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Glossary of Chemical Oceanography Terms
Stratopause: The interface between the mesosphere and stratosphere (50 km).
Stratosphere: The layer of the atmosphere below the mesosphere and above the troposphere (10 to 50 km). Location of the ozone layer.
Sulfur Cycle: The chemical cycling of sulfur in the natural environment.
Superoxide Anion, O 2
– : The anion formed from the dissociation of HO 2 . It is a key intermediate in the formation of hydrogen peroxide.
Thermosphere: The upper layer of the earth’s atmosphere (100 km to approximately 1000 km).
Trace Gas: Gaseous compounds that are in relatively low concentrations in the atmosphere. Examples are OH, HO 2 , CS 2 , OCS, N 2 O.
Triplet Oxygen: Molecular oxygen in which two electrons are unpaired with parallel spins.
Tropopause: The interface between the troposphere and the stratosphere (10 km).
Troposphere: The layer of the atmosphere from the surface to a height of 10 km.
Ultraviolet Radiation: The wavelengths of light less than 400 nm.
VI. Dissolved Gases Other than CO 2
Differential Heat Exchange: When the heat exchange is more rapid than gas exchange.
Fick’s First Law: The flux of diffusion is proportional to the concentration gradient (J = –D
∂c/∂x, where D is the diffusion coefficient, c is concentration, and x is the distance).
Fick’s Second Law: The rate of change of the concentration of diffusion is related to the
derivative of the diffusion coefficient time of the gradient (∂c/∂t) = (∂/∂x)[D(∂c/∂t)].
Nernst Slope: The theoretical slope of the electrode potential E as a function of concentration in the Nernst equation, E = E 0 + k log c, where k = RT/ F = 0.0591 at 25°C.
pH Glass Electrode: An electrode can be used to determine the activity or concentration
of hydrogen ions. The potential across the glass membrane is related to the concentration of the hydrogen ions in solution.
Reference Electrode: An electrode that is used along with a glass pH electrode to measure the concentration of the hydrogen ion (e.g., Ag, AgCl).
Scale Particle Theory: A theory that is used to account for the salting in and out of gases
in solution.
Stoichiometric Constant: (K*), an equilibrium constant expressed in terms of the total
concentration of the species.
Thermodynamic Constant: An equilibrium constant expressed in terms of the activities
of the species.
VII. The Carbonate System
Acid: A substance that gives a pH less than 7 when added to water.
Alkalinity: The concentration of bases in a solution that can be titrated with acid to a
fixed pH (4.0).
Aragonite: A form of calcium carbonate. Less common than calcite and less stable.
Base: A substance that gives a pH greater than 7 when added to water.
Glossary of Chemical Oceanography Terms
Stratopause: The interface between the mesosphere and stratosphere (50 km).
Stratosphere: The layer of the atmosphere below the mesosphere and above the troposphere (10 to 50 km). Location of the ozone layer.
Sulfur Cycle: The chemical cycling of sulfur in the natural environment.
Superoxide Anion, O 2
– : The anion formed from the dissociation of HO 2 . It is a key intermediate in the formation of hydrogen peroxide.
Thermosphere: The upper layer of the earth’s atmosphere (100 km to approximately 1000 km).
Trace Gas: Gaseous compounds that are in relatively low concentrations in the atmosphere. Examples are OH, HO 2 , CS 2 , OCS, N 2 O.
Triplet Oxygen: Molecular oxygen in which two electrons are unpaired with parallel spins.
Tropopause: The interface between the troposphere and the stratosphere (10 km).
Troposphere: The layer of the atmosphere from the surface to a height of 10 km.
Ultraviolet Radiation: The wavelengths of light less than 400 nm.
VI. Dissolved Gases Other than CO 2
Differential Heat Exchange: When the heat exchange is more rapid than gas exchange.
Fick’s First Law: The flux of diffusion is proportional to the concentration gradient (J = –D
∂c/∂x, where D is the diffusion coefficient, c is concentration, and x is the distance).
Fick’s Second Law: The rate of change of the concentration of diffusion is related to the
derivative of the diffusion coefficient time of the gradient (∂c/∂t) = (∂/∂x)[D(∂c/∂t)].
Nernst Slope: The theoretical slope of the electrode potential E as a function of concentration in the Nernst equation, E = E 0 + k log c, where k = RT/ F = 0.0591 at 25°C.
pH Glass Electrode: An electrode can be used to determine the activity or concentration
of hydrogen ions. The potential across the glass membrane is related to the concentration of the hydrogen ions in solution.
Reference Electrode: An electrode that is used along with a glass pH electrode to measure the concentration of the hydrogen ion (e.g., Ag, AgCl).
Scale Particle Theory: A theory that is used to account for the salting in and out of gases
in solution.
Stoichiometric Constant: (K*), an equilibrium constant expressed in terms of the total
concentration of the species.
Thermodynamic Constant: An equilibrium constant expressed in terms of the activities
of the species.
VII. The Carbonate System
Acid: A substance that gives a pH less than 7 when added to water.
Alkalinity: The concentration of bases in a solution that can be titrated with acid to a
fixed pH (4.0).
Aragonite: A form of calcium carbonate. Less common than calcite and less stable.
Base: A substance that gives a pH greater than 7 when added to water.