Key Terms in Oceanography Quiz

Key Terms in Oceanography

• Calcium Carbonate Compensation Depth (CCD): Depth where accumulation of calcareous sediments balances dissolution; below this, sediments lack calcium carbonate.

• Biogenous Sediment: Sediments originating from biological sources, which can include calcareous or siliceous residues from organisms.

• Calcareous Ooze: A type of ooze primarily made up of calcium carbonate from the remains of marine organisms.

• Clay: The smallest sediment particle, measuring less than 0.004 millimeters in diameter.

• Coccolithophore: Tiny planktonic algae that produce calcium carbonate discs, contributing to biogenous sediments.

• Cosmogenous Sediment: Sediments that originate from extraterrestrial sources, such as meteorites.

• Diatom: Dominant single-celled phytoplankton with silica-based valves; contributes significantly to biogenous sediments.

• Foraminiferan: Planktonic, amoeba-like organisms with calcareous shells, playing a role in biogenous sediment formation.

• Lithification: Process in which sediments transform into sedimentary rock via pressure or mineral cementation.

• Microtektites: Small, glassy particles of cosmic origin found in cosmogenous sediments.

• Neritic Sediment: Deposits mainly found on continental shelves, primarily composed of terrigenous (land-derived) materials.

• Nodule: A compact mass of hydrogenous sediment, commonly made of manganese or phosphorite.

• Ooze: A sediment that consists of at least 30% biological material.

• Pelagic Sediment: Sediments found on the ocean floor, from the slope, rise, and deep-sea regions, sourced from oceanic processes.

• Piston Corer: Equipment used for seabed sampling that penetrates up to 25 meters of sediment to collect intact samples.

• Radiolarian: Planktonic organisms with siliceous shells contributing to biogenous sediment.

• Sand: Sediment particles ranging from 0.062 to 2 millimeters in diameter.

• Sediment: Accumulated particles of organic or inorganic materials in a loose, unconsolidated state.

• Siliceous Ooze: Ooze primarily composed of silica-based remains from organisms.

• Silt: Sediment particles with diameters between 0.004 and 0.062 millimeters.

• Terrigenous Sediment: Sediments originating from land, transported to oceans by natural processes like wind and water flow.

• Turbidite: Sediment deposited by turbidity currents, characterized by alternating layers of coarse and fine materials.