & moon aligned

=

Pull when sun & moon opposed

Ratio of Pulls ________________

Log onto Tug_of_War.html to see the maximum effect of the sun and moon on the tides.

http://kings.k12.ca.us./math/lessons/Tides_Support_Files/Tug_of_War.html

Teacher’s Notes: The Science S.C.O.R.E. site has a lesson on tides, which might serve as an introduction. This will be particularly useful for students with no experience or knowledge of tides. A review of finding the difference in minutes between two times and solving proportions will also be helpful. Depending on your class, you may want to provide fewer steps, allowing students to explore and solve the problem on their own without the help of the chart and step-by-step directions. Extensions: Part 1 a. The time period we found on this worksheet is called the synodic month. Discover what a sidereal month is. b. See what explanation you can find on the web to explain why the daily differences between the time of high tide varies so much. Since the movement of the moon around the earth is constant, shouldn't the time difference be the same each day? Why isn't it? 25

Part 2 a. Do you think the planet Mars has any effect on our tides? Do some research and use the proportion formula in step 5 above to compute the greatest force Mars could have on the tides compared to the force of the moon. b. The planet Jupiter is a sea of gasses and has many moons. The four largest are Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Compare the pull of the sun on Jupiter to the pull of its 4 largest moons if they were all aligned. Assessment: All of the students’ results and work for the math problems should be written in a lab book. Assessment should be based on completion of a written lab report and that the student obtained REASONABLE data. Part 1 Check that the computation of the daily differences is correct. The theoretical daily difference should be around 54.8 minutes, however these will be different in each location and on each day. 54.8 minutes results in a daily movement of the moon around the earth of 13.17°, or an orbit of 27.3 days. Here are some results for various results: Minutes of Delay

40 45 50 55 60

Daily Degrees

10 11.25 12.5 13.75 15

Days for Orbit

36 32 28.8 26.18 24

Part 2 The ratio of the masses should be around 2.7x10^7 and the ratio of distances around 387.1 The ratio of forces is about .465. The ratio of spring tide to neap tide forces is about 2.74. Accuracy will differ dependent on calculator used and the number of decimal places used for rounding

26

Physical Properties of Water

Heat Flow

Water Pressure

Waves in Motion

27

Heat Flow Introduction:

Two basic laws: (1) heat flows through substances and (2) cold is the absence of heat. Heat energy can be transferred by conduction (transfer of heat), convection (circulation of heat), and radiation (heat particle waves). An example of conduction is the current flow in the arteries of a whale flipper. Warm blood in whale arteries passes by the veins where most heat is transferred and returned to the core of its body.

This lab is an example of how the whale can bring the heat back into its body core without loosing its body heat when blood flows. The veins and arteries move blood and heat in opposite directions, which is why this system in a whale is called a countercurrent flow. When they pass by each other, they transfer heat keeping most of the heat inside the body and not lost by way of the flippers.

Objectives:

• Students will observe and demonstrate heat transfer in a countercurrent system. The students will apply this knowledge to the importance of conduction in heat energy transfer in warm-blooded ocean animals.

Materials:

• 2 funnels and tape • 2 5-foot sections of thin plastic tubing • 2 thermometers • Hot and cold tap water gallon containers • 2 buckets • 4 index cards and markers

Activity:

Students must be put in groups of four.

1. Attach each funnel to the sections of plastic tubing. Label tubes/buckets as hot or cold. Hypothesize and record what will happen to the temperatures on the Observation Chart.

2. Fill one-gallon container with hot water and the other with cold. Record the start temperature of each on the Observation Chart. Hypothesize and record the answer on question 1.

3. Keeping the tubes separate, use the funnel and pour the water from each container into its own tubes. Make sure the hot tube goes to the hot bucket, and the cold tube goes to the cold bucket.

4. Measure and record the temperature of the water after it flows through the tubes on the Observation Chart. Answer question 2.

