Oceans and Life - Grade IX Social Science

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards based on the Grade IX Social Science lesson on Oceans and Life, including relief features, water movements, resources, natural disasters, and international laws.

Continental Shelf

A shallow extension of land into the sea that is rich in fish and mineral deposits.

Continental Slope

A steep descent marking the boundary between continents and deep oceans.

Abyssal Plains

Vast, flat ocean floors lying at great depths.

Mid-Ocean Ridges

Long underwater mountain chains formed by volcanic activity.

Ocean Trenches

Deep depressions created by tectonic movements, such as the Mariana Trench.

Major Features on the Ocean Floor

Diagram showing the key bathymetric features including the continental shelf, continental slope, continental rise, abyssal plain, oceanic trench, and mid-ocean ridge.

Waves

Rhythmic surface movements of water caused mainly by wind that shape coastlines through erosion and deposition.

Parts of a Wave

Anatomy of an ocean wave consisting of the highest point (crest), lowest point (trough), vertical distance (wave height), and horizontal distance between successive crests (wavelength).

Tides

The periodic rise and fall of sea levels caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun.

Spring Tides

Tides with higher tidal ranges that occur when the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned during new moon and full moon phases.

Neap Tides

Tides with lower tidal ranges that occur when the sun and moon are at right angles to each other relative to the Earth.

Tidal Configurations Diagram

Illustration depicting lunar tide bulges during alignment (Spring Tides during New Moon and Full Moon) and right-angle alignment (Neap Tides during First Quarter and Third Quarter Moons).

Ocean Currents

Continuous, large-scale movements of ocean water classified as warm or cold, which influence coastal temperatures, rainfall, monsoon winds, and trade routes.

Warm Currents

Ocean currents (such as the Gulf Stream) that raise the air and water temperatures of coastal regions.

Cold Currents

Ocean currents (such as the Labrador Current) that lower the air and water temperatures of coastal regions.

Global Ocean Currents Map

World map illustrating major warm and cold ocean currents across global ocean basins.

Living Marine Resources

Biological resources obtained from the ocean, including fish, seaweed, plankton, pearls, and other organisms.

Non-Living Marine Resources

Inanimate resources extracted from the ocean, including petroleum, natural gas, salt, manganese nodules, and tidal/wave energy.

Cyclones

Destructive and violent storms with strong winds and heavy rainfall that rotate about a low-pressure zone, often causing floods.

Tsunamis

Giant, violent ocean waves generated by undersea disturbances such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.

UNCLOS

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; an international agreement defining territorial waters, Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), and national rights over marine resources.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

A sea zone defined under international maritime law over which a nation has sovereign rights for resource exploration and marine management.