As water depth increases, does temperature go below 0C?

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SUMMARY

As water depth increases, temperature decreases, particularly after passing the thermocline, where a rapid decline occurs. Below depths of 10,000 meters, water temperature continues to drop but does not reach absolute zero, as the tendency for water to approach freezing is governed by Le Chatelier's Principle. At extreme pressures, such as 10 GigaPascals, water can freeze into different forms, including ice VII, which is denser than regular ice. Understanding these phenomena is crucial for comprehending the behavior of water at extreme depths.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of thermoclines in oceanography
  • Familiarity with Le Chatelier's Principle
  • Knowledge of fluid density variations with temperature and pressure
  • Basic concepts of phase changes in materials
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of pressure on water freezing points
  • Study the properties and formation of ice VII
  • Examine oceanographic temperature-depth profiles in extreme environments
  • Explore the implications of Le Chatelier's Principle in various chemical systems
USEFUL FOR

Oceanographers, climate scientists, and researchers studying the physical properties of water under extreme conditions will benefit from this discussion.

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After passing the thermocline, in which water temperature decreases rapidly over short distances, temperature falls into a sort of constant-looking decline. However, looking at the graph, it looks almost asymptotic. I've not been able to find a chart measuring water depths below 10,000m, so I'm unable to tell for sure. What happens to water temperature as you dip to truly extreme depths, of which likely do not exist on Earth, like 10,000km? Would water temperatures ever reach absolute zero?
 
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The tendency for water to approach freezing as depth increases is an example of Le Chatelier's Principle. In the ocean, water is least dense at or just above freezing - depending on the depth. This link shows a chart: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/fluid-density-temperature-pressure-d_309.html

At pressures beyond what are found in the ocean, water tends to freeze - and form different kinds of ice. For example, at the normal boiling point (100C) but at pressure 30 times as great as the oceans get (10 GigaPascals), a type of ice forms called ice VII that is about 30% heavier than regular ice.

Other types of ice form at other pressures. This link describes them: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_point

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice#Phases
 
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