The Universe and Solar System
the theorized beginning of the universe from a single point
What is the Big Bang theory?
organisms that produce their own energy through photosynthesis
What are autotrophs
the formation of life from nonliving matter
What is abiogenesis?
the portion of the earth found between the continental land mass and the continental break
What is the continental shelf
zone of the ocean that includes the water portion
What is the pelagic zone
the theorized beginning of a star caused by gases accumulating and condensing into a dense core
What is a protostar?
Organisms that must rely on consuming other organisms to acquire their energy for survival.
What are heterotrophs
Evidence that indicates life on Earth originated in the shallows of the ocean
what is fossil records
List the five ocean of the world.
What is the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Southern Ocean.
The zone of the ocean that includes the bottom zone
What is the benthic
a reaction in which light atoms unite to form heavy atoms, releasing tremendous energy in the process. ie: hydrogen to helium
What is nuclear fusion?
the process by which matter became layered according to density during the Earth's formation, with heavier matter near the core and the lighter matter closer to the crust.
What is density stratification
Stanley Miller and Harold Urey tested this hypothesis?
the life originated from lightning striking dense inorganic matter in early ocean pools
the underwater geologic formation that is found between the continental break and the abyssal plains
What is the continental slope
The pelagic zone is divided into these two divisions
What is the neritic zone and the oceanic zone
a large nuclear explosion that generates heavier atoms
what is a supernova?
the theory that the moon was formed by a heavier object or planet hitting the Earth and breaking off a piece small enough to orbit the Earth.
What is the Orpheus theory
The portion of the theory of Evolution that explains why some organisms with favorable characteristics to survive allow them to reproduce and carry on their genetic material.
What is natural selection or the "surival of the fittest"
the large underwater mountain range found in the Atlantic basin
What is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
The zone of the pelagic that is also called the photic zone
What is the epipelagic zone
According to the nebular theory, Earth and the other planets formed through this process of small particles clump together because of gravity.
What is accretion?
Give the three different divisions of the benthos and describe each division
epiflora-plants that live on the sea floor within the photic zone
epifauna-animals that live ON the ocean floor
infauna-animals that live IN the ocean floor
In addition to natural selection, this factor also contributes to the theory of evolution
What is genetic mutations that give some organisms an advantage to survive.
The geologic feature underwater that is an equivalent to the Grand Canyon
What is the Mid-Atlantic trench
the names of the three lifestyles of marine life and at least one example of what is found in each.
What is the plankton (zooplankton and phytoplankton), nekton-swimming organisms in the pelagic region and the benthos-organisms found on the bottom of the ocean floor, from shallow to deep sea