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The density of surface seawater ranges from about 1.020 to 1.029 g·cm-3, depending on the temperature and salinityThe average density of seawater at the surface of the ocean is 1.025 g/ml; seawater is denser than freshwater (which reaches a maximum density of 1.000 g/ml at a temperature of 4°C) because of the added mass of the salts.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoThe density of pure water is 1000 kg/m3. Ocean water is more dense because of the salt in it. Density of ocean water at the sea surface is about 1027 kg/m3. There are two main factors that make ocean water more or less dense than about 1027 kg/m3: the temperature of the water and the salinity of the water. Ocean water gets more dense as temperature goes down. So, the colder the water, the more dense it is. Increasing salinity also increases the density of sea water. Less dense water floats on top of more dense water. Given two layers of water with the same salinity, the warmer water will float on top of the colder water. There is one catch though! Temperature has a greater effect on the density of water than salinity does. So a layer of water with higher salinity can actual float on top of water with lower salinity if the layer with higher salinity is quite a bit warmer than the lower salinity layer. The temperature of the ocean decreases and decreases as you go to the bottom of the ocean. So, the density of ocean water increases and increases as you go to the bottom of the ocean. The deep ocean is layered with the densest water on bottom and the lightest water on top. Circulation in the depths of the ocean is horizontal. That is, water moves along the layers with the same density. The density of ocean water is rarely measured directly. If you wanted to measure the density of ocean water, you would have to collect a sample of sea water and bring it back to the laboratory to be measured. Density is usually calculated using an equation. You just need to measure the salinity, temperature and pressure to be able to find density. These measurements are often made with a CTD instrument, where the instrument is placed in the ocean water from a ship or a platform.
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∙ 13y agoyes
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago1.14
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What causes the density of seawater to increase?
The density of seawater increases if salinity increases.
What is the most important factor affecting seawater density?
Relative salinity is the most important factor in seawater density.
Which of the following factors most influence the temperature of seawater?
depth and density
What is the density in seawater determined by?
Seawater's density varies by temperature and salinity. I.e., cold water is more dense than warm water, and water with a higher salinity (more dissolved salt) is less dense than water with a lower salinity.
What does the density of water do As the temperature of seawater decreases?
It increases - until within 4 degrees of freezing, where it decreases.
Why does seawater have a greater buoyant force than fresh water?
Seawater has a greater buoyant force than fresh water because seawater has a higher density than fresh water therefore the buoyancy is higher. *Improved* This happens because when water mixes with the salt in sea water, the density changes to the average density which is around 1.55 g/mL (Average density is the density of different materials put to together )
What causes the density of seawater to increase?
The density of seawater increases if salinity increases.
How density current forms?
Density currents - more dense seawater sinking beneath less dense seawater.
What is the most important factor affecting seawater density?
Relative salinity is the most important factor in seawater density.
How much more does a liter of seawater weigh than a liter of freshwater?
According to the Wikipedia article on "Seawater": "Average density at the surface is 1.025 g/ml...", so that would be about 2.5% more than normal water, which has a density ver close to 1.
Does salt content of water affect the density of seawater?
the salt makes seawater denser than freshwater. more salt increases the density
What causes the density current in the mediterranean?
the answer to this question is a density current forms when more dense seawater sinks beneath less dense seawater
What causes the density in the mediterranean sea?
the answer to this question is a density current forms when more dense seawater sinks beneath less dense seawater
What cause the density currents in the Mediterranean sea?
the answer to this question is a density current forms when more dense seawater sinks beneath less dense seawater
What forms when more dense seawater sinks under less dense seawater?
Density current
Is the density of an iceberg and seawater equal?
No, an iceberg is approximately 10% less dense than seawater. This is why it floats
Movement that occurs when more dense seawater sinks under less dense seawater?
density current
