Ocean Flashcards
Largest and deepest of Earth’s oceanic divisions
Pacific Ocean
Second largest of the world’s oceans
Atlantic Ocean
Third largest of the world’s oceans
Indian Ocean
The smallest and shallowest of the world’s five major oceans
Arctic Ocean
Comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean
Southern Ocean
The concentration of dissolved salts in water
Salinity
Often this layer is referred to as the mixed layer because this is where winds and waves stir up the water. This layer is highly influenced by solar energy, heating up the water. The temperature is roughly that of the air above it.
Surface Zone
A layer of water located between the surface and deep water layers that rapidly decreases in temperature as depth increases.
Thermocline
The layer of water below the thermocline that slowly decreases in temperature as depth increases.
Deep Zone
Cycle of processes (Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitaion, Run-Off)
Water Cycle
liquid to gas process
Evaporation
gas to liquid process
Condensation
water released from clouds in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail
Precipitation
the area of seabed around a large landmass where the sea is relatively shallow compared with the open ocean
Continental Shelf
the slope between the outer edge of the continental shelf and the deep ocean floor
Continental Slope
the imaginary geographic line defined by the fact that water poured on one side of it would ultimately flow into the ocean on one side of a continent same with the other side
Continental Divide
underwater plain on the deep ocean floor
Abyssal Plain
a long, (seismically active) submarine ridge system situated in the middle of an ocean basin and marking the site of the upwelling of magma associated with seafloor spreading. An example is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Mid-Ocean Ridge
A long, narrow valley lying between two normal geologic faults
Rift Valley
A large underwater mountain, usually conical in shape
Seamount
hemispheric-scale long but narrow topographic depressions of the sea floor
Ocean Trench
Small organisms that float or drift in great numbers in bodies of salt or fresh water
Plankton
The collection of marine and freshwater organisms that can swim freely and are generally independent of currents, ranging in size from microscopic organisms to whales
Nekton
the flora and fauna found on the bottom, or in the bottom sediments, of a sea, lake, or other body of water
Benthos