5. Twist the two tubes together. Still make sure the hot tube flows to the hot bucket, and the cold tube flows to the cold bucket. Hypothesize and answer question 3.

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6. Refill containers with hot and cold water. Record temperatures on the Observation Chart.

7. Use the funnel and pour the water from each container into its own tubes. 8. Measure and record the temperature of the water after it has flowed out of the

twisted tubes on the Observation Chart. Answer question 4. 9. Select a member of your group to share the results with the class.

Observation Chart:

Single Tubes Twisted Tubes

Start Before After Before After

Hot water

Cold water

Questions:

1. What do you think will happen to the temperature when the hot and cold water flows through separate tubes?

2. What happened to the temperature after flowing through the separate tubes and why?

3. What do you think will happen to the temperature when the hot and cold tubes are twisted together and water flows through them?

4. What happened to the temperature after flowing through the tubes twisted and why?

5. How does this help whale maintain their body temperatures in cold ocean water?

Assessment:

The assessment will be based on the class discussion after the activity when one person from each lab group shares their results and the students’ written lab reports that should include the student’s hypothesis, observations and answers to the above questions.

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Water Pressure Introduction: When you get into the ocean (or any body of water) and you start diving down from the surface, the deeper you dive the more water is over the top of you. The more gallons of water you put between you and the surface of the ocean, the greater the pressure is on your body because of the weight of the water over the top of you. This pressure is called hydrostatic pressure or water pressure. You can really get a sense of hydrostatic pressure when you go into a swimming pool and dive all the way to the bottom of the deep end. You'll feel the hydrostatic pressure against your eardrums, like they're being squeezed or pushed in. Well, you can imagine how incredible the pressure must be in a submarine when it is in the bathyscaphe about 35,813 feet down. That means, there is about seven miles of water overhead which adds up to a pressure around 18,000 pounds per square inch! Objectives:

• Students will determine how water pressure differs at various depths by observing water flow.

Materials:

• Tin can • Container of water with small cup • Masking tape • Shallow basin to collect water • Paper towels • Lab worksheet

Activity:

Students must be put in groups of four.

1. Hypothesize what you think will happen when the tape is removed. The recorder should record these on question 1.

2. Place the tin can in a shallow basin with the holes plugged by masking tape. 3. Fill the can with enough water to cover each hole. Be sure the water is not leaking

from the tape. 4. While holding the can with one hand, the technician removes the tape. Observe

and record on question 2. 5. Which hole had the stronger stream? Which hole has the weaker stream? Why?

Record the answers to questions 3, 4, and 5. 6. Have one member of the group share lab results with the class.

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Questions:

1. Which hole do you think will have the strongest stream of water when the tape is removed? Why?

2. What happened when the tape was removed? 3. Which hole had the strongest stream when the tape was removed? 4. Which hole has the weakest stream when the tape was removed? 5. Why was there a difference in water flow between the weak and strong streams? 6. How does this difference in water pressure effect human divers and equipment

used underwater?

Teacher’s Notes:

1. The teacher may want to prepare the tin cans ahead of time. Using a screwdriver and a hammer, punch four holes in a vertical row from the bottom to top of each can.

2. Discuss topics of water pressure and depth and their effects on organisms and marine equipment.

3. The students and desks can be arranged in groups of four to allow each student to have enough room to observe.

4. Students can be paired by ability as the teacher decides necessary.

Assessment:

The assessment will be based on the class discussion after the activity when one person from each lab group shares their results and the students’ written lab reports that should include the student’s hypothesis, observations and answers to the above questions.

31

Waves In Motion Introduction

A wave is a way in which energy travels from one place to another. There are many kinds of waves, such as water waves, sound waves, light waves, radio waves, microwaves and earthquake waves. All waves have some things in common. The highest point the waves reach is called the crest. The lowest point is called the trough. The distance from one crest to the next is the wavelength. The number of waves that pass a given point in one second is the wave's frequency.

