- that part of the ocean extending between 13,000 and 19,000 feet (4,000 - 6,000 meters), where no light penetrates
acid
- a substance having a low pH, such as vinegar or lemon juice. Ocean acidification means that ocean water’s pH value is decreasing due to carbon dioxide emissions, which can threaten ocean organisms and ecosystems
adaptations
- traits that help an organism survive in its environment
algae
- diverse types of water-dwelling plants without roots, stems or leaves that are capable of photosynthesis
altitude
- height
anemone
- marine animal that has a tentacles that surround a mouth - has a flower like appearance
atoll
- a circular series of islands left over from a fallen volcano
attribute
- quality or characteristic
B
barnacle
- a small shelled crustacean that attaches itself to boats, rocks and other solid objects
bends
- a condition in which carbon dioxide forms bubbles in the blood
bioluminescence
- production of light from a living organism, such as certain kinds of fish, shrimp, squid, jellyfish, sea stars
bulge
- bump
C
carnivore
- a meat eating animal
chemical
- a substance
circulate
- mix and move through a system
climate
- long range weather
climate change
- long-term shifts in a region’s temperatures and weather patterns over time
clockwise
- going in the direction of a clock
coastal
- along the coast or shore
composition
- structure
compress
- squeeze together
condensation
- the process of water vapor turning into liquid
consumption
- to take in - eat or drink
continental shelf
- shallow part of the ocean floor near the shoreline
continental slope
- steeper portion of the ocean floor after the continental shelf
continents
- large land masses on the crust
coral
- a marine animal that resembles a rocklike plant
coral reef
- underwater structures made up of large numbers of tiny animals called coral polyps and their skeletons
coriolis effect
- a force on the earth created by the earth turning on its axis which effects the oceans and winds
counterclockwise
- going in the opposite direction of a clock
crustaceans
- water-dwelling animals that have a hard outer body shell and several legs, such as lobsters, crabs, and shrimp
current
- a river-like movement of water that flows in the ocean
cyclone
- hurricane
D
decompose
- to break down into parts
dense
- thick
digest
- to break food into its nutritional parts
displace
- to move and leave a space
dissolved
- to break down
E
ecosystem
- the interaction between living and nonliving organisms in a community
element
- nature, predators, weather, etc
erosion
- the moving rocks by wind, water, etc
evaporate
- the heating of liquid that changes it to vapor
F
fish
- vertebrate animals that live in water and breathe oxygen through gills
food chain
- a system that carries nutrition through living organisms
food web
- all the food chains within an ecosystem; the several pathways that nutrients and energy may take as they move through the ecosystem
friction
- the rubbing of surfaces together
G
generate
- to make or produce
geographically
- related to land and its natural features
gravity
- the attractive force of a body. The larger or more dense the body, the greater the gravitational force
guyot
- a weathered volcano that has a flattened top
H
hazardous
- dangerous
herbivore
- an animal that eats plants
hurricane
- Large storm that forms over the ocean
I
inhabit
- live in
internal organs
- organs located inside the body, such as heart, lungs, liver, kidneys
J
jet stream
- strong, concentrated winds that generally move westward
K
kelp
- a brown cold water seaweed
L
landslide
- the falling of material from a mountain or higher area
low pressure area
- an area of warm air where the weight and pushing force of the air is reduced
M
mammals
- warm-blooded vertebrate animals that produce milk to feed their young and have fur or hair, such as seals and whales
manganese
- brittle element that makes steel strong
marine debris
- litter and trash from the land that ends up in the oceans or seas
meteor
- space debris
migration
- seasonal journey
mineral
- non-living solid
mollusks
- soft-bodied invertebrates such as clams, snails, oysters, octopus, squid
monsoon
- a wind that blows seasonally in Asia
N
nutrients
- good parts of food
O
oceanographer
- scientist who studies oceans
omnivore
- animal that eats plants and animals
omnivores
- animals (such as humans) that eat both meat and plants
P
penetrate
- go inside or enter
photosynthesis
- the process by which plants use water, carbon dioxide and sunlight to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar
phytoplankton
- microscopic plant-like organisms floating in the upper parts of the ocean that require sunlight for photosynthesis
pollution
- harmful substances that get into the environment
precipitation
- rain, snow, sleet or hail
predator
- animal that hunts its food
R
reptiles
- cold-blooded animals with scales, such as sea snakes, turtles and crocodiles
researcher
- scientist who studies or investigates
resource
- supply
restrict
- limit
S
salinity
- saltiness
sandbar
- a gathering of sand caused by wave action
scuba
- equipment for diving
seagrass
- type of ocean plant with grass-like features
sediments
- material that settles to the bottom of a liquid, often sand or soil, ground rock and minerals
shoreline
- coast
starfish
- five-armed sea animal resembling a star
sunlit zone
- shallow area of the ocean that gets sunlight
surf
- breaking waves on a beach or on rocks
T
technology
- the science of inventing that creates practical outcomes
tectonic plates
- plates of the earth's crust that move on the mantle
tide
- the regular movement of ocean water brought on by the gravity of the sun and moon
tide pool
- small pools of water that form near the ocean - small sea life often grows in them
transport
- move or carry
tropics
- parts of the world lying closest to the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, usually having a warm climate
tsunami
- large ocean wave caused by earthquakes
typhoon
- hurricane
V
vent
- opening
vertically
- upright
violent
- forceful
W
water cycle
- the hydrologic cycle in which water goes through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation
wavelength
- distance from one wave to the next
weathering
- breaking down of matter by wind or water, etc
Z
zooplankton
- microscopic animal organisms that drift with the ocean currents
