Continental shelf pump

Okay kiddo, let's talk about something called a "continental shelf pump"!

You know how the Earth's surface is made up of land and water, right? The land is called a continent, and the part of the water right next to it is called the continental shelf.

Now, the continental shelf pump is a fancy way of saying that the Earth's ocean currents move water and nutrients up from the deep ocean onto the continental shelf. This is important because it helps provide food for plants and animals that live there.

Think of the continental shelf like a big garden, and the ocean currents like a magic watering can. Just like how plants need water to grow, the animals on the continental shelf need nutrients to survive. So when the water from the deep ocean is brought up to the continental shelf, it helps create a healthy and thriving ecosystem.

So that's the continental shelf pump for you, a natural process that helps bring water and nutrients to the continental shelf for the benefit of all the organisms that live there!