Chapter 15 Physical Oceanography Vocabulary – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
oceanography
answer
study of earths oceans including the creatures that inhabit its waters its physical and chemical properties and the effects of human activities; discipline usually considered to have begun with the challenger
question
sea level
answer
level of the oceans surfaces which is presently rising 1 to 2 mm per year due to melting glaciers
question
side scan-sonar
answer
technique that directs sound waves at an angle to the sea floor or deep-lake floor allowing underwater topographic features to be mapped
question
salinity
answer
measure of the amount of salts dissolved in seawater which is 35 ppt on average
question
temperature profile
answer
plots changing ocean water temperatures with depth which varies depending on location and season
question
thermocline
answer
transitional ocean layer that lies between the relatively warm sunlit surface layer and the colder dark dense bottom layer is characterized by temperatures that decrease rapidly with depth
question
breaker
answer
collapsing wave that forms when a wave reaches shallow water and is slowed by friction with the ocean bottom
question
crest
answer
highest point of wave
question
density current
answer
movement of ocean water that occurs in depths too great to be affected by surface winds and is generated by differences in water temperature and salinity
question
surface current
answer
wind driven movement of ocean water that primarily affects the upper few hundred meters of the ocean
question
tide
answer
periodic rise and fall of sea level caused by the gravitational attraction among earth the moon and the sun
question
trough
answer
lowest point of a wave
question
upwelling
answer
upward movement of ocean water that occurs when winds push surface water aside and it is replaced with cold deep water that originated on the ocean bottom
question
wave
answer
rhythmic movement that carries energy through matter or space and in oceans is generated mainly by wind moving over the surface of the water
