Marine science

• Nucleus


  The positively charged central core of an atom that is made of protons and neutrons
• Shells


  Each of a set of orbitals around the nucleus of an atom that can be occupied by electrons
• Atomic number


  The number of protons contained the nucleus of an atom
• Bond


  A strong force of attraction holding atoms together in a substance
• Emergent properties


  Characteristics that are present within a compound or molecule of two or more different elements that those elements do not possess on their own
• Covalent bond


  A chemical bond that involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms
• Ionic bond


  A chemical bond that involves the attraction between two oppositely charged ions
• Hydrogen bond


  A weak bond between two molecules due to the electrostatic attraction between a hydrogen atom in one molecule and an atom of oxygen, nitrogen or fluorine in the other molecule
• Ion


  An atom or molecule that has lost or gained one or more electrons creating an electrical charge
• Polar


  When opposite sides of a molecule have contrasting (partial) electrical changes
• Solvent


  A substance which is able to dissolve other substances
• Density


  A measure of the mass of a defined volume of water
• Specific heat capacity


  The heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by one degree Celsius
• The Periodic Table shows the different types of elements
• Elements are made of atoms that have a specific number of protons
• Elements have various characteristics that help identify them
• Examples of elements found in the ocean

  • Carbon
  • Hydrogen
  • Oxygen
• Bonding of atoms


  1. Individual atoms come together

  2. Form bonds

  3. Substances with specific ratios of bonded elements are called compounds
• A water molecule is two atoms of hydrogen bonded to one atom of oxygen
• A compound's properties can be very different from those of the elements that it is made of
• Covalent bonds


  • Involve the sharing of electron pairs between atoms
  • One of the key types of bonds
• Formation of ionic bonds

  1. An ion loses an electron

  2. The ion with a positive charge is attracted to the ion with a negative charge

  3. This electrostatic attraction creates an ionic bond
• Salts are made from ions and are important compounds in the ocean
• Examples of salts found in the ocean

  • Sodium chloride (NaCl)
  • Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
  • Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4)
• Hydrogen bonding


  • Involves the electrostatic attraction between a hydrogen atom in one molecule and an atom of oxygen, nitrogen or fluorine in another molecule
  • Easily broken but have a significant impact on the properties of water
• The partial charges on the water molecule allow it to interact with many different substances
• Water has one of the highest specific heat capacities due to the number of hydrogen bonds between water molecules
• The high specific heat capacity of water helps to regulate the temperature of the planet
• Element


  A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. Each element is made up of only one type of atom, which has a specific number of protons in its nucleus.
• Molecule


  A group of two or more atoms that are chemically bonded together. The atoms in a molecule can be the same or different.
• Compound


  A substance that is made up of two or more different elements that are chemically bonded together. The elements in a compound are present in a fixed ratio.
• Atom


  The basic unit of a chemical element. It is the smallest unit of an element that can take part in a chemical reaction. Atoms are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
• Explain the changes in state of water

  1. Solid (vibrating particles)

  2. Liquid (sliding particles)

  3. Gas (fast-moving, bouncing particles)
• Temperature


  Measure of the motion of particles
• Solids have the least kinetic energy, liquids have more, and gases have the most
• Evaporation


  Liquid turning into gas without much extra energy, as particles at the surface gain enough speed to break free
• Increased energy from the sun will increase the rate of evaporation from the ocean surface
• The structure of the atom includes a nucleus with protons and neutrons, and electrons orbiting in energy levels
• Seawater is a mixture of different elements and compounds, with varying concentrations of dissolved solids and gases (salinity)
• Salinity depends on factors like evaporation, inflow from melting ice or rivers, and location in the world