When wind blows over the ocean's surface, it creates waves. Their size depends on how far, how fast and how long the wind blows. A brief, gently breeze forms patches of tiny ripples on the surface called catspaws; strong, steady winds over long distances create large waves. But even when you feel no wind at all, you may encounter large swells created by distant storms.

In the open sea, waves make floating boats bob up and down instead of pushing them along. This is because the waves travel through water, the do not take the water with them. As a wave arrives it lifts water particles. These travel forward, then down and back so that each particle completes a circle. Circling movements of particles near the surface set off smaller circling movements below them.

Objectives:

• Students will be introduced to the concepts of currents, tides, crest, wavelength, height and trough.

Materials:

• One quart of larger plain glass bottle with tight lid • Rubbing Alcohol • Green and blue vegetable dye • Paint thinner (turpentine) • Waterproof Glue

Activity: Procedure to make Wave Jars:

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1. Fill your jar half full with rubbing alcohol and add 2 to 3 drops of blue or green food coloring dye.

2. The teacher should then fill the rest of the jar with turpentine. 3. When applying the lids to the jars, the teacher will glue around the edge of the jar

and the lid making sure that it seals good so it cannot leak. 4. Next, observe your wave jar and be sure to explore different aspects that change

the size and shape of the waves. Some questions to think about: How are waves generated? What are some of the causes of waves? How can they be changed? What are some other things needed for a wave?

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS REQUIRED: ***The teacher has to pour the turpentine into the jars! Do not put anything into your mouth! *** Questions:

1. What is the source of this energy? 2. How are the most important types of ocean waves generated? 3. What is the recipe of a wave? 4. Describe the action of a wave. Does a change in pressure occur? 5. What results from the changes in pressure in the wavy surface of the ocean? 6. Is the ocean surface affected during an earthquake?

Teacher’s Notes: More Safety Precautions: Check to see that all of the lids are on firmly before the students start to play with the

jars. Kerr jars are better than baby food jars because they have the seal lid along with the screw on lid.

Extensions: Have the students design their own crest and trough model. This using

measurements and specific shapes. Discuss how the motion of waves could carry and disperse pollution. How many

students have seen trash washed up on shore at the beach? Assessment: The assessment will be based on the class discussion after the activity and the students’ written one page homework assignment that should include the answers to the above questions.

33

Chemical Properties of Sea Water

Water density and Stability

Measuring Aquatic pH

Secret Agents of Dissolved Oxygen

34

Water Density and Stability Introduction:

Temperature and salinity (the amount of dissolved salts in the water) affect the density of the water. Ocean salinity differs by small numbers, so oceanographers need to be accurate when measuring salinity. Changes in density caused by wind and currents at the surface affects the deep-ocean currents. Density ultimately affects the objects that exist in the water, such as whales, seaweed, and submarines. The saltier the water, the more buoyant an object becomes. Therefore, salt waters are constantly trying to find their "place" in the ocean according to their salinity. Very salty water is denser, and will sink more, thus very salty water is found at the bottom. Less salty water is less dense and will float on top of the more dense salty water.

Of course the layers are more complicated than this, but for this activity, it is important to understand the basic concept that salt or fresh water drops are going to want to "hang out" in water with similar properties. So fresh water drops will rise to the fresh water layer and salt-water drops will sink to the salt water layer. The salinity of the water mixes, or changes, only when vigorously stirred.

Objectives:

• To observe how different water densities control the depth at which different water masses occur.

Materials:

• 1 large clear bowl (plastic, Pyrex, glass) • Clear tap water· • Tap water dyed with blue food coloring • Clear very salty water • Slightly salty water dyed with red food coloring • Very salty water dyed with green food coloring • Four cups • Stirring rod • Two medicine droppers

Activity:

Part I

1. Label one-cup "tap water" and fill it 3/4 full with clear tap water. 2. Fill one medicine dropper with very salty green water. 3. Place one drop of very salty green water into the cup with clear water. 4. Record your observations here _______________________________.

