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Bodies of waterCoastal and oceanic landformsOceanographyOceans

Ocean

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A stunning satellite view of the Pacific Ocean taken from space on September 23, 2023.

The Wonderful Ocean

The ocean is a huge body of salt water that covers most of our planet. It is made up of five big parts: the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Antarctic/Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. These oceans are full of amazing plants, animals, and tiny creatures that help make the oxygen we breathe.

Oceans play a big role in shaping our world's climate and weather. They move energy around the globe through currents like the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Current. These currents help control temperatures and affect where rain and wind go.

Life in the ocean is very rich. It ranges from the sunny surface, where plants and tiny algae make food, to the deep, dark waters far below. This environment supports many different species, including fish that we often eat. The ocean is very important to our planet, and it is home to many creatures that live there.

The ocean covers most of Earth. About 70.8% of our planet's surface is water. It holds 97% of all Earth's water, making our planet an "ocean world". The ocean is divided into parts, including the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern (Antarctic) oceans. These big waters help us learn about the water all around us.

The farthest point from land in the ocean is called "Point Nemo", located in the South Pacific Ocean. This special spot is very far from any land and is sometimes called the "spacecraft cemetery" because old spacecraft often fall there. The ocean also has smaller parts like seas, gulfs, and straits, which are important for travel and sea life.

The ocean helps us in many ways. People use it to travel and for trade, moving goods between seaports around the world. Many of our foods come from the ocean through fishing and aquaculture. The ocean also gives us energy from ocean waves, tides, and wind turbines in the water.

It is important to protect our oceans. Human activities can sometimes harm marine life and marine habitats. This can happen through pollution, like plastic waste, and overfishing, which means taking too many fish. By working together, we can help keep our oceans healthy and full of life for many years to come.

Images

Map showing the locations of mid-ocean ridges deep beneath the world's oceans.
A beautiful lighthouse standing tall against a sunset sky in Barnegat Light, New Jersey.
Colorful map showing ocean chlorophyll levels, indicating areas with more or less plant life in the sea.
A simple diagram showing how water moves through the environment, from clouds to rivers and oceans.
The Bay of Fundy showing the dramatic difference between high and low tide.
A diagram showing how different colors of light travel through ocean water.
Map showing the major ocean currents and gyres of the world, helping us understand how water moves across the Earth's oceans.
Map showing ocean currents and the thermohaline circulation that helps distribute oxygen in the deep ocean.
Historic map showing the path of the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean.
A colorful world map showing how salty different parts of the ocean are.
A colorful world map showing how much oxygen is dissolved in the oceans around the globe.
New Zealand sea lions resting on a cliff near Sydney Harbour, Australia.
An animated map showing the world's oceans, including the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans.
Diagram showing how carbon moves through the world's oceans

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Ocean, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.