Ocean & Coastal Processes

Question 1

Phytoplankton

Answer 1

Microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that form the base of the marine food web; primary producers in the ocean

Question 2

Zooplankton

Answer 2

Tiny animal plankton that feed on phytoplankton and serve as food for larger marine animals

Question 3

Food Web

Answer 3

A complex network of interconnected food chains showing energy transfer between marine organisms

Question 4

Biomass

Answer 4

The total mass of living organisms in a given area or volume; high near coastlines and upwelling zones due to nutrient availability

Question 5

Invertebrates

Answer 5

Animals without backbones, such as jellyfish, crustaceans, and corals; make up the majority of marine species

Question 6

Vertebrates

Answer 6

Animals with backbones, such as fish, whales, and dolphins; often higher up in the marine food web

Question 7

Bathymetry

Answer 7

The measurement of ocean depth and the mapping of the seafloor; reveals underwater features like trenches, ridges, and continental margins

Question 8

Continental Margin

Answer 8

The submerged outer edge of a continent, consisting of the continental shelf, slope, and rise

Question 9

Water Column

Answer 9

A vertical section of ocean water from the surface to the bottom, used to study how light, temperature, and pressure change with depth

Question 10

Intertidal Zone

Answer 10

The coastal area between high and low tide marks; regularly exposed and submerged

Question 11

Neritic Zone

Answer 11

The shallow ocean zone over the continental shelf; sunlight reaches the bottom and supports high biodiversity

Question 12

Oceanic Zone

Answer 12

The deep ocean beyond the continental shelf; includes the photic and aphotic zones

Question 13

Light/Dark Locations in Water

Answer 13

Horizontal: More light near the coast (neritic), less in deep ocean (oceanic); vertical: light penetrates the photic zone (upper ~200m); aphotic zone lies below where no light reaches

Question 14

Salinity

Answer 14

The concentration of dissolved salts in water; affects density. Higher salinity = higher density

Question 15

Water Density, Salinity, Temperature, Pressure

Answer 15

Density increases with salinity and pressure, and decreases with higher temperature. Cold salty water is the densest and sinks during downwelling

Question 16

Oceanic Heat Transfer

Answer 16

Oceans absorb and redistribute heat via surface currents and deepwater circulation, influencing climate

Question 17

Surface Currents

Answer 17

Horizontal currents driven by global winds and Earth’s rotation; move warm and cold water across oceans

Question 18

Global Winds

Answer 18

Include 1) trade winds (near equator, east to west), 2) westerlies (mid-latitudes, west to east), and 3) polar easterlies (poles, east to west)

Question 19

Coriolis Effect

Answer 19

The deflection of moving fluids (like wind and water) due to Earth’s rotation; causes currents to veer right in the Northern Hemisphere, left in the Southern

Question 20

Gyres

Answer 20

Large circular current systems in ocean basins, shaped by global winds and the Coriolis effect

Question 21

Rip Currents

Answer 21

A fast, narrow current moving seaward from the shore; dangerous to swimmers, often formed near breaks in sandbars

Question 22

Thermohaline Circulation

Answer 22

Global deep-ocean circulation driven by differences in temperature and salinity (density); also called the “global conveyor belt”

Question 23

Downwelling

Answer 23

Occurs when dense surface water sinks, transporting oxygen to deep waters

Question 24

Upwelling

Answer 24

Occurs when deep, cold, nutrient-rich water rises to the surface, supporting high biological productivity

Question 25

Waves

Answer 25

Formed by wind; have properties like height, wavelength, and period. Energy moves forward, not water

Question 26

Constructive Interference

Answer 26

When a wave crest and trough meet, canceling each other out to form a smaller wave

Question 27

Destructive Interference

Answer 27

When a wave crest and trough meet, canceling each other out to form a smaller wave

Question 28

Storm Surges

Answer 28

A rise in sea level caused by low pressure and strong winds during storms; can flood coastlines

Question 29

Tsunami

Answer 29

Large, fast-moving waves caused by undersea earthquakes or landslides. Have long wavelengths and can travel at over 400 mph

Question 30

Run-Up

Answer 30

The maximum height a tsunami reaches when it comes ashore

Question 31

Tides

Answer 31

Regular rises and falls in sea level caused by gravitational forces of the moon and sun

Question 32

High Tides/Low Tides

Answer 32

Daily fluctuations in sea level--two of each occur roughly every 24 hours due to Earth's rotation

Question 33

Tidal Range

Answer 33

The vertical difference between high and low tide. Greater in bays and estuaries

Question 34

Spring Tides

Answer 34

Higher-than-average tides occurring during full and new moons when sun and moon align

Question 35

Neap Tides

Answer 35

Lower-than-average tides occurring during quarter moons when sun and moon pull at right angles

Question 36

Reefs

Answer 36

Structures formed by coral or rock near coastlines that provide habitat and slow wave energy

Question 37

Atoll

Answer 37

A ring-shaped coral reef encircling a lagoon, formed around a sunken volcanic island

Question 38

Lagoon

Answer 38

A shallow body of water separated from the ocean by a barrier such as a reef or sandbar

Question 39

Hydrothermal Vents

Answer 39

Openings on the seafloor where heated, mineral-rich water escapes from Earth's crust; support unique ecosystems

Question 40

Landforms of Coastal Erosion

Answer 40

Sea cliffs, wave-cut platforms, sea arches, stacks; formed by wave action wearing away rock

Question 41

Landforms of Coastal Deposition

Answer 41

Beaches, spits, barrier islands, sandbars; created by longshore drift and wave deposition

Question 42

Examples of Sea-Level Change

Answer 42

Submergent coasts = sea level rise (e.g., fjords, estuaries); emergent coasts = land rises or sea level falls (e.g., raised beaches)

Question 43

Seawalls

Answer 43

Human-made barriers built along coasts to prevent erosion. They protect land but can increase erosion in adjacent areas

Question 44

Trieste

Answer 44

A famous deep-sea submersible that descended into the Mariana Trench in 1960, reaching the ocean's deepest known point

Question 45

Submersible

Answer 45

A small, manned or unmanned vehicle used to explore the deep ocean, collect data, and observe marine environments

Question 46

Bottom Trawling

Answer 46

A fishing method that drags heavy nets across the seafloor; damages ecosystems and stirs up sediments

Question 47

Manganese Nodules

Answer 47

Metal-rich lumps found on the deep ocean floor, potential sources of minerals like manganese, copper, and nickel