Oceanology and Water Cycle Concepts

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to oceanography and the water cycle.

Precipitation

Any form of water-liquid or solid-that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground.

Evaporation

The process where a liquid (commonly water) changes into a gas (vapor) at temperatures below its boiling point.

Sublimation

The phase transition where a substance changes directly from a solid to a gas, bypassing the liquid phase.

Condensation

The process where a gas, such as water vapor, cools down and changes into a liquid.

Cloud formation

The process where water vapor in the atmosphere cools and condenses into visible water droplets or ice crystals.

Transportation

The movement of people, animals, and goods from one location to another.

Infiltration

The slow, often hidden, passing of a substance into soil or another medium.

Percolation

The slow movement of a liquid (like water or coffee) through a porous substance or filter containing small holes.

Run-off

Water from rain, snowmelt, or irrigation that does not soak into the ground but flows over the land surface into streams, drains, or lakes.

Ocean

Contains upwards of 99% of the world's biosphere and includes features such as continental shelf, continental slope, abyssal plain, and mid-ocean ridge.

Salinity

The concentration of salt in water; can be affected by factors such as precipitation and runoff.

Continental shelf

The area of sea bed around a large landmass, submerged under relatively shallow water.

Abyssal plain

A flat or gently sloping area of the deep sea floor.

Mid-ocean ridge

An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics.

Pacific Ocean

The largest and deepest ocean on Earth.

Atlantic Ocean

Little larger than the Indian Ocean.

Indian Ocean

Has the same depth as the Atlantic but is smaller.

Arctic Ocean

The smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceans.

Southern Ocean

Encircles Antarctica and is the fourth largest ocean basin.

Earth's water composition

71% of Earth's crust is covered by ocean water; 97.5% of water on Earth comes from the ocean.