Oceanography, also called oceanology or marine science, is the study of the Earth's oceans and seas. It includes the studies of:
- Marine biology, the study of the plants and animals of the oceans and their ecological interaction;
- Chemical oceanography, the study of the chemistry of the ocean;
- Marine geology, the study of the geology of the ocean floor including plate tectonics;
- Meteorologic oceanography, the study of interactions between our atmosphere and the ocean's hydrosphere; and
- Physical oceanography, the study of the ocean's physical attributes (such as its temperature-salinity structure, waves, tides and currents).
Just For Fun:
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water throughout the Earth. Domains of hydrology include hydrometeorology, surface hydrology, hydrogeology, drainage basin management and water quality, where water plays the central role. Oceanography and meteorology are not typically included because water is only one of many important aspects of those disciplines.
Limnology is the study of inland waters, salty and fresh, natural and man-made, specifically lakes, ponds and rivers. This discipline includes the study of their biological, physical, chemical and hydrological components.
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