A | B |
waves | wind energy transfered to the surface of water |
current | like a "river" flowing through the ocean |
tides | the rise and fall of sea level affected by the moons gravitational pull |
Gulf Stream Current | pulls warm water along the east coast of the U.S. |
salinity | the amount of salt in a water sample |
evaporation | water changing into water vapor (gas) |
Continental Shelf | Relatively shallow, most marine organisms live here |
Continental Slope | steep drop off from the continental shelf |
Continental Rise | gentle slope at the bottom of the slope, covered with thick mud, sand, & sediment |
Abyssal Plain | Flat ocean floor |
trench | deepest parts of the ocean floor |
Mid-Ocean Ridge | Mountain chain under the ocean |
density | affected by temperature and salinity of ocean water |
ocean water | a mixture of gases and dissolved solids, especially sodium chloride |
marine organisms | sea life |