| A | B |
|---|
| Salinity | A measure of the mass of dissolved salts in a mass of water |
| Seawater | Water from a sea or ocean that has an average salinity of 35 ppt |
| Brackish water | A mix of freshwater and seawater which commonly occurs in estuaries where a river enters the ocean |
| Tsunami | A wave that forms when an ocean disturbance suddenly moves a large volume of water |
| Sea level | The average level of the ocean’s surface at any given time |
| Tide | The periodic rise and fall of the ocean’s surface caused by the gravitational force between Earth and the moon, and between Earth and the sun |
| Tidal range | The difference in water level between high tide and low tide |
| Spring tide | The largest tidal range that occurs when Earth, the moon and the sun form a straight line |
| Neap tide | The smallest tidal range that occurs when Earth, the moon and the sun form a right angle |
| Ocean current | A large volume of water flowing in a certain direction |
| Gyre | A large circular system of ocean currents |
| Coriolis effect | The movement of wind and water to the right or left that is caused by Earth’s rotation |
| Upwelling | The vertical movement of water toward the ocean’s surface |
| Harmful algal bloom | The rapid growth of algae caused by the runoff of excess nutrients that can be toxic to other organisms |
| Coral bleaching | The loss of color in corals that occurs when stressed corals expel the algae that live in them |
