Ch 6 - Exploring the Ocean Flashcards
What is the science of studying the ocean called?
Oceanography
What do we call scientists who study the ocean?
Oceanographers.
The earth has almost how many times as much water as it does land?
three
Without water, there would be no…
…life
What is a mineral?
A mineral is a substance from the earth that is made of material that was never alive.
Name some minerals.
gold
silver
diamonds
lead
calcium
salt
What kind of minerals would you expect to find in the ocean?
salt, calcium
What are rocks made up of?
minerals
Why is the ocean salty?
God made it that way. Scientists who do not believe in God do not know why the sea is salty.
Why is the ocean becoming saltier?
More salt is flowing into the ocean, but the salt does not leave the ocean.
What does dissolve mean?
It means to break into tiny pieces and become part of a liquid.
What does a baleen whale depend upon for food?
plankton
What are plankton?
They are tiny plants and animals of the sea.
What is the beginning of every food chain?
green plants
What does all animal life of the ocean depend on?
plankton
What are the tiny green plants in the sea called?
algae
What is a food chain?
It is a series of plants and animals, each depending upon the next member in the series for food.
What begins every food chain of the sea?
algae
Give a brief example of a food chain.
A tiny animal eats a plant.
A bigger animal eats the tiny animal.
A larger animal yet eats the big animal.
Humans eat the larger animal and end the cycle.
The movement of water in the ocean contains a lot of…
…energy
Name a mammal of the sea.
whale
dolphin
Name two invertebrates of the sea.
octopus
jellyfish
starfish
What do we call pools of seawater left in the hollows of rocks when the tide goes out?
tide pools
What do scientists use to map the ocean floor?
sonar equipment
What is sonar?
Sonar is an underwater radar.
Name an island formed by a volcano.
Surtsey Island
Is the ocean floor flat?
No. There are flat areas, but there are also mountains taller than the tallest mountain on earth.
What animals build islands?
corals
What do we call the islands made by coral?
coral reefs
What do we call matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid?
sediment
What covers the ocean floor in many places?
sediment
