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Sea and ocean are the main water bodies on earth among others including lakes, ponds, canals, etc. Both sea and ocean seem almost the same but they do have many differences. In this lesson we will dig deep into the sea, ocean and what are the differences they share.
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What Is an Ocean?
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Oceans are saltwater bodies that cover 70.8 % (approximately) of the earth's surface. Oceans contain 97% of the total water available on the earth. There are 5 oceans in total on the earth named Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and the Southern Ocean.
Oceans are very deep and larger than seas and it is the habitat for most of the marine life. We might ignore that the oceans are not separated by any boundaries rather they are all connected to one another. We just named them after the specific regions like the Arctic Ocean as they belong to the arctic poles and then the Indian Ocean as it is situated near India. Though we know that water doesn’t have any colour but oceans are blue in colour and from space also our earth looks blue as it has 3 times more water than land. Hence earth is called “Blue Planet”.
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What is a Sea?
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Seas are also water bodies but smaller than oceans. It is a part of the ocean that is surrounded by land. There are a total of seven seas on the earth spreading across different locations. Like the oceans, the seas also consist of tides and waves. Marine life is also very diverse here. From phytoplankton to big whales live here and maintain the ecosystem properly.
As seas are less deep than oceans, sunlight enters the sea and allows the phytoplankton and other aquatic plants to do photosynthesis. They produce more than 50% of the oxygen in the earth.
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Difference Between Sea and Ocean
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| Ocean | Sea |
|---|---|
| Oceans are gigantic water bodies that hold 70% of the water on earth. It does not have any borders. | Seas are comparatively smaller than oceans. It’s a part of oceans covered by land. |
| Oceans are deeper than any other water body. The Pacific Ocean is the deepest ocean having a depth of around 10924 meters. | Seas are less deep than oceans because of the land enclosed to it. The Caribbean Sea is the deepest sea with a depth of 6946 meters. |
| The area of the oceans is far more than seas. The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean with an area of 60 million square miles and the Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean having an area of 5.4 million square miles. | The area of the sea is very little than oceans. The largest sea in the Mediterranean Sea with an area of 1.14 million square miles. |
| Oceans are less favorable for marine life. As the sunlight cannot penetrate through the water due to its high depth, plants are not able to do Photosynthesis. | Seas are a larger source of marine life. As seas are surrounded by land and sunlight enters through the water, this makes photosynthesis happen. |
| Creatures who do not need sunlight lives here mainly like whales. | Plants are creatures who need sunlight lives in the sea. Plants produce oxygen with the help of sunlight. Crabs, fish, and lobsters dwell here. |
| Oceans are mainly used for international trade, mining, extracting natural gases, and crude oil. | Seas are important for transportation as well but more famous for tourism on the beachside, sports activity, and fishing. |
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Things to Remember
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- Oceans are water bodies that cover 70% of the earth's surface. They are big and not surrounded by any boundaries.
- Sea is also water bodies but comparatively smaller than oceans. Seas are actually a part of the ocean that is enclosed by lands.
- There are a total of 5 oceans which are - the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and the Southern Ocean.
- Total number of seas is seven and they are - Arctic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans. Also, there are total of 50 seas as considered by many but again it’s not universal.
- Seas have more diversified marine life than oceans as seas are closed to lands and sunlight enters the sea. Many plants do photosynthesis in the sea.
- The largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean and the largest sea is the Mediterranean Sea.
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Sample Questions
Ques: What are the names of the seven seas?
Ans: The seven seas are – Arctic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans.
Ques: Do the sea and ocean both contain salty water?
Ans: Yes both seas and oceans have salty water. And 97% of the water available on earth are non-drinkable.
Ques: What is the deepest ocean point in the ocean?
Ans: The Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean is the deepest point in the ocean. The depth of it is 36,200 feet (11 KM).
Ques: How much of the oceans have been explored till date?
Ans: Only 5% of the oceans have still been explored. Scientists are working hard to open more mysteries about oceans.
Ques: What is the name of the smallest ocean on the earth?
Ans: the Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean.
Ques: What causes the tides in the sea?
Ans: The forces of the Sun and Moon cause the tides.
Ques: In which ocean Bermuda Triangle is located?
Ans: Bermuda Triangle is located in the Atlantic Ocean.
Ques: Why is it so difficult to explore the deepest areas of the oceans?
Ans: Because of the extreme water pressure, darkness, and huge creatures it is very difficult to get into the deepest part of the oceans.
Ques: Which is the biggest island of the Indian Ocean?
Ans: Madagascar is the biggest island of the Indian Ocean.
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