Abyssal plain- A flat area under the sea
Altimetry-A way to measure the height of the sea from the surface by radar
Andesite-A volcanic rock found
Asthenosphere-A region in the for of plasticlike manner:the upper mantle
Basalt-A dark fine-grained igneous rock
Bathymetry- The meaursurement of depth in the ocean
Bathythermograph-A tool to measure the temparture of the water
Bimodal distribution-A frequency distribution possessing two distinct modes or maxima
Biosphere- External shell or envelope that containsnlivig and nonliving organisms.
Compensation depth, isostatic-The depth in the earth or th water where masses and presure is equal.
Continental crust-buoyant granitic rock
Continental margin-Consist of th e continental slope, rise, shelf
Continental rise-Enourmous wedge of sediment at the base of the continental slope.
Continental shelf-Shallow floor extending from the coast to the continental slope
Continental slope-The bottom of the continental margin, that starts from the continental shelf and ends at the continental rise.
Contour line-A line drawn on the map that connects all equal values.
Core-The inner most region of the earth
Crust-The most outter region of the earth.
Deep-sea trenches-Long, narrow, and deep topographic depressions
Density-The ratio of a mass to a unit volume specified as grams per cubic centimeter.
Echo sounding-Determining the water depth.
Fault-A fracture in rocks
Fracture zone-A linear zone of highly irregular
Frequency distribution-Arrangement of data that shows the range and ocurrance of the values of a variable.
Granite-A light-colored, coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock composed mainly of quartz and feldspar and that typifies the continental crust
Guyot-A seamount of volcanic origin with a flat top
Hydrosphere-The envelope of gaseous, liquid, and solid water on the earth
Igneous rock- A rock that crystallized from molten matter, either magma or lava.
Isobath-A line connecting all points of equal depth under the water surface.
Isostasy-The regional mass balance of rocks in the earth''s crust and uppermost mantle
Latitude- A line going north and south of the earth.
Lithosphere-The cool brittle outter shell of ther earth.
Longitude-A line going east and west of the earth.
Mantle-The mantle starts from the base of the crust to the top of the core.
Mesosphere-The deep, rigid portion of the mantle
Mid-ocean ridge-The long, continuous mountain chain found in all oceans
Mohorovicic discontinuity (Moho)-A compositional and density discontinuity marking the interface between the rocks of the crust and the mantle
Oceanic crust-The outermost rock shell of the earth
Oceanic ridge-The long, continuous mountain chain found in all oceans
Passive continental margin-A subsiding continental margin situated in a nontectonic setting away from a lithospheric plate boundary
Relief-The difference in elevation between the highest and lowest points in an area.
Rift valley-The fault-bounded valley found along the crest of many ocean ridges
Seamount-A large, individual peak, volcanic in origin
Shelf break-The steepening of the bottom that marks the seaward limit of the continental shelf and the beginning of the continental slope
SONAR-An instrument used to locate objects underwater by reflecting sound waves.
Sounding-Determining the depth of water beneath a vessel
Submarine canyon-Deeply incised, steep-walled valley
Trench- Long, narrow, and deep topographic depressions
Vertical exaggeration-Exaggeration of the vertical scale