Ocean

An ocean is a very large area with salt water that exists between continents. More than half of the earth’s surface ( nearly 70 percent) is covered by ocean. This gives the Earth its characteristic blue color.

The ocean is said to be divided into 5 ocean basins. The 5 ocean basins are: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern ocean, and Arctic Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the biggest And the Arctic Ocean is the smallest.

The water level in the oceans rises and falls periodically. The rise in its water level is called high tide and the decrease in its water level is called low tide. These occur due to the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun.

The deep parts of the ocean are completely dark as the sunlight can not reach there. There are many volcanoes and mountains on the bottom of the ocean. The ocean also contain several types of plants and aquatic creatures.

Oceans help us in several ways. We get salt, fish, minerals, and crude oil from the ocean. It is also a major source of oxygen. More than half of our planet’s oxygen is provided by ocean plants. It also provides us a way of transportation. Water transport is cheaper than air transport and is typically used to transport heavy and durable things like coal, ores, and grains.

Activities

Videos

Learn more about the oceans:

Conversation Pointers

1. Why does the Earth appears to be blue in color?(Answer: because of the blue oceans on the Earth)
2. What are the 5 different oceans? (Answer: Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Arctic, and Southern ocean)
3. Do oceans provide us oxygen? (Answer: Yes, more than half of our planet’s oxygen is provided by ocean plants)