What is the difference between a strait and a bay

Strahler, Alan H. Introducing Physical Geography, 3rd ed. United States Geological Survey. Hypoxia in the Gulf Of Mexico. Rabalais, Nancy N. In , a treaty reaffirmed the U.

Naval Base, a complex of airfields and repair, supply, and training facilities. The base is strategically important because of the maritime route between the United States and Central and South America, and its close proximity to the Panama Canal.

Scientists believe that during its past, the Strait of Gibraltar has closed periodically, stopping the flow of water between the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Water that today flows into the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean usually remains in the Mediterranean for between 80 to years before returning to the Atlantic.

Toggle navigation. Bays A bay is a small body of water or a broad inlet that is set off from a larger body of water generally where the land curves inward. Health of Bays.

Gulfs A gulf is a large body of water, sometimes with a narrow mouth, that is almost completely surrounded by land. Straits A strait is a narrow passageway of water, usually between continents or islands, or between two larger bodies of water. Add Comment. Post Comment. If we bring out the Updated New Editions of the Static Files within your membership period , you will be able to download them without paying anything extra.

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Marginal Seas In oceanography, a marginal sea is a sea partially enclosed by islands, archipelagos, or peninsulas. The primary differences between marginal seas and open oceans are associated with depth and proximity to landmasses. Marginal seas, which are generally shallower than open oceans, are more influenced by human activities, river runoff, climate, and water circulation. The Caspian Sea is also sometimes defined as a marginal sea, and also the Dead Sea.

Human Impact on marginal seas Marginal seas are more susceptible to pollution than open ocean regions because of the high concentration of human activities near coastlines and rivers. The greatest human impact on marginal seas is related to the fisheries industry. Other human activities that have adversely affected marginal seas include industrial sewage disposal, offshore oil drilling, and accidental releases of pollutants, including petroleum products, radioactive waste, detergents, and plastics.

Pollutants from the nearby landmasses are introduced into marginal seas in concentrations that are thousands of times greater than in open oceans. The color difference shown here is due to a phytoplankton bloom occurring in the Black Sea. Phytoplankton are good as fish feed on them. But when they proliferate indiscriminately, they consume too much oxygen during nights , thus depriving other marine organisms of oxygen.

For example, the discharge of domestic sewage leads to elevated nutrient concentrations particularly phosphates which can result in harmful algal blooms. Biomass Production and Primary Productivity Marine biomass production originates with primary productivity, which in turn is affected by the availability of sunlight, carbon dioxide, nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates, and trace elements.

Marginal seas generally exhibit intermediate levels of primary production, with the highest rates found in coastal upwelling regions and the lowest primary production occurring in open ocean regions. Hence, the highest biomass production rates occur in coastal upwelling zones , the lowest in open oceans regions , and intermediate rates in marginal seas.

There's bound to be some confusion, since the terms are often used interchangeably. A cascade is a small waterfall. Channel versus strait versus passage versus sound?

A channel and strait both connect bodies of water, but a channel is often wider. A sound is like a strait, but larger. A passage typically connects bodies of water between islands. However, the terms are often used interchangeably.

In case it wasn't clear, a cove is a sheltered recess in a mountain. A gulf is said to be a large body of water that is surrounded by land and having only a narrow entrance along a strait. A bay is also a large body of water that is surrounded by land but not as enclosed as a gulf.

Moreover, the bay has a wider opening than the gulf. A gulf is a body of water in which the water has eroded very deeply into the adjoining land. On the contrary, a bay has an inward land curve. Most of the bays are formed because of the erosion of soft rock and clay by the waves. When looking at a single gulf, it is generally fashioned along linear shores. If the shoreline is irregular and consists of complex geologic structures, a group of gulfs are formed.

Though it has been said that a bay is much smaller than a gulf, there are many exceptions. There are bays that are smaller in length and also bigger bays like the Hudson Bay in Canada and the Bay of Biscay in France and Spain. Generally, bays are circular or semi-circular in shape. In technical terms, both a gulf and a bay are the same things, and the only difference that is distinguishable is the size.