EARTH SCIENCE (2010) - Oceanography Vocab

tides

rise and fall of ocean water caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and to a lesser degree the sun

spring tide

highest of high and lowest of low tides occurring during the new moon and full moon phases

neap tide

a less than average tide occurring at the first and third quarters of the moon

abyssal plain

a large area of extremely flat or gently sloping land, deep under the ocean

continental shelf

the edge of a continent, which extends from the shoreline underwater to the continental slope

continental slope

a steep incline leading down from the edge of the continental shelf to the abyssal zone

continental rise

thick pile of sediment washed off the continental shelf & marking the bottom of the continental slope

mid-ocean ridge

an undersea mountain chain where new ocean floor is produced; a divergent plate boundary.

salinity

a measurement of the amount of salt (NaCl) in a liquid; higher salinity = higher density

seamount

an underwater volcano

ocean floor diagram

trench

extremely deep areas in the ocean that are created by a sub-ducting plate

upwelling

the movement of deep, cold, and nutrient-rich water to the surface

convection current

warm rises, cool sinks; one of the main causes of the ocean tides

ocean water composition

water + salt (sodium chloride) + small amounts of other ions

sonar

the use of sound waves to find objects underwater and to map the ocean floor