Characteristics of Oceans

Oceans in Motion

(Science Ch. 9)

General Information on Oceans

Oceanography: the science of studying the ocean and the seas.

1. The presence of liquid water allows life to exist on Earth. No water/no life.

2. Majority of Earth's water is in the ocean. (97%) 70-75% of the earth is coverd in water.

3 expected patterns of movement: tides, waves, and currents.

Waves: a movement that transfers energy from point to point through matter.

​Water Movement

​Water Movement (Cont.)

1.Movement of energy through a body of water.

2. Begins in the open sea

3. Forms when wind energy is transferred to ocean's surface

4. Large waves like seismic sea waves & tsunamis are due to seismic activity

5. Waves change shape at the shoreline where the seafloor slopes upward

​Water Movement (Cont.)

Highest part of the wave is the peak, also known as the crest.

Lowest part is called the trough.

The part in between is known as the wavelength.

Ocean (water) is divided into 3 vertical layers (zones) based on maily temperature.

Surface Layer, Transition Layer, and Deep Layer.

​Ocean Zones

​The Surface Layer

(Sunlight Zone) from the surface to about 200 meters down.

1. Warm, 63-64 degrees Farenhiet because the sun is shining down and through it.

2. Lots and lost of salt.

3. Least amount of water pressure

4. Lost of animals live here.

5. You CAN swim/scuba here without any special equipment.

​Transition Layer

(Twilight Zone) 200 meters to 1 kilometer down.

1. Colder-39 degrees Fareheit

2. Less Salt

3. Pressure is way stronger

4. Less food available, so less animals

5. You need special suits and diving equipment for this layer.

​Deep Layer

(Midnight Zone) 2,000 miles (2 kilometers)-bottom of the ocean

1. Super Cold-35 degrees Farenheit and dropping the further you go

2. Barely any salt

3. Pressure very strong-could crush you

4. Animals thrive off of eating animals that had died from the above layers.

5. They have special characteristics that allow them to live there-weird strange looking