Gulf of California

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/gulf-of-california

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary river inflows?Colorado, Fuerte, Mayo, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Yaqui rivers
2. What is the Gulf of California also called?It is also known as the Sea of Cortez or Mar de Cortés, named after the explorer Hernán Cortés.
3. Why is the Gulf of California so deep?The gulf was formed by tectonic plates pulling apart, creating deep basins and trenches that reach over 3,000 meters.

Plate Tectonics: The scientific theory explaining the large-scale motion of Earth's lithosphere, driving geological features like gulfs and mountains.
Marginal Sea: A division of an ocean or a large lake that is partly enclosed by islands, peninsulas, or continents.
Endemic Species: Species of plants or animals that are native and restricted to a particular place.
Bathymetry: The measurement of depth of water in oceans, seas, or lakes.