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Part II

1. Label one cup "salty water" and fill it 3/4 full with clear salt water. 2. Fill the other medicine dropper with blue tap water 3. Place one drop of blue tap water into the cup with clear water. 4. Record your observations here _________________________.

Part III

1. Fill the clear bowl half full with very salty green water. 2. Pour clear tap water slowly into 1/4 of the bowl on top of very salty green water. 3. Record your observations here ___________________________. 4. Making sure that the dropper is clean; fill the dropper with slightly salty red

water. 5. Place the dropper into the layer of very salty green water and squeeze a drop of

slightly salty red water out. 6. Record your observations here _______________________________. 7. Take the same dropper of slightly salty red water and place it into the layer of

clear tap water and squeeze out a drop of slightly salty red water. 8. Record your observations here _______________________________. 9. Using the stirring rod, mix the layered water system together. 10. Record your observations here ______________________________.

Questions:

1. What happened to the drop of very salty green water in the tap water? Why? 2. What happened to the drop of blue tap water in the salty water? Why? 3. Why did the tap and very salty green water not mix together? 4. What is this two-layer system called? Explain this system. 5. What happened when the two drops of slightly salty red water were added to

different layers? Why? 6. What is the name of the system when the drops of different salinities were added

to the layered system? Explain this system. 7. What is the name of the system in Part III step 9? Explain this system. 8. How do oceanographers measure the different densities out in the open ocean? 9. Why is this information important? 10. Who would this information be important to?

Teacher’s Notes:

The teacher may want to have the five types of water pre-made in labeled containers so students can easily locate them. The water can be given to the students in labeled containers at their lab station.

Assessment:

The assessment will be mainly based from the students’ written lab reports that should include the student’s observations and answers to the above questions.

36

Measuring Aquatic pH

Introduction:

Changes in pH values in aquatic locations have an effect on the organisms living at that location. Since the majority of aquatic life has adapted to living in certain pH levels, change may cause these organisms to die. The pH scale is a range of numbers from 0 to 14. The term pH is taken from the German word "potenz," meaning power and H, the chemical symbol for Hydrogen. To determine if a solution is an acid or base, the amounts of hydrogen ions present are measured. A pH level registering from 0 to 6 is acidic, with pH of 1 being a very strong acid. A pH level registering from 8 to 14 is basic, with 14 being a very strong base. A pH of a 7 is considered neutral. Aquatic bacteria can live in a pH level between 2 and 13 and plants between 6 and 13. Organisms such as carp, catfish, bass, bluegill, snails, clams, mussels and trout can be found in pH levels between 6 and 9.

Objectives:

• Students will test unknown solutions for pH levels.

Materials:

• pH paper kits • pH scale showing the scale of different colors for 0 - 14 • Samples of unknown solutions • Tap water • Rainwater • Pond water • Slightly salty water • Very salty water • Bleach • Vinegar • Any clear substance • Baby food jars/chemical tray with dividers/Styrofoam egg cartons

Activity:

Students should be in groups of four for this activity.

1. Discuss pH background and pH color scale. 2. Observe the first unknown substance and record its color, thickness, and smell.

Does this help you determine the unknown substance? Record hypothesis of substance name and pH number on the Observation Sheet. Do the same for all of the substances.

3. Use the proper procedure of smelling unknown substances by placing the container 6 inches from your nose hold hand above the container and wave odor

37

toward yourself. Never smell an unknown substance directly from the container. Many liquids are toxic if inhaled directly, such as some cleaning substances.

4. Take a strip of pH paper and dip it into the unknown substance. Remove and observe paper color. Match the color on the strip of paper with pH color scale and record the pH number on Observation Sheet.

5. Continue step 5 until all unknown substances have been tested.

Observation Worksheet:

Hypothesis Result

Substance # Color Thickness Odor pH Name pH Name

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Questions:

1. Since most aquatic organisms live in the neutral range of pH, what could make the pH of aquatic locations differ from normal?

