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 M¢25  Funded By Mahalo ? |  August 23, 2009 04:25 PM

What roles does the ocean play in regulating the temperature of the earth?

How does the ocean recycle carbon dioxide?

How does the ocean regulate the temperature of the earth?
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August 25, 2009 03:11 AM
http://www.savers4free.com/images/src/ocean_waves_free_screensaver/shot.jpg

The Earth oceans affects weather and temperature. They balance the temperature by absorbing solar radiation stored in the form of heat energy. The ocean currents distribute heat energy around the globe, heating both land and air during the winter and cooling it during the summer. The oceans are all connected to one another and always moving. There are five oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and the Southern Ocean that surrounds Antarctica at 60° degrees latitude.

According to "www.windows.ucar.edu":

---Quote---
Most of the solar radiation (light and heat) that hits the ocean is absorbed in the first few tens of meters of water. Waves and turbulence mix this heat downward quickly. The surface layer of the ocean is well mixed from the top to the bottom of that layer. The temperature of the surface waters (the mixed layer) varies mainly with latitude.

The polar seas (high latitude) can be as cold as -2 degrees Celsius (28.4 degrees Fahrenheit) while the Persian Gulf (low latitude) can be as warm as 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The average temperature of the ocean surface waters is about 17 degrees Celsius (62.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

This boundary region is called the thermocline and begins around 100-400 meters. 90 % of the total volume of ocean is found below the thermocline in the deep ocean. So even though surface waters can be a comfortable 20 degrees Celsius, the majority of our ocean water has a temperature between 0-3 degrees Celsius.
---Quote---
Source(s):
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/ocean/

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/Water/temp.html&edu=high

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