FloorFeaturesSaltySchmaltyDon’tZoneOut! Waves & Currents I’m an Oceans Genius Genius
A gently sloping shelf of land extending from the shoreline to the continental edge (covered by shallow water)
Continental Shelf
A gently sloping hill that connects the continental slope to the ocean floor. This is also where sediments are deposited.
Continental Rise
Valleys cut deep into the ocean floor
Trenches
A chain of high elevation found where the Earth is shifting
Mid-ocean ridges
Identify 3 characteristics of an abyssal plain.
Flat, deep, cold, dark, little to no life/plants, covers most of the ocean, smoothest place on Earth
What is the percent of salt in ocean water called?
Salinity
True or False Ocean water is not made up of pure water.
True
Compare the salinity of ocean water and fresh lake water.
Ocean water is salty, but lake water is fresh water.
As the depth of the ocean increases, what happens to the salinity level?
Increases
What happens to the salinity level of the ocean when it is near an area that has severe drought?
Salinity level increases because water evaporates
This zone has very few signs of life due to crushing pressure.
Abyssal zone
The water in this zone is pitch black, with the only light coming from creatures that live there.
Midnight Zone
The sun’s light grows faint, so no plants can grow here.
Twilight Zone
This zone is a great place for plants, algae, and fish to live.
Sunlight Zone
Describe 3 physical changes related to ocean depth.
1. Temperature 2. Amount of Light 3. Pressure 4. Salinity 5. Animal/Plant Life
Currents are massive flows of water, like ___________ in the seas.
Rivers
Do currents move warm water towards the Equator or away from the Equator?
Away
Can currents affect land climate?
Yes
Identify 3 causes of currents.
1. Wind 2. Temperature Change 3. Spinning of the Earth
A ______ is the up and down movement of surface water and does not move water forward.
wave
Name the 3 different types of currents.
1. Surface 2. Shoreline 3. Rip
True or False The zones in the ocean are based upon the amount of marine life that live there.
False (Based on the amount of light received)
A self contained underwater breathing apparatus is also known as ___________ to divers.
SCUBA
Name one way waves and currents help, as well as hurt, the shore.
Help—deposit beach materials along the coast, including beaches Hurt/harm—erode the shoreline
Oceans cover what percentage or fraction of the Earth’s surface?
¾ 75%