AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Answer and Explanation: Ocean temperatures remain fairly constant because water has a high specific heat. The specific heat of a substance refers to the amount of heat energy that needs to be supplied in order to raise the temperature a unit mass of that substance by a certain degree.

Detailed explanation-2: -In the thermocline, temperature decreases rapidly from the mixed upper layer of the ocean (called the epipelagic zone) to much colder deep water in the thermocline (mesopelagic zone). Below 3, 300 feet to a depth of about 13, 100 feet, water temperature remains constant.

Detailed explanation-3: -Relative to most other materials, the temperature of water changes less when a given amount of heat is lost or absorbed. This high specific heat makes the temperature of Earth’s oceans relatively stable and able to support vast quantities of both plant and animal life.

Detailed explanation-4: -The temperature of ocean water varies by location – both in terms of latitude and depth, due to variations in solar radiation and the physical properties of water.

Detailed explanation-5: -High heat capacity of water helps the body significantly maintain a stable temperature and thus plays a vital role in different ecological and biological processes. It is so because water can absorb and transfer heat effectively, so humans use it to maintain their body temperature.