Eighth Grade, Ocean Sciences Science Experiments (24 results)

Have you ever wondered what causes ocean currents? Ocean currents have profound effects on the climates of the continents, especially those regions bordering on the ocean. For example, it’s thought that the Gulf Stream (a warm current around the North Atlantic Ocean) makes northwest Europe much warmer than it would otherwise likely be. In this science activity, you will model the behavior of these “rivers” of hot and cold water within the ocean to find out how temperature… Read more

On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.2 megathrust earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia unleashed a powerful tsunami that hit the coasts of 14 countries and caused the loss of over 200,000 lives. The devastation that the tsunami left in its wake was heartbreaking, and people across the world united to help the survivors. Tsunamis are a powerful force of nature that can change the features of a coastline and result in millions of dollars in economic loss, but can… Read more

Have you ever been to a tide pool during low tide? Some intertidal animals in the low tide zone are left in a tiny pool of water when the tides go out. Other intertidal animals that live in high tide zones may be left to dry out during low tide. How much time does each zone spend out of water during a tidal cycle? Read more

The past few years have histories of extremely powerful and dangerous storms. Storms have also become more numerous over the last few years. To investigate potential effects of climate on hurricane number and strength, in this project you will study the effects of El Niño on hurricanes. The goal of this project is to study the historic relationship between the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the number and strength of hurricanes, either in the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. Since… Read more