In this lesson, we will return to the amazing properties of water and how those properties influence Earth surface processes. We will explore the structure of water molecules and of water itself (yes, water has "structure"), and relate these concepts to important processes, such as the buffering of Earth surface temperature variations and weathering (breakdown) of rocks on land. In addition, we will investigate the composition of sea salt and its origin, as well as some of the exchanges of salt and water between various reservoirs (storage bins) at the Earth's surface. Although based on chemistry (scary or "boring" to some students), this topic has some fascinating elements that can really engage students, including thinking about the importance of salt in human history, debates about the age of the Earth from an ocean perspective, and the potential for extracting metallic riches from the ocean. The topical coverage for Lesson 3 is as follows:
By the end of Lesson 3, you should be able to:
The table below provides an overview of the requirements for Lesson 3. For details, please see the Course Schedule.
REQUIREMENT | LOCATION | SUBMITTED FOR GRADING? |
---|---|---|
Activity 1: Science Fiction Blog: If Water Behaved Differently | page 8 | Yes - Your discussion participation counts toward your overall class participation grade. This discussion will take place on Canvas. |
Activity 2: The Residence Time of Salt in the Ocean | page 9 | Yes - Your discussion participation counts toward your overall class participation grade. This discussion will take place on Canvas. |
Activity 3: End of Unit Quiz (Canvas) | Canvas | Yes. We will activate a set of questions to "test" your understanding of the material a few days before the end of this lesson. The exam should take no more than one hour, but you are welcome to start it and then complete it later. The exam is 'open book.' Feel free to use any resources. |
If you have any questions, please post them to our Questions link on Canvas. I will check that discussion forum daily to respond. While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help out a classmate.