Oceanography Vocabulary

2. layer in a body of water where the temperature changes rapidly with depth
3. An underwater mountain rising from the ocean floor that does not reach the surface
6. The layer of the ocean at depths between 4,000 and 6,000 meters
8. The deepest layer of the ocean, found in ocean trenches
10. Organisms that live on, in, or near the seabed
12. A diverse underwater ecosystem held together by calcium carbonate structures secreted by corals.
15. The extended perimeter of each continent, which lies submerged under relatively shallow seas
16. The steep slope where the continental shelf drops to the deep ocean floor
17. Small and microscopic organisms drifting or floating in the sea
19. Aquatic animals that can swim and move independently of water currents

1. The uppermost layer of the ocean, where sunlight penetrates
4. The middle layer of the ocean, receiving very little light
5. The concentration of salts in water
7. The deep ocean layer, where no sunlight reaches
9. A flat, almost level area of the deep-ocean basin
11. An opening in the sea floor out of which heated mineral-rich water flows
13. The rising of cold, nutrient-rich water from deep in the ocean to the surface
14. An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics
18. A series of ocean waves with extremely long wavelengths caused by large-scale disturbances
20. A deep, narrow depression in the ocean floor, often caused by tectonic activity