AICE Marine Science Chapter 2 Vocab (New Coursebook)

Estuary

A partially enclosed, tidal, coastal body of water where freshwater from a river meets the saltwater of the ocean

Littoral Zone

The benthic, or bottom, zone between the highest and lowest spring tide water marks on a shoreline; also referred to as the intertidal zone

Earthquake

A sudden release of energy inside the Earth that creates seismic waves; usually caused by movement of tectonic plates or volcanic activity

Crust

The outermost layer of rock on Earth

Mantle

A region of molten rock within the interior of the Earth, between the core and the crust

Core

The dense, central region within Earth

Seismic

Having to do with vibrations of the Earth's crust; relating to earthquakes

Oceanic Crust

The dense basaltic layer of crust that makes up the bottom of the ocean basins

Continental Crust

The thicker, less dense crust that makes up the foundations of the continents

Continental Drift

A theory supporting the possibility that continents are able to move over Earth's surface

Plate Tectonics

The process where large sections, or plates, of the Earth's crust are in constant movement over the fluid mantle, causing earthquakes and volcanoes at the borders between the plates

Lithosphere

The outermost layer of the Earth's crust

Mid-Ocean Ridge

A mountain range with a central valley on an ocean floor at the boundary between two diverging tectonic plates, where new crust forms from upwelling magma

Paleomagnetic Stripes

The pattern of magnetic stripes on the ocean floor due to reversals in the Earth's magnetic field and seafloor spreading

Polarity

Having two opposite states of being on either end (such as the North and South pole, or the positive and negative end of a magnet)

Divergent Boundary

Where two tectonic plates are moving away from each other

Convection Current

The movement of fluid or air based on density differences caused by differing temperatures

Convergent Boundary

When two or more tectonic plates come together

Subduction

The process where one lithospheric plate slides below another at a convergent plate boundary

Trench

A long, narrow, and deep depression on the ocean floor with relatively steep sides; caused by convergent plate boundaries

Volcano

A mountain or hill with a crater or vent through which lava, rock fragments, hot vapor, and gas are being forced from the Earth's crust

Tsunami

A seismic sea wave created by an underwater earthquake or volcanic event; not noticeable in the open ocean but building to great heights in shallow water

Hydrothermal Vent

An area where cold ocean water that has seeped into the Earth's crust is superheated by underlying magma and forced through vents in the ocean floor

Transform Boundary

When two plates are moving in an antiparallel direction, creating friction between them

Abyssal Plain

A flat, sandy region of the ocean floor found between trenches and the continental rise

Weathering

The wearing down or breaking of rocks through physical, chemical, or organic means

Erosion

A natural process where material is worn away from the Earth's surface and transported elsewhere

Sedimentation

The deposition of suspended particles from water

Deposition

A geological process where sediments, soil, and rocks are added to a landform or land mass

Delta

A low-lying triangular area at the mouth of a river formed by the deposition of sediments

Morphology

The study of the forms of things

Turbidity

The level of transparency loss water has due to the presence of suspended particles in the water; the higher it is, the harder it is to see through the water

Tide

The periodic rise and fall of the surface of the ocean resulting from the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun

Semi-Diurnal

Occurring twice daily

Diurnal

Occurring daily

Tidal Range

The difference in height between the high-tide and the low-tide mark over the course of a day; also called the tidal amplitude

Tidal Surge

The coastal flooding of an abnormally high seawater level associated with low pressure weather systems; also called a storm surge

Spring Tide

A tide that occurs when the Sun and Moon are aligned, causing the largest tidal range

Neap Tide

A tide that occurs when the Moon and Sun are at right angles from each other, causing the smallest tidal range

Current

A continuous physical movement of water caused by wind or density

Coriolis Effect

A force that results from the Earth's rotation that causes objects or particles in motion to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere

Thermohaline Circulation

Large-scale ocean circulation caused by density differences due to temperature and salinity changes in the world's ocean

Global Ocean Conveyor Belt

Constantly moving systems of deep-ocean water driven by thermohaline circulation

Downwelling

The downward movement of water in the sea due to density differences

Upwelling

The movement of cold, nutrient-rich water from deep in the ocean to the surface

El Niño

A warm current that develops off the coast of Ecuador around December, which can cause widespread death within local food chains

La Niña

A cold current that develops off the coast of Ecuador and spreads across the Pacific, reducing sea surface temperatures for extended periods of time

Humboldt Current

A cold water current with low salinity levels that flows north along the western coast of South America; also called the Peru current