This topic might seem a bit too easy for marine engineers or navigating officers. Yet these could prove useful for fresher seamen or the kids of sailors who would like to know about it.
Some Interesting Sea Water Facts
The earth was initially covered by sea water alone. Later land formed but even today nearly 2/3 of the Earth’s surface is filled with water. From this fact it is quite evident that the first form of life was born in the sea itself.
Seasalts
Water Facts: Physical and Chemical Water Properties
By physical properties we mean those properties that can be seen and felt. The chemical properties are those that we cannot see but they are present in the sea water.
These properties are important for all those who stay near the sea or who travel in the sea. Without the basic understanding of these aspects it is not possible to understand the sea. Some of these properties are listed as below:
- As most of us know that sea water is salty because there is a lot of sodium chloride in it. This is one reason why the sea water is used to make salt. The sea water has to be processed and the salt is also treated well before it is packed for consumption. The salinity of the sea water is around 3.5%. This is exactly why the ships surface gets rusted easily. The water content of the air around the sea is also relatively high. This is responsible for the corrosion that happens in and around the sea.
- The second fact about sea water is that it is mostly blue in colour. Well in reality the sea is colourless. It basically refracts the colour of the sky. This will again be a physical feature. The sea water has different temperatures. Due to the increasing level of pollution the temperature of the sea water is also increasing. This is not a good sign for the marine life. The temperature in the sea is mostly cool. The coldest would be around two degree Celsius. The temperature of these falls as you go deeper into the ocean. The oxygen level in the water also starts to reduce as you go deep
Properties of Sea Water
- As far as the chemical properties of the sea water is concerned. It is basically a combination of various chemical elements. It has many electrolytes combined in order to make it whatever it is. Calcium, sodium and chlorine are present in the sea water. This calcium helps in the formation of the shells and the rocks. These chemicals are essential for life to survive under the ocean. The marine life can survive in this salty environment. Man cannot take the salty water of the sea. It is not meant for men. Kidneys of human beings cannot take this water as explained in this article dealing with dangers of drinking sea water.
- Another interesting property of sea water is the fact that apart from chemicals and dissolved ions, the sea water also has dissolved atmospheric gases. The water has carbon dioxide, nitrogen, Argon, helium and also xenon. You can also find a lot of organic and inorganic forms of nitrogen in the sea water. Iodine is very common in the sea water it can be found in both organic and inorganic forms. There are many other gasses that are present in the sea water in various quantities. The atmospheric gas can easily mix with the sea water.
- Sea water consists of charged ions and that is the reason why it is a good conductor of electricity, making the sea water more risky when there is a short circuit situation on the ship.
The sea water has a higher osmotic pressure than the fresh water. This is mainly due to the presence of the charged ions as we have already mentioned. This is why when fresh water and sea water is placed together the fresh water will have more tendency to mix with the sea water.
A lot of research has been done in this field in order to understand the sea water better. This is mainly because the sea water is very closely associated to the various aspects of our life. Many experts are trying to make artificial sea water so that they can support the aquatic life better in aquariums. Although we know so much about the physical and chemical properties of sea water we have not yet been able to create artificial sea water.
The study of the sea water helps us to understand how life evolved under the sea. It also explains the formation of the reefs and the other natural features under the water. With this study we can also ensure that we protect the sea water for the future generations.
