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Oceans
Oceans Review
Shoreline or Coast | Area where the land meets the ocean |
Beaches | Shorelines made of sand |
Waves | They can wear away the land and expose a rocky shore or they can deposit sand along the shore and form a beach |
Islands | Pieces of land surrounded by water on all sides |
Barrier Islands | Pieces of land surrounded with water on all sides, with sandy beaches |
Barrier Islands Function | They occur naturally and protect the mainland from the effects of waves on its shore |
Estuaries | Area where a river meets the ocean; they have a mixture of freshwater and saltwater |
Inlets | Water-filled spaces between barrier islands; Ocean currents and storms can change the shape of its opening |
Crest | Highest part of a wave |
Trough | Lowest part of a wave |
Tsunamis | Giant sea waves caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or landslides |
Currents | Flowing streams of water that move continuously throughout he ocean in a specific direction |
Surface Currents | These currents are caused by the movement of the Earth and by the force and direction of the wind |
Warm Surface Currents | These currents are driven by Earth's rotation from the tropics to higher latitudes |
Cold Surface Currents | These currents are driven by Earth's rotation from the polar latitudes toward the equator |
Tides | The regular rise and fall of waters in oceans and seas; they are caused by the pull on the Moon's gravity on Earth |
Natural Resources | Water, Oil and Wood |
Pollution | Examples include careless dumping of trash on land; oil spills in oceans and smoke and fumes from burning fuels that ruins the air |
Conservation Efforts | Human activities that help keep the natural resources on Earth available and clear of pollution |
Ways farmers can reduce erosion on farmland | Installing fence lines or planting trees, bushes or grass |