Oceanography (from Ocean + Greek γράφειν = write), also called oceanology or marine science is the study of the Earth's oceans and seas. Oceanographers study a diverse range of topics such as plate tectonics to ocean currents to marine organisms. These wide range of topics are reflective of the types of backgrounds that oceanographers come from: Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Geology.
Branches of Oceanography
There are generally five branches of oceanography:
1. Biological oceanography or marine biology, the study of the plants and animals (biota) of the oceans and their ecological interaction;
2. Chemical oceanography, the study of the chemistry of the ocean;
3. Geological oceanography, the study of the geology of the ocean floor including plate tectonics;
4. Meteorologic oceanography, the study of the interactions of the atmosphere and the ocean in the hydrosphere; and
5. Physical oceanography, the study of the physical attributes of the ocean (such as its temperature-salinity structure, waves, and currents).
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