2. If you were testing the pH of an actual aquatic site and the pH registered outside of the normal range, what could you hypothesize about the causes of the abnormality?

3. Where could you check or do research to test your hypothesis? 4. How close were your original guesses with substance name and pH? Explain how

you reached your hypothesis?

Teacher’s Notes:

Break students into groups. Teacher or group members can bring in needed solutions.

38

Discuss pH background with students. Display pH color scale someplace in the classroom accessible by students.

Place one solution per jar or divider Review with students the proper procedure of smelling unknown substances.

Placing the container 6 inches from the nose, hold hand above the container and wave odor toward yourself. Never smell an unknown substance directly from the container. Many liquids are toxic if inhaled directly, such as some cleaning substances.

Assessment:

The assessment will be based on the students’ written lab reports which should include the student’s hypothesis, observations and answers to the above questions.

39

Secret Agents of Dissolved Oxygen

Introduction: Phytoplankton have a key role in the production of oxygen and the resulting use of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during photosynthesis. They alter the chemical characteristics of the water due to their biological processes. Because of the short season of light availability in Antarctica, the phytoplankton are profoundly more productive in each 24 hour period than are general oceanic phytoplankton. Therefore, the waters of Antarctica have an important role as a significant carbon dioxide sink. This may prove to be extremely important in light of our greenhouse gases problems. This activity mainly stresses what some of these water chemistry changes are, and what are the influences of these changes (type of water, exposure to light, etc.). Objectives:

• Students will determine the changes in different types of water in a sealed container over time.

• Students will determine some causes of the changes in water in a sealed container over time.

• Students will learn to measure dissolved oxygen, temperature, and carbon dioxide with calculator/ computer probe-ware or by other means.

Materials:

• Bottles with tightly fitting lids (6 for each type of water) encrypted labeling by color code

• Aluminum foil • Dissolved Oxygen (DO) probe and DO titration testing kit (or proper solution for

fixing oxygen) • pH testing kit • Temperature probe or thermometer • UV light for sterilizing water (5 drops of chlorine bleach will kill the organisms,

but may change chemistry of the water.) • Aquarium filled with water at same temperature as collected water to serve as

temperature bath • Grow light if natural light is not present in sufficient quantities to simulate natural

conditions • Large chart to record each classes data or overhead transparency with chart

formatted • Appropriate markers for presentation format

40

Activity:

1. Place your six bottles in the water bath; making sure each of the uncovered bottles has equal access to light.

2. Wait at least 24 hours. 3. Open ONE bottle at a time. 4. Take measurements for temperature, pH, carbon dioxide, and dissolved oxygen

and record data in table below. 5. Get data from other groups or classes from teacher.

Bottle 1 2 3 4 5 6 T= T= T= T= T= T= Initial Reading pH= pH= pH= pH= pH= pH=

(Teacher) CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= T= T= T= T= T= T= Trial 1 pH= pH= pH= pH= pH= pH=

(Your Data) CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= T= T= T= T= T= T= Trial 2 pH= pH= pH= pH= pH= pH=

(Other Groups) CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= T= T= T= T= T= T= Trial 3 pH= pH= pH= pH= pH= pH=

CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= T= T= T= T= T= T= Trial 4 pH= pH= pH= pH= pH= pH=

CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2= CO2=

DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= DO2= CO2 = Carbon Dioxide, DO2 = Dissolved Oxygen

6. Average each bottle numbers trial value. 7. Graph the above data using color codes for each bottles data for initial and final

value.

Questions:

1. What happened to the dissolved oxygen in each of the bottles? 2. What happened to the pH in each of the bottles? 3. Did the presence of light affect the DO? 4. Did the removal of light affect the DO? 5. Was the pH affected in either the uncovered or covered bottles? 6. What happened to the pH and DO in bottles 5 & 6 versus bottles 1 & 3?

