Abstract
Before we discuss the chemistry of the oceans, it is useful to review some descriptive features of the oceans. Oceanography is the scientifc study of the oceans and can be divided
into four major areas:
1. Physical oceanography: the study of the physics of the oceans and their interactions with the atmosphere
2. Biological oceanography: the study of the biology of the oceans
3. Geological oceanography: the study of the geology and geophysics of the oceans
4. Chemical oceanography: the study of the chemistry of the oceans
The basic goal of oceanography is to obtain a clear and systematic description of the
oceans. It is hoped that an increased knowledge of the oceans will lead to a better understanding of how they control the climate of the earth and how they can be used as a source
of food, chemicals, and energy.