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How
much of the Earth’s surface does the ocean cover? |
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The
ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface. That’s
why Earth is often called the “water planet” or "blue
planet." |
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How
deep is the ocean? |
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The
deepest known point on Earth is at the bottom of the Mariana Trench,
a depression in the floor of the western Pacific Ocean, just east
of the Mariana Islands. This trench is 1,554 miles long and 44 miles
wide. Near its southwestern extremity, 210 miles southwest of Guam,
lies the deepest point on Earth. This point — referred to as
the Challenger Deep — plunges to a depth of nearly 7 miles. In
1960, the Trieste, a manned submersible owned by the U.S. Navy,
descended to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. There, the pressure
from the weight of the vast ocean above is tremendous. At more than
8 tons per square inch, it’s the equivalent of an average-sized
woman trying to hold 48 jumbo jets! |
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How
“hot” is the hottest animal on Earth? |
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University of Delaware marine scientist Craig Cary and his colleagues
discovered that an inhabitant of the deep sea is the most heat-tolerant
animal on Earth. The Pompeii worm
(Alvinella pompejana) can survive an environment as hot
as 80° C (176°F) — nearly hot enough to boil water.
How it can withstand this tremendous heat is a mystery that
Dr. Cary and his team are working to solve.
While some bacteria can live at even higher temperatures
than the Pompeii worm, Dr. Cary says the Pompeii worm ranks
as the most heat-tolerant creature among higher-order life
forms. It beat out the Sahara Desert ant, which formerly held
the record at 55°C (131°F). |
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The
water erupting from hydrothermal vents is hotter than 100°C (212°F),
yet it does not boil. Why? |
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As
vent water bursts out into the ocean, its temperature may be as high
as 400°C (750°F). Yet this water does not boil because it
is under so much pressure from the tremendous weight of the ocean
above. When the pressure on a liquid is increased, its boiling point
goes up. |
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When
was the first submarine built? |
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Cornelius
van Drebel, a Dutch inventor, is usually credited with building
the first submarine. His underwater vessel consisted of a
wooden frame sheathed in leather. Oars extending out the sides
propelled the craft through the water, at depths up to 4.6
meters (15 ft). The oar openings were sealed with tight-fitting
leather flaps. Drebel tested the sub in the Thames River in
England between 1620 and 1624. King James I is said to have
taken a short ride in the craft.
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When
you see R/V before the ship name Atlantis, what do you think
it means? |
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The
R/V is the abbreviation for research vessel. Now, here’s another
question: what do you think the abbreviation F/V stands for? Or how
about HMS in HMS Titanic? |
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What
mountain range is the East Pacific Rise a part of? |
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The
Earth’s longest mountain range is underwater. Over 56,000
kilometers (35,000 mi) long, this mountain range, called the
Mid-Ocean Ridge system, winds around the globe. The East Pacific
Rise is a portion of this massive ridge system. The East Pacific
Rise occurs in a geologically active area where tectonic plates
are moving apart, and new seafloor is being born.
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How
long does a typical dive last aboard the submersible Alvin? |
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An
average dive lasts eight hours. It takes about an hour per mile to
descend and the same amount of time to return to the surface. The
crew generally works for four to five hours on the seafloor before
calling it a day. Alvin can accommodate two scientific observers
in addition to the pilot. It’s very cramped in the sub and very
cold. At over a mile down, the water outside the sub is only a few
degrees above freezing. |
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The
bow is the back of a ship. True or False? |
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False.
The bow is the front of the ship. Now, can you tell us where
the stern is, and port and starboard?
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