41

Teacher’s Notes:

There is considerable pre-class set-up for this activity; however, this allows many variables to be tested in an inquiry-based manner with greater control and stronger comparisons. The different groups of students will be testing a variety of water types of unknown origin. By later learning all the different sources, students can draw conclusions about what affects the chemical characteristics of water without prejudice. The second part of this activity will draw on this knowledge base so the students can design their own experiment.

Pre-activity set-up

• Water will need to be gathered from a variety of sources, but they should match in whether they are fresh or saline. Examples of water groups to consider are: Pond or freshwater aquarium water, sterile water, and water with algae bloom (See directions for algal culture below) OR Ocean or marine aquarium water, sterile saltwater, and saltwater w/ algae bloom

• Take initial readings of pH, DO2, and temperature so students will have initial readings

• Each type of water needs to be placed into 6 bottles--3 covered with foil and three uncovered. These bottles should have screw lids and be filled to overflowing and carefully capped so that there are no air bubbles are present in the jar. Check the sides of the bottles and tap them gently to force air bubbles to rise if bubbles are present. Please see the chart below for how each bottle should be filled, treated (if necessary), and labeled. Labels are encrypted so that students can later be informed of the type of water they are testing and so that they will not let another group's data influence their DO2 and pH values. This is a set-up for three groups. For more groups, either repeat some of the tests for a given type of water, or add the dimension of marine and fresh being tested at the same time, too.

• Examples of typical labels for bottles in-group sets are in the chart that follows:

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Bottle Type Group One Group Two Group 3 Fresh Pond Fresh Pond Sterile Fresh Pond with Algal Bloom or Marine or Marine Sterile or Maine Bloom Uncovered

UF-1 or UM-1 UFS-1 or UMS-1 UFB-1 or UMB-1

Uncovered - Fixed 0

UF-2 or UM-2 UFS-2 or UMS-2 UFB-2 or UMB-2

Covered

UF-3 or UM-3 UFS-3 etc. UFB-3 etc.

Covered - Fixed 0

UF-4 or UM-4 UFS-4 UFB-4

Sterilized Uncovered

UF-5 or UM-5 UFS-5 UFB-5

Sterilized UF-6 or UM-6 UFS-6 UFB-6

• Each class period doing the activity will serve as one of the trials for each type of water. If only one class is doing this activity, students can work in pairs so that at least three sets of each type of water are run.

• The students will place the bottles in the aquarium bath so that the bottles have access to strong natural light. Artificial light may be used, but care must be given to avoid temperature increases. Placing the bottles in the aquarium during the incubation time buffers the temperature fluctuations while providing access to as much light as the water would normally have. Photosynthesis and respiration should occur leaving their signature chemical products to be tested by the students.

***Directions: Add liquid plant food in the amount given for hydroponic growth to live (pond or aquarial) water. Expose solution to intense sunlight and/or sunlamp. Water should be green, indicating an algal bloom. ***

Assessment: Assessment will be in the answers to the questions the students were required to ask in the procedure and in the form of a teacher lead class discussion. The following points should be asked in some form to help direct the discussion:

1. Discuss the differences between each of the results and let students brainstorm for possible reasons.

2. Let the students know what the differences were in each of the groups’ water sources.

3. Re-examine answers on explanations and correct inaccuracies. 4. Determine the effects of light on dissolved oxygen, the effects of changes in

dissolved oxygen on pH, and difference in pond/aquarial water before and after sterilization.

5. Discuss possible aquatic inhabitants that might be present in one water type and not another.

6. Discuss what possible processes phytoplankton and zooplankton undergo while living and what impact might both of those organisms have on the water chemistry and why.

7. Discuss the differences in conditions that organisms in the water samples have versus the conditions in the water in Antarctica and what impact that might have on its productivity.

43

Marine Oceanography

Underwater Scene

Make a Miniature Deep Sea Vent

44

Create a Underwater Scene Introduction:

Ocean Zones

Tidal zone - Marine organisms with hard shells adapted to a harsh, changing environment due to tides; for example barnacles, crabs, anchored seaweed, and starfish.

