Marine Science: An Illustrated Guide to Science is one of eight volumes in Facts On File's new Science Visual Resources set. Containing seven sections, a comprehensive glossary, a Web site guide, and an index, Marine Science is an ideal learning tool for students and teachers of science. Full-colour diagrams, graphs, charts, and maps on every page illustrate the essential elements of the subject, while parallel text provides key definitions and step-by-step explanations.

The seven sections include:

* ”Geography of the Oceans”— provides an overview of the physical dimensions of the bodies of water that cover 70 percent of Earth.

* ”Geology of the Oceans”—examines the geological processes that have shaped Earth’s surface and features that are unique to the marine environment. It covers the regions of intense volcanic activity that lie deep beneath the sea, as well as the shifting boundaries between water and land.

* ”Chemistry of the Oceans”—explores the nature of seawater with the global cycles that carry vital elements, such as carbon and nitrogen, from the oceans to the atmosphere to the land, and back to the ocean again.

* ”Ocean-Atmosphere System”—details the engines that drive global climate. The cycling of heat from warmer to cooler latitudes, the impact of Earth’s rotation on ocean currents, and the daily ebb and flow of the tides are covered in this section.

* ”Biology of the Oceans”—is an overview of the wealth of plant and animal life that lives in, on, or near the oceans. Food chains stretching from bacteria to blue whales are described, as well as the unique communities that thrive in the pitch black of the deep ocean floor. Every class of animal and plant found in the marine environment is discussed.

* ”Marine Exploration” focuses on the human relationship with the sea. It covers the technology that has allowed explorers to span the globe and probe the depths of the ocean. The vital role of marine food sources in the health and wealth of the world is also examined.

* “Marine Economics”—focuses on the human relationship with the sea. It covers the technology that has allowed explorers to span the globe and probe the depths of the ocean. The vital role of marine food sources in the health and wealth of the world is also examined.