Marine Science: Hydrothermal Vents
Go to: http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/vents/index.html
Vent Basics:
Define the following (Make sure to include photos)
* Explain the process of a BLACK SMOKER :
Are areas on the sea floor where water heated by volcanic activity under the seabed gushes out. Unusually, the animal communities down here don't use the sun to get their energy. Instead, chemicals in the hot waters form the basis of the food chain
Go to: http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/vents/index.html
Vent Basics:
Define the following (Make sure to include photos)
* Explain the process of a BLACK SMOKER :
Are areas on the sea floor where water heated by volcanic activity under the seabed gushes out. Unusually, the animal communities down here don't use the sun to get their energy. Instead, chemicals in the hot waters form the basis of the food chain
Vent Boiling Points:
* Explain why the boiling point of water changes with depth in the ocean
* Explain why the boiling point of water changes with depth in the ocean
- Boiling occurs when a liquid becomes a gas. That change requires energy in the form of heat. As pressure goes up, more heat is needed for water molecules to vaporize and boil.
Vent Chemistry:
* Explain how the water chemistry changes in the hydrothermal vent system
* Explain how the water chemistry changes in the hydrothermal vent system
- When the fluid rises up through the seafloor, it carries many new chemicals with it, such as copper and zinc. These chemical reactions also remove chemicals from the seawater, such as oxygen and magnesium. Here is a look at some of the many chemical reactions that take place.
Vents Around the World:
* Where can hydrothermal vents be found? Give a few examples.
* Where can hydrothermal vents be found? Give a few examples.
- Hot or molten rock (magma) beneath the ocean floor is the engine that drives hydrothermal vents. It heats the hydrothermal fluids, causing them to move upwards through the crust. Therefore, hydrothermal vents are found only in areas where there is volcanic activity and the magma is close enough to the surface to heat the fluids.
Vent Life:
* Name some of the critters found around hydrothermal vent systems
* Name some of the critters found around hydrothermal vent systems
- Octopus
- Tubeworms
- Zoarcid fish
- Clams
- Dandelions
- Shrimp
- Microbes
- Crabs
- Mussels
Tubeworm Anatomy:
* Describe the tubeworm anatomy. Explain the symbiotic relationships that are found within tubeworms
* Describe the tubeworm anatomy. Explain the symbiotic relationships that are found within tubeworms
- They have no mouth, no stomach, no intestine, and no way to eliminate waste.
Chemosynthesis:
* Explain the different between photosynthesis and chemosynthesis
All living things need energy. People and other animals get their energy from the food they eat. However, neither the plants on land nor the microbes that live around hydrothermal vents eat. Plants harness energy from the sun to manufacture sugars. This process is called photosynthesis.
* Explain the different between photosynthesis and chemosynthesis
All living things need energy. People and other animals get their energy from the food they eat. However, neither the plants on land nor the microbes that live around hydrothermal vents eat. Plants harness energy from the sun to manufacture sugars. This process is called photosynthesis.