Difference between Sea and Ocean

Seas and oceans are just different in size, and there is no clear boundary. Seas refer to larger bodies of water or estuaries, which are divided into oceans and seas; oceans are much larger, accounting for more than 70% of the earth’s surface area.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of all the oceans, covering an area of ​​about 60 million square miles. Oceans, on the other hand, are relatively small in area, and in many cases they are at least partially surrounded by coastlines.

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Some key facts about the size and location of the oceans:

• The largest sea is the Mediterranean Sea, which covers an area of ​​about 1.14 million square miles.
• The smallest ocean is the Arctic Ocean, which covers 5.4 million square miles.
• Seas are usually close to land, but oceans are not necessarily close to land.

Depth and salinity

Seawater is usually shallower than the ocean, with an average depth of about 3,800 meters. The Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is 11,034 meters deep and is the lowest point in the ocean. On the other hand, seawater is usually shallower, so it receives more sunlight and is more suitable for various marine life.

The oceans also have different salinity levels.

• Seawater salinity is usually high due to higher evaporation rates.
• Oceans are generally less saline due to their large volume and the mixing of water from different sources.

Marine Life

Because the ocean is less deep and closer to land, sunlight can penetrate the ocean more efficiently, so there is a greater variety of marine life in the ocean. Because the ocean is deeper and farther from land, the marine ecosystem has a richer variety of organisms, most of which are bacteria and tiny plankton.

Marine life has several notable characteristics:

• The ocean provides humans with a large amount of food, mainly fish.
• Due to lack of sunlight penetration and photosynthesis, the amount of aquatic life in the oceans is reduced compared to the seas.

Connectivity

While oceans may or may not be connected to other seas or oceans, all oceans are part of a global ocean, connected by ocean currents and water cycles. This connectivity is reflected in phenomena such as the thermohaline circulation, which circulates ocean water throughout the global ocean.

Check out the key differences between sea and ocean in the table below:

feature	ocean	ocean
size	Generally smaller	Vast and expansive
Place	Usually partially surrounded by land	Open water, not necessarily near land
depth	Usually shallow	See more : Happy Engineer’s Day 2024: 30+ Quotes, Wishes, Messages to Share with Engineer Friends and Family Generally deeper
salinity	Higher salinity is possible	Usually low salinity
Marine Life	Supporting a diverse ecosystem	Low diversity, usually dominated by microorganisms
Connectivity	Possibly connected to other oceans	All oceans are connected

The only notable differences between seas and oceans are their size, depth, salinity, marine life, and the general interconnectedness between them. Seas are bounded on top by rivers (and in many cases ice sheets) and are similar to oceans, but are much smaller or shallower. Seas tend to be saltier than other bodies of water and are highly interdependent. This diversity plays an important role in studying and managing these key parts of Earth’s hydrosphere.

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Optical Illusion