Oceans

Abyssal plain

A large, flat area of the deep ocean floor. Abyssal plain. An abyssal plain is a vast, flat region on the ocean floor, several kilometers deep, where sediment covers uneven sea bedrock.

Aquaculture

The farming of water organisms like fish aquaculture. Aquaculture is the process of raising fish and other aquatic animals in controlled environments for food and other products.

Benthos

Organisms that live on or near the ocean floor. Benthos. Benthos refers to living things that reside on or close to the seabed.

Breaker

A wave that forms in shallow water and breaks on the shore. Breaker. In science, a breaker is a wave that collapses onto the shore, causing its energy to dissipate.

Continental shelf

A shallow, gently sloping area of the ocean floor, at the edge of a continent. Continental shelf. It is the underwater land around a continent that extends from the shore into the ocean.

Continental slope

A part of the ocean floor that dips steeply down from the continental shelf. Continental slope. The continental slope is the area where the ocean floor quickly drops in depth after the shallower continental shelf.

Coral reef

A diverse marine ecosystem made of coral fragments. Coral reef. A coral reef is an underwater structure made from the skeletons of tiny sea animals called corals, providing habitat for many marine species.

Coriolis effect

The effect of Earth's rotation on the direction of winds and current Coriolis effect. The Coriolis effect makes moving air and water turn and twist, causing winds in the northern hemisphere to deflect to the right and in the southern hemisphere to the left.

El Nino

A worldwide climate change, caused by an increase in the Pacific Oceans temperature. El Nino. El Nino is a natural climate pattern where warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures occur in the Pacific Ocean, affecting global weather.

Estuary

An area where fresh river water mixes with salty ocean water. Estuary. An estuary is where rivers meet the sea, creating a unique and productive environment for many species.

Intertidal zone

The shoreline between high and low tide. Intertidal zone. The intertidal zone is the area of the beach that is covered by water at high tide and exposed to air at low tide.

La Nina

A worldwide climate change, caused by a decrease in the Pacific Oceans temperature. La Nia. La Nia is a climate pattern where the sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become cooler than average, impacting global weather patterns.

Longshore current

A water current parallel to the shoreline. Longshore current. It is a movement of water along the coast, created by waves hitting the shore at an angle.

Longshore drift

The movement of sediment along a beach by waves. Longshore drift. Longshore drift is when waves move sand and pebbles along the shore in a zigzag pattern.

Mid ocean ridge

A long mountain range on the seafloor formed by lava eruptions through Earths crust. Mid-ocean ridge. A mid-ocean ridge is an undersea mountain range where new oceanic crust is created by volcanic activity.

Neap tide

The tide with the smallest difference between high and low tide. Neap tide. Neap tide occurs when the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun are perpendicular, causing less variation in tidal heights.

Nekton

A marine organism that can actively swim, as opposed to those moved by the current. Nekton. Nekton are animals like fish and squid that swim actively in the water, able to move independently of currents.

Ocean current

The movement of streams of ocean water. Ocean current. Ocean current is the continuous flow of seawater driven by factors like wind, water density differences, and the Earth's rotation.

Ocean trench

A deep part of the seafloor where a subducting slab bends down. Ocean trench. An ocean trench is a deep underwater valley formed where one tectonic plate is pushed beneath another.

Plankton

Tiny microscopic organisms that float or drift in water. Plankton. Plankton are small creatures in water that form the base of the aquatic food chain, providing food for many marine animals.

Rip current

A swift current that flows from a sandbar to deeper water. Rip current. A rip current is a strong, narrow flow of water moving from the shore out to the ocean.

Salinity

The amount of salt dissolved in water. Salinity. Salinity is the measure of how much salt is present in a water sample.

Sonar

The use of the reflection of sound waves to locate underwater objects. Sonar. Sonar is a technology that uses sound waves to detect and locate objects underwater.

Spring tide

A tide with the greatest range between high and low tides. Spring tide. A spring tide occurs when the Earth, moon, and sun are aligned, causing higher high tides and lower low tides.

Surface current

The horizontal movement of water at or near the oceans surface. Surface current. Surface currents are ocean waters that flow across the surface driven primarily by wind patterns.

Tsunami

A huge wave caused by an underwater earthquake. Tsunami. A tsunami is a series of ocean waves with extremely long wavelengths and period, caused by large-scale disturbances like underwater earthquakes.

Upwelling

The vertical movement of cold water from the deep ocean to the surface. Upwelling. It is a process where deep, nutrient-rich water rises to the ocean's surface, supporting marine life.

Wave

A repeating disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space. Wave. A wave is a pattern that moves energy from one place to another, like ripples in water.