Oceanography Vocabulary

Front

A region of the deep ocean between 3,000 and 6,500 meters in depth, characterized by complete darkness, extreme pressure, and freezing temperatures.

Back

abyssal zone

Front

The part of a lake or ocean where sunlight cannot penetrate, making it too dark for photosynthesis to occur.

Back

aphotic zone

Front

The lowest ecological region of a body of water, encompassing the surface and subsurface of the sediment, and the organisms that live on or within it, known as benthos.

Back

benthic zone

Front

A heat-driven circulation pattern that occurs in fluids (liquids and gases) due to differences in temperature and density.

Back

convection current

Front

A hard substance formed in the sea from masses of shells of very small sea animals (corals), usually orange or red in color.

Back

coral reef

Front

The curving path of air or other substances, on or near the Earth's surface, caused by the planet's rotation.

Back

Coriolis effect

Front

The highest point or peak of a wave, representing the maximum positive displacement of the medium from its rest or equilibrium position.

Back

crest

Front

The amount of a substance within a defined area.

Back

density

Front

The upper layer of a body of water that receives enough sunlight to support photosynthesis, making it the area where most marine plants and algae grow and primary production occurs.

Back

euphotic zone

Front

A long ocean current that runs along the east coast of the United States and Canada, bringing the warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic Ocean.

Back

gulf stream