Final answer:
To find the number of water molecules in the ocean, we multiply the number of molecules in a liter (3.346 × 10²¶) by the ocean's volume in liters (1.26 × 10²°), resulting in approximately 4.216 × 10´¶ molecules.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the number of water molecules in the ocean, we can multiply the number of molecules in one liter of water by the volume of the ocean in liters. The question states there are approximately 3.346 × 10²¶ molecules of water in a liter, and the ocean's volume is about 1.26 × 10²° liters. So, the calculation would be:
(3.346 × 10²¶ molecules/L) × (1.26 × 10²° L) = 4.216 × 10´¶
Therefore, the ocean contains approximately 4.216 × 10´¶ water molecules. It's important to note that this is a simplification and assumes that one liter of water consistently contains that number of molecules, despite variations due to temperature, salinity, and pressure.