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Oceans

Science

Oceans Chapter Video

Oceans Chapter Video

abyssal plain

a large, flat area of the deep ocean floor
abyssal plain Simple Definition

aquaculture

the farming of water organisms like fish
aquaculture Simple Definition

benthos

organisms that live on or near the ocean floor
benthos Simple Definition

breaker

a wave that forms in shallow water and breaks on the shore
breaker Simple Definition

continental shelf

a shallow, gently sloping area of the ocean floor, at the edge of a continent
continental shelf Simple Definition

continental slope

a part of the ocean floor that dips steeply down from the continental shelf
continental slope Simple Definition

coral reef

a diverse marine ecosystem made of coral fragments
coral reef Simple Definition

coriolis effect

the effect of Earth's rotation on the direction of winds and current
coriolis effect Simple Definition

El Nino

a worldwide climate change, caused by an increase in the Pacific Ocean’s temperature
El Nino Simple Definition

estuary

an area where fresh river water mixes with salty ocean water
estuary Simple Definition

intertidal zone

the shoreline between high and low tide
intertidal zone Simple Definition

La Nina

a worldwide climate change, caused by a decrease in the Pacific Ocean’s temperature
La Nina Simple Definition

longshore current

a water current parallel to the shoreline
longshore current Simple Definition

longshore drift

the movement of sediment along a beach by waves
longshore drift Simple Definition

mid ocean ridge

a long mountain range on the seafloor formed by lava eruptions through Earth’s crust
mid ocean ridge Simple Definition

neap tide

the tide with the smallest difference between high and low tide
neap tide Simple Definition

nekton

a marine organism that can actively swim, as opposed to those moved by the current
nekton Simple Definition

ocean current

the movement of streams of ocean water
ocean current Simple Definition

ocean trench

a deep part of the seafloor where a subducting slab bends down
ocean trench Simple Definition

plankton

tiny microscopic organisms that float or drift in water
plankton Simple Definition

rip current

a swift current that flows from a sandbar to deeper water
rip current Simple Definition

salinity

the amount of salt dissolved in water
salinity Simple Definition

sonar

the use of the reflection of sound waves to locate underwater objects
sonar Simple Definition

spring tide

a tide with the greatest range between high and low tides
spring tide Simple Definition

surface current

the horizontal movement of water at or near the ocean’s surface
surface current Simple Definition

tsunami

a huge wave caused by an underwater earthquake
tsunami Simple Definition

upwelling

the vertical movement of cold water from the deep ocean to the surface
upwelling Simple Definition

wave

a repeating disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space
wave Simple Definition

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