Hey, it's Joykissed attempting to get an article into the Times once
again. Today I am discussing the ocean a bit.
The oceans affect humans in many different ways. It is extremely
important to us human beings, it acts as a source of food (e.g. fish), source
for resources (e.g. oil), and a source of transportation for people, animals,
and even seeds. In addition, oceans influence the weather system (e.g.
coastal cities are often humid and foggy); most rain water comes from the
water evaporated from the oceans.
When Earth was first created (science-wise), there were no oceans -- they
were gradually formed by volcanoes. The volcanoes spewed water vapor,
chlorine, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and hydrogen. As the atmosphere cooled,
the vapor and solids condensed into clouds, causing precipitation (that's rain). The
precipitated water began to collect in huge basins of land, forming the oceans.
Question: How long will it take a cork in a wave machine to get
from one end to the other? (minus drifting)
Answer: It won't ever get to the other end, because, contrary to
most beliefs, waves do not move (unless in shallow water, but we're
not there yet)!
Waves are rhythmic, circular movements that carry energy in seawater.
Waves do not move forward; however, the energy does. The particles in a wave
move around in circles and the further below the surface, the smaller the circles.
Now, when water does move, it is often caused by winds blowing across a body of water, creating friction between the water and air causes the water to move. Another case of water moving is a breaker or a wave collapsing near the shore. As the wave approaches the shoreline, the wave drags against the bottom of the seafloor and its wavelength decreases but the wave height increases to the point where the top of the wave moves faster than the bottom and it outruns itself and finally collapses. After the wave
breaks onto shore, gravitational attractions pull the water back into the sea.
NOTE: Surfers surf on breakers. Heehee
