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WatA 2.1
Exploring the Ocean
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| mass | The amount of matter in an object. |
| density | The ratio of the mass of a substance to its volume (mass divided by volume). |
| buoyancy | The force that causes less dense objects to float. |
| salinity | The total amount of dissolved salts in a water sample. |
| sonar | A system that uses reflected sound waves to locate and determine the distance to objects under water. |
| seamount | A steep-sided volcanic mountain rising from the deep-ocean floor. |
| trench | A deep, steep-sided canyon in the ocean floor. |
| continental slope | A steep incline of the ocean floor leading down from the edge of the continental shelf. |
| continental shelf | A gently sloping, shallow area of the ocean floor that extends outward from the edge of a continent. |
| abyssal plain | A smooth, nearly flat region of the deep ocean floor. |
| mid-ocean ridge | An undersea mountain chain where new ocean floor is produced; a divergent plate boundary under the ocean. |