ocean land forms
\ the gently sloping, shallow, submerged edge of a continent, extending from the shoreline to a point called the shelf break where the seafloor drops off steeply into the deep ocean.
continental shelf
the upper layer of a body of water (like an ocean or lake) that receives enough light for photosynthesis, typically extending down about 200 meters (660 feet) but varying with water clarity
The photic zone (200 pts)
sunlight zone (100 pts)
The highest part of a wave.
Crest
surface currents are caused by ____
wind
caused by the sudden displacement of a large volume of water, most commonly from large underwater earthquakes in subduction zones, where tectonic plates shift vertically. Other causes include underwater landslides, volcanic eruptions (both underwater and coastal), meteorite impacts, and sometimes rapid pressure changes or glacier calving, all creating powerful waves that travel across oceans.
tsunami
a vast, flat, and featureless area of the deep ocean floor, typically found beyond continental margins at depths of 2,000 to 6,000 meters. These plains cover a significant portion of the Earth's surface
abyssal plain
The ocean's Mesopelagic Zone,or __________ is a vast, dim layer between 200 and 1,000 meters (650-3,300 ft) deep where sunlight barely penetrates.
Twilight Zone
the lowest point in a wave
trough
deep currents are caused by different densities of the water due to ________ (200) and ________ (200)
the word for this is _________ (1000)
temperature (200)
salinity (200) / salt (100)
thermohaline (1000)
towering walls of water appearing suddenly, are caused by a mix of wave interactions, primarily constructive interference (when wave crests align and add up) and focusing of wave energy
Rogue waves
a long, narrow, deep depression on the seafloor, forming where tectonic plates collide and one slides under the other (subduction), making them the deepest parts of the ocean
ocean trench
The bathypelagic zone, or ________, is the deep ocean layer from about 1,000 to 4,000 meters (3,300 to 13,100 feet) deep, characterized by total darkness, freezing temperatures, and extreme pressure, where sunlight never penetrates.
The midnight zone
distance from wave crest to wave crest or trough to trough
wavelength
a large system of rotating ocean currents, driven by global wind patterns and the Coriolis Effect, forming massive circular flows in major ocean basins
gyre
rock formed from cooling magma
igneous
the steep incline connecting the shallow continental shelf to the deep ocean floor, a dramatic drop-off marked by significant depth change and often carved by submarine canyons
continental slope
the ocean's deepest region, extending from about 6,000 to 11,000 meters (3.7 to 6.8 miles) deep, named after Hades, the Greek god of the underworld, and consists mainly of deep ocean trenches like the Mariana Trench. This zone is characterized by extreme conditions: crushing pressure, near-freezing temperatures, and total darkness.
Hadal zone
The vertical distance between the wave trough and the wave crest. (400)
vertical distance from resting point to crest or trough
(another 400)
wave height
amplitude
rotating currents, like mini-whirlpools, that spin off from major currents (like the Gulf Stream), transporting heat, salt, nutrients, and marine life across vast distances, playing a crucial role in global ocean circulation
eddies
Formed from compressed and cemented layers of sediments (rock fragments, organic matter).
sedimentary rock
continental rise
phytoplankton, that produce 1/2 the planet's oxygen, exist only in the _______ zone
sunlight 100
photic 500
tides are caused by the _____
gravitational pull of the moon
colder ocean currents come from the ________(250)
and warmer ocean currents come from the ________(250)
poles (250)
equator (250)
the geological process where new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges as magma rises from the Earth's mantle, cools, and solidifies, pushing older seafloor away in both directions, driving plate tectonics and continental drift. a continuous creation of new crust
Seafloor spreading