ocean Flashcards
Pacific ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth’s five oceanic divisions
Atlantic ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world’s five oceans, with an area of about 106,460,000 km
Indian ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest and youngest of the world’s oceans, covering about 20% of the Earth’s surface
Arctic ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world’s five oceans, but also the most mysterious and remote
Southern ocean
comprises the southernmost waters of the world ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica
Salinity
the quality or degree of being saline
surface zone
extends downward 200 meters or roughly 5% of the ocean’s average depth
Thermocline
steep temperature gradient in a body of water such as a lake, marked by a layer above and below which the water is at different temperatures
deep zone
The cell density is lowest in this zone; chondrocytes are spheroidal in shape and are arranged perpendicular to the surface
water cycle
biogeochemical cycle that describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface
Evaporation
the process of turning from liquid into vapor
Condensation
water which collects as droplets on a cold surface when humid air is in contact with it
Precipitation
rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground
continental shelf
A continental shelf is the submerged edge of a continent, where the land slopes gently into the ocean
continental slope
steep slope that is located between the seaward edge of the continental shelf and the abyssal plain
continental rise
low-relief zone of accumulated sediments that lies between the continental slope and the abyssal plain
abyssal plain
an underwater plain on the deep ocean floor
mid-ocean ridge
Mid-ocean ridges are the longest mountain range on Earth, but mostly hidden underwater
rift valley
linear shaped lowland between several highlands or mountain ranges created by the action of a geologic rift
Seamount
large geologic landform that rises from the ocean floor that does not reach to the water’s surface
ocean trench
Oceanic trenches are the deepest parts of the ocean floor, where two tectonic plates collide and one slides under the other
Plankton
diverse collection of organisms found in water
Nekton
aquatic animals that are able to swim and move independently of water currents. Often contrasted with plankton.
Benthos
community of organisms that live on, in, or near the bottom of a sea, river, lake, or stream, also known as the benthic zone
desalination
process that takes away mineral components from saline water
