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If you look at a map or a globe, you can see that most of the Earth is made of
big spaces of water. The big spaces of water are called oceans. The three oceans
are the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean.
The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world. This ocean separates the continents of Asia and Australia on the west from North America and South America on the east. The Marianas Trench, the deepest place in any of the oceans, can be found in the Pacific Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean. This ocean separates the continents of North America and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east. The East Coast of the United States is land next to the Atlantic Ocean. The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean. This ocean stretches from southern Asia to Antarctica and from eastern Africa to southeastern Australia. The country of India's coasts are next to the Indian Ocean. The Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans may be in different places, but they do have some things in common. The water in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans has salt and other minerals in it. Ocean water isn't good to drink because of the salt, but sometimes people can use the salt and minerals for other things. Tides occur in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Every day, the surface of the ocean water goes up and down because of the pull of the moon and the sun. When the surface of the water goes up and down, it is called a tide. Currents also occur in the three oceans. When the ocean water moves from side to side, it is called a current. Currents move warm and cold water to different parts of the oceans. Reefs, which are ridges of rock or coral that are near or above the surface of the ocean water, are found in the oceans, too. The Great Barrier Reef, is a big reef that is located in the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Australia. Reefs are homes to many ocean animals. Many different kinds of fish and mammals make the oceans their homes. Sharks, whales and dolphins are just a few examples. Did you know that there are people who study the oceans? These people are called oceanographers. Oceanographers study everything that is marine, or has to do with the ocean. They study the plants and animals that live in the ocean, the ocean water and lots of other ocean things. There is much more that you can learn about oceans, but knowing where they are and a little bit about them is an important first step. Who knows, you could even become an oceanographer and study the oceans when you grow up!
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Interested in learning more about Oceans? Check out our educational CD-ROM about Oceans. |
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