Ocean Floor and Zones

Multiple Choice

Surface currents are a result of

• Global Wind Patterns

• Earth's Rotation

• Density

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

Deep Ocean currents are a result of

• Global Wind Patterns

• Earth's Rotation

• Density

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

The Gulf stream carries _____________ water from the east coast of The United States to the West coast of Europe.

• Cold

• Warm

• Freezing

• Fresh

Multiple Choice

Where is ocean water the densest.

• The surface
• The middle
• The bottom
• Lake Michigan

Multiple Choice

Nutrients are brought to the surface for phytoplankton to use at _______.

• gyres

• eddies

• upwellings

• the equator

Multiple Choice

An ocean current that brings deep, cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface.

• Upwelling

• Tides

• Salinity

Ocean Zones

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Open Ended

What do you believe the ocean floor would look like as you travel underwater from USA to UK across the Atlantic Ocean?

​Objectives ​:

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1. What are some features found in each Zone ?

2. How were the features found in each zone formed?

3. How do scientists explore the ocean to determine the features present ?

4. ​How does the Ocean Floor determine pressure, temperature and light ?

5. How does Ocean Floor determine the type of Organisms found and Ecosystems?​

Oceans are divided into Zones

The Ocean zones are determined by the shape of the Ocean floor which in turn :

• Affect the depth of water

• Type of organisms present

Features ocean floor

• Continental Shelf:

• Continental Slope

• Abyssal plain

• Mid-Ocean Ridge

• Ocean trenches:

• Seamount

• Volcanic Island

How do scientist figure out the shape of Ocean Floor?

SONAR

• Signals are sent out from ships in water

• It reflects when it comes in contact with solid feature and gives a recording

• If it takes a log time then it is deep

• If it comes back quickly that means it is shallow

• The results are then graphed

​Submersibles

• Submersibles are underwater devices used to study deep below the Ocean

• The great pressure , darkness and coldness makes it difficult and dangerous for humans to explore deep in the Ocean

Open Ended

How do you believe the ocean floor features discussed were formed ?

Plate Tectonic

• Plates are pieces of Earth’s crust along with the mantle

• These plates can move together

• These plates can move apart

When Plates move apart they are called Divergent Plates

• As the plates move apart magma comes up and it spread over the sea floor over millions of years in a process called sea floor spreading

• Mid Ocean ridge form where plates move apart

• Largest Ocean Ridge is the Mid Atlantic Ocean Ridge

REVIEW

Multiple Choice

What is one feature formed when plates move apart ?

• Continental Shelf

• Mountain Ridge

• Continental Slope

Multiple Choice

The deeper you go the lesser the pressure

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What is the feature labeled J?

• Abyssal

• Seamount

• Trench

• Continental Slope

Multiple Choice

What feature is labeled F?

• Trench

• Abyssal Plain

• Continental Slope

• Continental Shelf

Multiple Choice

When plates move apart they are called

• Mountain Ridge plate

• Divergent Plate

• Sea floor spreading plates

• Mid Atlantic plate

Multiple Choice

The addition of new material on Ocean Floor

• Plate tectonic

• Ocean Floor Spreading

• Mid Atlantic Ridge

• SONAR

Multiple Choice

Huge, dark, flat, covered with mud and the remains of dead organisms

• Abyssal Plain

• Continental Shelf

• Continental Slope

• Trench

Multiple Choice

Starts at shore gentle slope

• Ocean trenches

• Continental Slope

• Continental Shelf

• Mid-Ocean Ridge

Multiple Choice

When slope gets steeper to flat deep ocean

• Trench

• Continental Slope

• Continental Shelf

• Abyssal Plain

Plates come together

• These are called Convergent Plates

• Part of Ocean floor is destroyed when plates come together

• One plate will go under and is destroyed

• As new material is added old material is destroyed 

• This makes Earth maintain its size and shape

Features formed at convergent boundaries

• Trenches

• Volcanoes

• Volcanic Island

• Seamounts

Multiple Choice

Which feature will not form at a convergent zone ?

• Trenches

• Volcanoes

• Seamount

• Corals

Multiple Choice

What term is used describe the process where plates come together ?

• Convergent

• Upwelling

• Divergent

Multiple Choice

What may happen when plates come together ?

• They stop when they meet

• One will sink and the other stays on top

• The plates coming together makes Earth bigger

• The plates coming together makes Earth smaller

The features formed will determine the shape of floor and depth

Ocean Zones are classified

• As you move down in the ocean :Vertically

• As you move farther away from shore :Horizontally

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​

• Which feature would be the deepest?

• Which feature would be the shallowest?

Vertical

• Based on the amount of sunlight

• Photic (Euphotic)

• Dysphotic

• Aphotic

Photic

• Sunlight is present in this zone

• The process of Photosynthesis can take place here

• Plants and animal life is in abundance here

Dysphotic Zone

• Sunlight decreases with depth making it difficult for photosynthesis to take place

Aphotic Zone

• Total darkness

• Pressure is great

• Temperature is very low

Multiple Choice

Which zone is the darkest ?

• Dysphotic

• Aphotic

• Photic

Multiple Choice

Which zone is like evening ?

• Dysphotic

• Aphotic

• Photic

Multiple Choice

Which zone has the greatest abundance of life ?

• Photic

• Dysphotic

• Aphotic

Multiple Choice

Where would pressure be the greatest ?

• Aphotic

• Dysphotic

• Photic

Horizontal

• There are 3 main zones as one leaves shore

• Intertidal

• Neritic

• Open Ocean

Intertidal

• Begins where tide is the highest and ends where it is the lowest

• This is the shallowest part of the ocean

Neritic Zone

• Begins at low tide and extends to the end of the continental shelf

Open Ocean

• Begins at the end of the continental shelf and extend into the deepest and darkest part of the ocean 

Open Ended

1. Why do you believe pressure would be great deep down?
2. Why would temperature be so low ?
3. How would these two factors affect life this deep?
4. How does these condition affects human ability to explore deep ocean?