A | B |
oceanographer | a scientist that studies the ocean |
plankton | animals and plants that float at or near the ocean surface |
nekton | forms of ocean life that swim |
benthos | organisms that live on the ocean floor |
interidal zone | coastal region that lies between the high- and low-tide lines |
neritic zone | area of the ocean that extends from the low-tide line to the edge of a continental shelf |
bathyal zone | open ocean zone that begins at an continental slope and extends to about 2000 meters |
abyssal zone | open ocean zone that begins at a depth of about 2000 meters and extends to about 6000 meters |
crest | high point of a wave |
trough | lowest point of a wave |
wavelength | horizontal distance between two consecutive crests or troughs |
tsunami | a giant sea wave produced by an earthquake |
surface current | an ocean current caused mainly by wind patterns |
deep current | an ocean current caused mainly by the differences in the density of water deep in the ocean |
upwelling | the rising of deep, cold currents to the ocean surface |