Here, microorganisms use the seeping oil as a source of energy and nutrition and thereby fuel the carbon cycle. Because microorganisms preferentially break down water-soluble organic molecules, it is ...

What is the role of dissolved organic matter in the deep sea? In a study relating to this question, researchers have investigated the composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in detail. Their ...

Oil is more dense than alcohol, but less dense than water. The molecules that make up the oil are larger than those that that make up water, so they cannot pack as tightly together as the water ...