The Ocean Climate
The average temperature of all oceans is about 39 degrees F (3.8 degrees C). But the oceans in different parts of the world can have very different climates!
Tropical oceans, which are near the equator, are warm and clear on the surface. The equator is an imaginary belt which circles the earth and divides it into two halves. The areas of land and water which are near this belt are called the tropics, and are always warm.
But in the cold polar regions of the far north and far south, the ocean is so cold that its' surface is frozen! Huge blocks of ice called ICEBERGS drift in these seas.
The sun's heat warms only the surface of the water. Deep down, oceans everywhere are cold, dark, and still.
Ocean Plant Life
PLANKTON is a mixture of plant and animal life in the open ocean, away from shore. It provides the main food source for many ocean animals, including the largest in the world, the blue whale. The plant life portion of this mixture is called phytoplankton.
ALGAE is the name for plants which grow under the water. You may know it as seaweed. Shoreline creatures feed on this. You may be surprised to learn that seaweed is also an ingredient in many products people use, such as ice cream, toothpaste, medicines, paints, and other everyday items!
Animal Life in the Ocean
There are so many different kinds of animals in the ocean! We sometimes call them marine animals. Marine means connected with, or living in, the ocean.
The ocean is home for a huge variety of animals, including fish and mammals.
You probably know that sharks are fish, and breathe underwater through gills. But did you know that whales, dolphins and porpoises are mammals, and must come to the surface to breathe air every few minutes?
Animals with shells, such as oysters and clams, are called mollusks. The octopus is also a member of the mollusk family, although it has a soft body and no shell. Crab and lobster belong to yet another group called crustaceans. Even sponges are animals!
Bird life is also plentiful near oceans, because of the rich variety of sea life for food.
From tiny animals called zooplankton, to the mighty blue whale, largest creature ever known, the oceans of the world are filled with strange and fascinating animal life.
Ocean Facts
The PACIFIC Ocean is the largest of the four main oceans. Although its' name means peaceful, if can be very rough! It is 64 million square miles.
The ATLANTIC Ocean is the busiest. Many ships cross the Atlantic, carrying cargo between the Americas, Africa, and Europe. It is 32 million square miles.
The INDIAN Ocean is located in an area bordered by the continents of Asia, Africa, Anarctica, and Australia. It is 28 million square miles.
The ARCTIC Ocean is the smallest and coldest. It is 5 million square miles.
The average temperature of all oceans is about 39 degrees F (3.8 degrees C).
The average depth of all oceans is about 2.3 miles.
There are mountains, volcanoes, and deep trenches in the ocean.
Oceans are always moving.
CURRENTS flow like rivers, carrying warm water from the tropics, and cold water from the north and south poles.
TIDES change twice a day, all over the world, as the oceans rise and fall along the shoreline. Scientists think this is caused by the pull of the sun and moon on our earth.
CORAL REEFS are vast, rocky areas located in shallow, tropical waters. They are like the tropical rain forest of the ocean! The greatest variety of plant and animal life in the ocean live there. Coral reefs are formed from the bodies of small sea creatures called polyps.
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