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Skool6 > Science Unit 5: Oceanography > Flashcards

Science Unit 5: Oceanography Flashcards

1
Q

Define/Describe: Continental Shelf

A

A gently sloping shallow area of the ocean floor that extends outward from the edge of a continent. (Likely where you swim when you go to the beach)

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2
Q

Define/Describe: Continental Slope

A

Located at the edge of the continental shelf; this slope is the beginning of the big drop-off to the ocean floor

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3
Q

Define/Describe: Abyssal Plains

A

Flat, smooth, broad part of the ocean floor covered with thick layers of mud & silt; covers about half of our ocean floors

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4
Q

Define/Describe: Pelagic Division

A

Open ocean waters; upper layers allow phytoplankton to photosynthesize where they can get sunlight; free swimming animals would be found here

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5
Q

Define/Describe: Benthic Division

A

Area of the ocean nearest the ocean floor; bottom dwelling animals would be found here

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6
Q

Define/Describe: Mid-ocean Ridge

A

Long chains of mountains along the ocean floor stretching through all the world’s oceans for 49,700 miles; along the ridges, lava erupts and forms new ocean floor

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7
Q

Define/Describe: Seamount

A

Underwater hills/mountains; they were once active underwater volcanoes

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8
Q

Define/Describe: Guyot

A

Seamounts whose tops have been destroyed by erosion, which gives them a flattened shape at the top

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9
Q

Define/Describe: Trench

A

A long, deep valley/canyon on the ocean floor through which old ocean floor sinks back toward the mantle; they are the deepest parts of the ocean and the lowest points on Earth

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10
Q

Identify factors that limit our ability to explore the ocean floor

A

Submersibles cannot go that deep due to increased pressure (deeper = more pressure)

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11
Q

Define Salinity

A

The measure of the amount of salt dissolved in water

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12
Q

Identify average % of salt in seawater

A

3.5%

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13
Q

What % of Earth’s water is saltwater?

A

Roughly 97%

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14
Q

What is the % of salinity of brackish water?

A

1.5 to 3.4% (Less than seawater)

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15
Q

List two factors that cause salinity to decrease

A

Spring floods
Where fresh water meets salty water

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16
Q

How can salinity increase?

A

Salinity can increase:
in hot dry climates as the water evaporates and leaves the salt behind
near the poles when water freezes and leaves the slat behind

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17
Q

How can salinity decrease?

A

Salinity can decrease:
- near the surface of the water as the dense salty water sinks
- in places where fresh and saltwater mix

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18
Q

Identify 4 most abundant elements in seawater

A

Hydrogen; Oxygen; Sodium; Chloride

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19
Q

Describe how salinity affects density

A

Fresh water is less dense than saltwater. Saltwater will sink, fresh water will float. Salt water is denser than fresh water, even with a temperature change.

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20
Q

Describe how temperature affects density

A

Cold water is denser than warm water. Cold will sink, warm will float.

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21
Q

Explain relationship between depth, temperature, and pressure

A

As depth increases, temperature decreases and water pressure increases.

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22
Q

Define/Describe: Wave

A

A forward motion of energy through water

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23
Q

Define/Describe: Breakers

A

White-capped waves crashing on the shore

24
Q

Define/Describe: Tsunami

A

A giant wave usually caused by an earthquake beneath the ocean floor

25
Q

Define/Describe: Currents

A

Large streams of water that flow through the ocean

26
Q

Define/Describe: Surface Currents (What are they caused by?)

A

Currents that affect water to a depth of several hundred meters (close to top/surface), caused mainly by wind. Cold surface currents cause moderate (mild) climates in coastal areas

27
Q

Define/Describe: Deep Currents (What are they caused by?)

A

Also density currents; deeper than surface currents; caused by the differences in the density of ocean water; these currents move and mix water around the world

28
Q

Define/Describe: Upwellings (How do they affect sea life?)

