Oacian are large bodies of water that contain salty water. Earth has one global ocean.
Oacian divide the world ocean into five regions: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern oceans. The boundaries of these seas are arbitrary, but they are largely define by continents. The waters within each are shape by currents and biological populations.
World’s Second Largest Ocean
The Atlantic Oacian is the world’s second largest ocean, separating the Americas from western Europe and Africa. It is a major shipping route, and has been the site of many naval battles.
The ocean’s water is constantly being move about by powerful currents, primarily wind driven. But the rotation of the Earth, the presence of continents, and internal dynamics also affect the flow of the seas.
Fresh-Water & Cold Saline Water
As a result, the density difference between warm fresh-water and cold saline water in the oceans can be very large. The difference is cause by temperature differences, by evaporation and precipitation, cloud cover, and by the behaviour of the wind.
In general, the salinity of surface waters in the Atlantic Ocean ranges from 33 to 37 parts per thousand (3.3 – 3.7 percent) by mass and varies with latitude and season. In the subtropical regions, salinity values are highest, whereas in the high latitudes and along coasts where large rivers flow into the ocean, surface salinity values are lowest.
Most of the Planet
The Oacian is an enormous, connected body of salt water that covers most of the planet. It absorbs most of the solar energy reaching Earth and forms powerful horizontal and vertical ocean currents that carry this heat around the world.
Seas are smaller bodies of water, generally located in areas where the land and ocean meet. These usually have a lower degree of salinity than the surrounding ocean and are more likely to be tideless because of their enclosed nature.
A sea can be as large as 2.6 million square kilometers (1 million miles) in area or as tiny as the Sea of Marmara, which is less than 12,950 square kilometers (5,000 miles) in area. It is also possible for a sea to have a relatively deep depth, such as the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench, which is 11,034 meters below the surface.
Tides
Tidal heights vary between different areas of the ocean, due to a complex combination of astronomical forces such as the sun, moon, and rotation of Earth. The shape of a beach, bathymetry (the depth of the ocean at a particular location), and other factors can also affect tidal levels.
A high tide is when the water level reaches its highest point along a shoreline, while a low tide is when the water retreats back towards the ocean. Tides have a direct impact on the lives of plants and animals that live in coastal areas.
Two Main Influences Controlling
The two main influences controlling the height of ocean tides are the Moon and the Sun. The Moon’s gravitational pull causes tidal bulges that rise on the side of the Earth nearest to the Moon.
The Sun’s influence is comparatively weaker and it causes smaller tidal bulges. When the Moon and Sun are aligned with the Earth. These forces combine to produce spring tides. Which are usually higher than the average solar tide.
The Ocean Floor
The Oacian floor is a complex landscape that extends deep beneath the smooth surface. It is full of features you’ve probably never seen on land, including canyons, seamounts, and hydrothermal vents.
The sea floor is also full of living resources, like fish and coral. Nonliving resources, such as oil, gas, and minerals, also abound.
Final Words:
To study the ocean floor, scientists use sonar that is able to penetrate deep into the sea bed and map it in great detail. This type of mapping is done aboard ships or on special vehicles that can travel remotely to the bottom.
Using the data collected from sonar readings, scientists can create bathymetric maps that show all of the elevation features of the sea floor. These include the continental slope and shelf, abyssal plains, and mid-ocean ridges.