Neritic zone - Organisms located above the continental shelf; for example phytoplankton, jellyfish, floating seaweed, shrimp, and redfish.

Open ocean zone - Marine animals found in the top layer of the ocean because of sunlight or air, but far enough away from land; for example whales, dolphins, Portuguese-man-o-war, swordfish, seals, krill, and tuna.

Bathyal zone - Marine fish commonly found in the middle layer of the ocean; for example large squid, octopus, and lantern fish.

Abyssal zone - Marine organisms found at the bottom of the ocean where light does not reach; for example tubeworms, anglerfish, some types of clams, gulper, and grenadier.

Objectives:

• Students will apply knowledge of underwater ocean life by creating an ocean life scene with marine animals and plants placed at appropriate ocean depths.

Materials:

• Markers, pencils, and pens • Rulers, Glue • Pictures from magazines (i.e. National Geographic)

Activity:

1. Draw (or glue pictures from magazines) a scene in the ocean which includes at least five marine organisms for each of the five ocean zones.

2. You must use color and you will be graded on the details you put in your “scene”. Teacher’s Notes: Before the activity, review with students the five ocean zones (tidal zone, neritic zone, open ocean zone, bathyal zone, abyssal zone), discussing the location of marine life and why certain ocean zones only contain certain types of marine organisms. Display the students’ artwork in the classroom or on the school's bulletin board.

Assessment: Assessment should be based on the accuracy and detail of the science in the artwork.

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Make a Miniature Deep Sea Vent Introduction:

Imagine you are a scientist in a miniature submarine, sinking slowly to the ocean floor. Ninety minutes later, you have traveled down almost two miles and the water temperature outside your vessel is barely above freezing. The bright searchlights are turned on and you peer out into the murky water. You don't expect to find much life here; besides being extremely cold and dark, the pressure at this depth is 275 times that at sea level! As your submarine maneuvers around a rock formation, you see a smoking chimney of dark water rising from the ocean floor. A bizarre community of animals is gathered here: eight-foot-long red worms protruding from milky-white tubes, giant clams, big yellow jellyfish that look like dandelions hanging by strings and blind fish that resemble giant tadpoles.

In 1977, this imaginative journey came to life, as researchers aboard the deep-diving submarine Alvin discovered these mysterious chimneys, or vents and the incredible variety of life around them. Just as warm water is forced up to the earth's surface in the form of hot springs, like "Old Faithful" in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, these underwater vents are escape points for water trapped below the ocean floor. Heated by underground volcanic activity, this water may reach a temperature of 570 degrees Fahrenheit inside the vent, but cools quickly when it mixes with the near-freezing water at the ocean floor. The area directly around these vents may stay at about 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Biologists are very curious about the life around deep-sea vents. For example, how do these animals survive in this unusual environment? On earth, all life forms depend on energy from the sun to survive. The animals living near these underwater vents, however, seem to be an exception. Scientists have discovered that the deep-sea-vent animals depend on chemicals in the water, rather than sunlight for energy. This process is called chemosynthesis. Research also indicates that the vents are not permanent and may close up 50-100 years after they break open. If they do close, where do the animals go? How do they live? Perhaps these questions will be answered as scientific explorations of the sea continue.

Materials:

• 1 large glass container • 1 small bottle • Food coloring • A piece of string • Hot and cold water

46

Activity:

1. Fill the large glass container with very cold water. 2. Tie one end of the piece of string around the neck of the small bottle. 3. Fill the small bottle with hot water and add a few drops of food coloring. 4. Keeping the small bottle upright, carefully lower it into the glass container until it

rests on the bottom. 5. Watch what happens!

Assessment: Students should include the above activity in a written lab report that should include the student’s observations and a diagram of what their “sea vent” looked like. Some other assessments could either be in a form of a test which would cover the basic ideas sounding a sea vent (what minerals come out of certain sea vents and why can certain animals live at these extreme and pressures) or each student could research and do an oral presentation on some of the animals that live near these vents.

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