Ocean Floor Features
This is the gently sloping area extending from the shore to the continental slope.
What is the continental shelf?
This molecule is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
What is water (H₂O)?
This scale measures the acidity or basicity of a solution.
What is pH?
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect causes currents to curve in this direction.
What is to the right?
This is the highest point of a wave.
What is the crest?
This underwater mountain range is formed by plate tectonics.
What is the mid-ocean ridge?
This property of water allows it to stick to other substances.
What is adhesion?
A solution with a pH less than 7 is considered this.
What is an acid?
These are the three main influences on surface currents.
What are wind, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflection?
This is the lowest point of a wave.
What is the trough?
This area lies between the continental slope and the abyssal plain.
What is the continental rise?
These are the two most abundant components in ocean water.
What are sodium and chloride?
These ions are present in acidic and basic solutions.
What are H+ and OH- ions?
This phenomenon causes surface currents.
What is wind?
This term describes the vertical distance between the crest and trough of a wave.
What is wave height?
This deep, narrow depression in the ocean floor is formed by subduction.
What is a trench?
These are the three temperature zones of the ocean.
What are the surface zone, thermocline (transition), and deep zone?
This term describes the concentration of dissolved salts in water.
What is salinity?
These factors cause deep ocean currents.
What are temperature and salinity?
These waves form when the bottom of the wave slows down as it approaches the shore
What are breakers?
This underwater volcanic mountain rises from the ocean floor but does not reach the surface.
What is a seamount?
This temperature region is defined by cold temperatures and occurs deep in the ocean.
Deep zone
This process increases the salinity of ocean water.
What is evaporation? OR What is freezing of seawater?
This global circulation pattern is driven by differences in water density.
What is thermohaline circulation?
This process brings nutrient-rich water to the surface.
What is upwelling?