Hydrology Vocabulary (Saltwater)

Front

The shape of land determined by changing elevations and landforms

Back

topography

Front

A gently sloping, shallow area of the ocean floor extending outward from the edge of a continent

Back

Continental Shelf

Front

A steep incline of the ocean floor leading down from the edge of the continental shelf

Back

Continental Slope

Front

A smooth, nearly flat region of the deep ocean floor

Back

Abyssal plain

Front

A deep, steep-sided canyon on the ocean floor

Back

trench

Front

An undersea mountain chain where new ocean floor is produced (divergent)

Back

Mid-Ocean Ridge

Front

A deep valley along the ocean floor where oceanic crust sinks down toward the mantle (subduction)(convergent)

Back

Deep Ocean Trench

Front

Underwater mountains that have not broken the surface of the ocean water

Back

Seamount

Front

A rush of water that flows rapidly back to sea through a narrow opening in a sandbar

Back

rip current

Front

A large stream of water that flows through the oceans

Back

ocean current