Ocean Formation

1
Ocean Formation

• How did the oceans form??

2
Formation of the Ocean

• Earth is approximately 4.6 Billion Years Old
• Oceans formed 2 possible ways
• Comets
• Volcanism

3
Comets

• Comets hit the Earth and released water
• The water filled the ocean basins over geologic
  time

4
Volcanism

• Volcanoes release Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide and
  other gases
• Water vapor condensed to form water droplets that
  formed the oceans

5
Chemical Properties of Seawater

• 96.5 Water
• 3.5 Dissolved salts
• NaCl is most abundant

6

• Salinity
• Measure of the amount of dissolved salts in
  seawater
• Expressed in ppt (Parts per thousand) 35 ppt

7
How Does the Water Become Salty???

• Volcanic gases contain chlorine and sulfur
  dioxide which dissolve into water
• Weathering of rocks and minerals

8
Salt Removal

• Sea Spray
• Evaporate Formation
• Water evaporates and salt is left behind

9
Desalinization

• Processes that turns saltwater into freshwater
• Distillation
• Water heated and evaporated
• Water vapor cooled and condensed as freshwater

10

• Reverse Osmosis
• Seawater pressed through semi permeable membrane
  that allows water, not NaCl to pass through

11
Why would we want to remove salt?

• Humans need freshwater to survive
• Of the 3 of freshwater, most is unavailable to
  us! (glaciers)
• In case of drought conditions, water would still
  be available

12
Negative Effects

• Environmental concerns
• Loss of habitat, waste (salt) disposal
• Costs Money and uses Energy
• Greenhouse gas emissions