Lesson Summary
for summary
Open ocean off the coast of Washington. Photo courtesy of slightlynorth/Flickr.
  • The water that fills our oceans is thought to have originated from volcanism, meteorites, and comets
  • The ocean basins are constantly changing in both size and shape, due to the processes of plate tectonics
  • The salinity of the ocean water remains relatively constant, as dissolved minerals are deposited in the sea from weathering & erosion and volcanic processes
  • Waves, tides, and currents are also constant features of the oceans
  • Waves and surface currents are closely tied to global wind patterns
  • Thermohaline circulation is caused by density differences in sea water. Temperature & density influence ocean water density
  • Tsunami have long wavelengths and relatively low wave heights, so they are not noticable until they move up a shore
Last modified: Sunday, 1 September 2013, 10:46 AM