Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 05/20/2008 - 06:13
Forums
Drake Passage Opening

 This is Emily with even more questions! We're really curious.

 1. What types of coral were taken up? 

 2. Why did the cups shrink?

 

Thank you for answering all our questions. We appreciate it. 

 Email back ASAP.

      Sincerely,

  Ms. Thomas's 4th grade class 

 P.S. The baseball team is coming back! They beat the Aggies ( all 3 games). Horns played great. Now they are playing in the Big 12 tournament. Go Horns!!!!

Tue, 05/20/2008 - 15:42

Katie Pena

Hi again Ms. Thomas' class! Thanks for your great continued questions! I hope you are able to tune in for the live event on Thursday.
1. We have collected many different species of corals through our many dredges and trawls. Here is a list of the species. Desmophyllum dianthus, Flabellum curvatum, Balanophyllia malouensis, Sporadopra, Bamboo Coral, Solenosmilia variabilis, Stylasterids, and Bayergorgia It would be fun to look up images of all of these on the internet!
2. The cups shrank because more depth equals more atmospheric pressure, so all the air in the styrofoam cup gets pushed out as the pressure outside of them increases, causing them to decrease in size. The cups along with the CTD went to a depth of about 4,400 meters, which is about 420 times atmospheric pressure. As a comparison for the depth and pressure, when a human goes to a depth of only 60 meters their lungs shrink to the size of grapefruits, which would most likely cause death.
Thanks and have a great end to the school year and summer!
Mrs. Pena
P.S- Tell Ms. Underwood to keep the good play of the baseball team going through the Big 12 tournament, so that hopefully we will get a regional in Austin!!