A

The upward movement of cold water from the ocean depths; they force up cold water, tiny ocean organisms, and minerals, and increases the supply of nutrients in the ocean

29
Q

Define/Describe: El Niño

A

An abnormal climate event that occurs every two to seven years in the Pacific Ocean, causing changes in wind, currents and weather patterns for one to two years

30
Q

Define/Describe: La Niña

A

A climate event in the eastern Pacific Ocean in which surface waters are colder than normal

31
Q

Define/Describe: The Coreolis Effect (What direction does it cause currents to curve in each hemisphere?)

A

The effect of earth’s rotation on the direction of winds and currents; causes currents NORTH of the equator to move in CLOCKWISE direction and currents SOUTH of the equator to move COUNTER-CLOCKWISE

32
Q

Define/Describe: Gyre

A

A group of currents that come together to form a circular rotating current; large system of rotating ocean currents caused by the Coreolis Effect

33
Q

Define/Describe: Tide

A

The regular rise and fall of the sea due to the moon’s gravitational pull on Earth

34
Q

Identify 3 factors that determine the size of a wave

A

The strength of the wind
The length of time the wind blows
The distance the wind travels

35
Q

How to calculate tidal range?

A

Subtract the daily highest tide with the daily lowest tide

36
Q

Spring Tide

A

Tides with the greatest difference between consecutive low and high tides
Occurs during a full or new moon when the earth, sun and moon are aligned.
Causes highest high tides and lowest low tides.
This happens because the sun and moon are pulling the water in the same direction. Spring = Straight

37
Q

Neap Tide

A

Tides with the least difference between consecutive low and high tides
Occurs during a quarter or three-quarter moon when the earth, sun and moon form a right angle
High tides are not very high and low tides are not very low.
This happens because the sun and moon are pulling earth’s water in two different directions. Neap = Ninety

38
Q

Describe Overwash

A

Waves exceed/go over the elevation of the dune; sand is transported across the land and often results in significant damage to coastal property

39
Q

Explain why there is less vegetation on a primary dune compared to a secondary dune

A

Wind eroding the dune
Storm surges killing plant life
Salt spray killing the plants

40
Q

Pro/Con of Jetties & Groins

A

Pro: Reduce erosion
Con: Causes erosion of one side of the jetty

41
Q

Pro/Con of Wooden Fencing

A

Pro: Trap sand and inexpensive
Con: Not strong

42
Q

Pro/Con of Plastic Fencing

A

Pro: Trap sand
Con: Plastic could go into the ocean

43
Q

Pro/Con of Sea Walls

A

Pro: Strong, protects tidal waves
Con: Expensive, needs repair

44
Q

Pro/Con of Dredging

A

Pro: Fastest replenishment
Con: Very expensive

45
Q

Wetlands

A

A land area that is covered with a shallow layer of water, freshwater and coastal (salt water)

46
Q

Benefit of Wetland

A

Protective haven for developing young
Habitats with food and shelter
Resting areas for migrating birds

47
Q

Describe brackish water

A

Water with a level of salinity between freshwater and seawater.
Example: where a river meets a bay

48
Q

Explain how salinity affects animals in estuaries

A

Changes in salinity are a problem for animals living in estuaries because the water can have high salinity at times and low salinity at times

49
Q

What is a nurdle?

A

Broken down pieces of plastic

50
Q

What impact do nurdles have on the environment?

A

Plastics are the number one pollution source floating in the world’s oceans and pass through the food web and harm all animals in the web

51
Q

Describe why we have not been able to get rid of Garbage Island

A

It is too large
Pieces have photodegraded into small parts
Plastics will still exist whether in water or not

52
Q

What can we do to try to stop Garbage Island from getting larger?

A

We can REDUCE the amount of plastics used.

53
Q

Something that is more dense than water will ____

A

sink

54
Q

Something that is less dense than water will ____

A

float

55
Q

Currents on top of the water are called ________, moved by ____

A

surface currents; winds

56
Q

Currents below the water are called ________, moved by ____

A

deep currents; density

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