© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Introduction to Oceanography
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Introduction to Oceanography
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Overview The world ocean is the most prominent feature on
Earth.
Oceans cover 70.8% of Earth’s surface.
The origin and development of life on Earth is connected to the ocean.
The oceans have a long history on Earth.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Earth’s Oceans Earth has one ocean.
It is divided into fourprinciple oceans, and one other.
Pacific Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
Arctic Ocean
Southern, or AntarcticOcean
OCEANS
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Ocean Size and Depth
Earth’s Oceans1) Pacific Ocean
a. World’s largest ocean
i. Accounts for more than half of Earth’s ocean space
b. World’s deepest ocean
c. Earth’s largestgeographic feature
d. Named in 1520 by Ferdinand Magellan
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Earth’s Oceans2) Atlantic Ocean
a. Half the size of the Pacific Ocean
b. Shallower than the Pacific Ocean
c. Separates the Old World from the New World
Factoids:
• Average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is 12,000 feet.
• The greatest depth is 28,374 feet (Puerto Rico Trench).
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Earth’s Oceans
3. Indian Ocean
a. Smaller than the Atlantic Ocean
b. Similar depthas the Atlantic Ocean
c. Primarily in the SouthernHemisphere
• The Mid-Atlantic Ridge divides the sea floor nearly through the center and
stretches from the polar regions of the North to Antarctica in the South.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Earth’s Oceans4. Arctic Ocean
a. Seven percent the size of the Pacific Ocean
b. Shallowest world ocean
c. Permanent layer of sea ice a few meters thick
5. Other…Southern Ocean or Antarctic Oceana. Circumnavigates
Antarctica
b. Is really the parts of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans that lie south of 50 S latitude
Factoid: Centered approximately on the North Pole, the ARCTIC Ocean is the smallest of the world's oceans.
ARCTIC OCEAN
Factoid:
Maximum depth is 18,050 feet.
The Arctic Ocean is divided into two nearly equal basins: The Eurasia basin & the Amerasia basin.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Seven Seas Smaller and shallower than oceans
Salt water
Usually enclosed by land
Sargasso Sea defined by surrounding ocean currents
Directly connected to the ocean
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Seven Seas Before the 15th Century, Europeans considered the
seven seas to be the following:
1. Red Sea
2. Mediterranean Sea
Turkey
Cyprus Syria
Africa
Mediterranean Sea
3. Persian Gulf
4. Black Sea
5. Adriatic Sea
6. Caspian Sea
7. Indian Ocean
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Comparing Oceans to Continents
Average ocean depth is 3729 meters (12,234 feet)
Average continental elevation is 840 meters (2756 feet)
Deepest ocean trench is the Mariana Trench at 11,022 meters (36,161 feet)
Highest continental mountain is Mt. Everest at 8850 meters (29,935feet)
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