From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission.
1 Part 1
Sections 12.1 and 12.2 of the text discuss the origin and composition of the world ocean’s seawater.
What is the current theory on the evolution of the world ocean? Scientists do not yet agree as to where the Earth's water came from. According to the text, some water were in the materials that formed Earth. That water was released as steam from volcanoes. The text also states that more The shape of the coastline has a great influence to the height of the tidal run-up. Also the narrow openings that go into bays, rivers and estuaries can magnify normal tidal fluctuations.
3 Part 4
Oceanfront land is considered prime real estate. Private owners and government projects take a number of different steps to protect land and property. Discuss some of the techniques and structures used to prevent loss of property due to erosion. Are these methods successful?
Some oceanfront land owners utilize some different techniques to help protect their properties. They can cover a cliff with tightly packed boulders, or build a strong seawall parallel to the shore.They can also use breakwaters and groins to help protect beaches and boat anchorages from incoming waves. All of these “helpful” options also come with repercussions. For example, breakwaters (offshore barriers) can upset the balance of the adjacent beach which can lead to changes in the shoreline. So in the minds of the ocean front property owners these methods are successful. But for those of us who are more concerned with how it will affect the environment it does not much make sense to upset the natural processes of the Earth.
4 Part 5
Global atmospheric circulation organizes itself into three convection cells that interlock like gears. These convection cells are shown in Chapter 6—see Figure 6.1—of the text. They play a major role in the locations of the deserts shown in Chapter
