quiz 6 earth science

Primary productivity

The rate at which energy-rich organic compounds are created by organisms through processes like photosynthesis.

Photic zone

The upper layer of a body of water that receives enough sunlight for plants to grow.

Aphotic zone

The deep, dark layer of the ocean where sunlight does not reach and photosynthesis cannot happen.

Plankton

Tiny organisms that drift or float in the water because they are too small or weak to swim against the current.

pH scale

A measurement used to specify how acidic or basic a liquid is, ranging from 0 to 14.

Salinity

The total amount of dissolved salts found in a given volume of water.

Density

The measurement of how much "stuff" or mass is packed into a specific amount of space.

Thermocline

A specific layer in a body of water where the temperature changes very rapidly with increasing depth.

Shoreline

The exact line where a large body of water meets the land.

Berms

The flat, elevated parts of a beach located above the high-tide line, often where people set up umbrellas.

Wave refraction

The bending of water swells as they move into shallow areas and hit the bottom at different times.

Rip currents

Strong, narrow channels of water flowing quickly away from the beach out toward the open sea.

Tombolo

A ridge of sand or gravel that connects an island to the mainland or to another island.

Echo sounders

Devices that determine the depth of water by measuring the time it takes for a sound pulse to bounce off the bottom and return.

Continental shelf

The gently sloping, submerged edge of a landmass that extends from the coast to the much deeper ocean floor.