Questions and Answers
What is an abyssal plain?
What does a continental shelf refer to?
What defines a continental slope?
It is the area between the continental shelf and the continental rise.
What is a mid-ocean ridge?
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Define a seamount.
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What is the continental rise?
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What is an ocean trench?
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What forms a volcanic island?
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What is sonar?
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Define a rift valley.
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What is a guyot?
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What defines the Pacific Ocean?
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What is the Atlantic Ocean?
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Where is the Indian Ocean located?
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What characterizes the Arctic Ocean?
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Describe the Southern Ocean.
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What does salinity refer to?
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Study Notes
Ocean Floor Topography Features
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Abyssal Plain: Flat parts of deep-ocean basins, primarily composed of mud and organic remains.
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Continental Shelf: Area between shoreline and continental slope; features a gradual underwater extension of the continent.
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Continental Slope: Steep region found between the continental shelf and continental rise.
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Mid-Ocean Ridge: Volcanic mountain chain on the ocean floor where oceanic crust is formed as tectonic plates pull apart.
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Seamount: Submerged volcanic mountains at least 1,000 meters high, rising from the ocean floor.
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Continental Rise: Found at the base of the continental slope; consists of large sediment piles between the slope and abyssal plain.
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Ocean Trench: Deep cracks in the ocean floor formed at subduction zones, where one tectonic plate is pushed below another.
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Volcanic Island: Created when a seamount rises above sea level, forming land above water.
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Sonar: A technology for detecting underwater objects and measuring depth through sound pulses, crucial for mapping ocean floors.
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Rift Valley: Long, narrow depressions formed by the separation of continental crust at divergent boundaries.
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Guyot: A flat-topped seamount that has been eroded when originally above sea level, resulting from volcanic activity.
Major Oceans
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Pacific Ocean: The largest and deepest ocean, bordering eastern Asia, northeastern Australia, Antarctic, and western parts of North and South America.
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Atlantic Ocean: Second largest, covering half the size of the Pacific; borders western Europe, western Africa, Antarctica, and eastern North and South America.
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Indian Ocean: The third largest ocean, located between Africa and Australia.
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Arctic Ocean: The smallest and shallowest ocean, situated in the Northern Hemisphere mostly within the Arctic region.
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Southern Ocean: The fourth largest ocean, extending from Antarctica to 60 degrees south latitude.
Salinity
- Represents the total concentration of dissolved salts in water, essential for determining ocean water's saltiness.
- Average ocean water contains about 35 grams of salts per kilogram, equivalent to 35 parts per thousand.
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Description
Explore essential vocabulary related to ocean floor topography with these flashcards. Each card features a key term along with its definition, helping you understand various underwater features. Perfect for oceanography students or anyone interested in marine science.
