How much percent does Ocean take up of earth surface?
The total area of the Earth is approximately 510 million square kilometers and the oceans cover about 71 percent of the Earth's surface, which is about 360 million square kilometers. There are a total of 5 oceans, and they are the Arctic, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and the Antarctic Ocean.
What percentage of the world is made up of ocean?
World map of the five-ocean model with approximate boundaries The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. Another definition is "any of the large bodies of water into which the great ocean is divided".
How much of the Earth is made of the ocean?
The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the surface of our planet. It's hard to imagine, but about 97 percent of the Earth's water can be found in our ocean. Of the tiny percentage that's not in the ocean, about two percent is frozen up in glaciers and ice caps.
What percentage of the Earth is below sea level?
As noted above, 29% of the Earth is above sea level. So to determine how much is below sea level, subtract this from 100%. 100%-29% is 71%.
Does the ocean cover 75% of the world?
About 71 percent of the Earth's surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all Earth's water.
What percentage of the Earth's water is ocean?
97 percentOver 97 percent of the earth's water is found in the oceans as salt water. Two percent of the earth's water is stored as fresh water in glaciers, ice caps, and snowy mountain ranges. That leaves only one percent of the earth's water available to us for our daily water supply needs.
Do we know 20% of the ocean?
Currently, less than ten percent of the global ocean is mapped using modern sonar technology. For the ocean and coastal waters of the United States, only about 35 percent has been mapped with modern methods.
Why is only 5% of the ocean?
In short, we've only explored 5 percent of the oceans, because exploring the depths is so treacherous and difficult.
Will we run out of salt?
Ordinary sea salt is 97% sodium chloride whereas Dead Sea salt is a mixture of chloride, as well as bromide salts. Ordinary sodium chloride only makes up about 30%. That's still enough to supply the entire population of the UK with cooking salt for 70,000 years! So no, we won't be running out of salt any time soon!
Which ocean is not salt water?
The major oceans all over the Earth are the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Antarctic, and Arctic Oceans. All oceans are known to have salt in a dissolved state, but the only oceans that have no salt content are the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans.
What did NASA find in the ocean?
To their amazement, the scientists discovered vibrant ecosystems around the vents, teeming with marine organisms, such as translucent snailfish and amphipods, tiny flea-like crustaceans, that had never been seen before. "With this discovery, we [came across] a whole new way of living on Earth," says Shank.
Why is the ocean so unexplored?
“The intense pressures in the deep ocean make it an extremely difficult environment to explore.” Although you don't notice it, the pressure of the air pushing down on your body at sea level is about 15 pounds per square inch. If you went up into space, above the Earth's atmosphere, the pressure would decrease to zero.
How has only 5 of the ocean been explored?
In fact, most of the waters remain unexplored, uncharted and unseen by our eyes. It might be shocking to find out, but only 5% of the ocean has been explored and charted by humans.
How deep has a human gone in the ocean?
35,853 feetVescovo's trip to the Challenger Deep, at the southern end of the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench, back in May, was said to be the deepest manned sea dive ever recorded, at 10,927 meters (35,853 feet).
What is under the ocean floor?
The ocean floor is called the abyssal plain. Below the ocean floor, there are a few small deeper areas called ocean trenches. Features rising up from the ocean floor include seamounts, volcanic islands and the mid-oceanic ridges and rises.
Is there fish in the middle of the ocean?
Deep water fish In the deep ocean, the waters extend far below the epipelagic zone and support very different types of pelagic fishes adapted to living in these deeper zones.
What percent of Earth is freshwater?
In the first bar, notice how only 2.5% of Earth's water is freshwater - the amount needed for life to survive. The middle bar shows the breakdown of freshwater. Almost all of it is locked up in ice and in the ground. Only a little more than 1.2% of all freshwater is surface water, which serves most of life's needs.
What percent of water is salt water?
97 percentOceans cover about 70 percent of the Earth's surface and about 97 percent of all water on and in the Earth is saline—there's a lot of salty water on our planet.
How much water is in the ocean?
The volume of water in all the oceans together is approximately 1.335 billion cubic kilometers (1.335 sextillion liters, 320.3 million cubic miles). It has been estimated that there are 1.386 billion cubic kilometres (333 million cubic miles) of water on Earth.
What is Earth's largest ocean?
The Pacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of the world ocean basins. Covering approximately 63 million square miles and containing more than half of the free water on Earth, the Pacific is by far the largest of the world's ocean basins. All of the world's continents could fit into the Pacific basin.
How much of the Earth's surface is ocean?
Vocabulary. Friday, January 21, 2011. The ocean covers 70 percent of the Earth 's surface. It contains about 1.35 billion cubic kilometers (324 million cubic miles) of water, which is about 97 percent of all the water on Earth. The ocean makes all life on Earth possible, and makes the planet appear blue when viewed from space.
What are ocean currents?
Currents are streams of water running through a larger body of water. Oceans, rivers, and streams have currents. The ocean’s salinity and temperature and the coast’s geographic features determine an ocean current ’s behavior. The Earth’s rotation and wind also influence ocean currents.
What is the deepest part of the ocean floor?
The continental rise descends to the deep ocean floor, which is called the abyssal plain. Abyssal plains are broad, flat areas that lie at depths of about 4,000 meters to 6,000 meters (13,123 feet to 19,680 feet). Abyssal plains cover 30 percent of the ocean floor and are the flattest feature on Earth.
How does the atmosphere affect life on Earth?
All life on Earth depends on this process, called the water cycle. The atmosphere receives much of its heat from the ocean. As the sun warms the water, the ocean transfers heat to the atmosphere. In turn, the atmosphere distributes the heat around the globe.
Why do people travel on the ocean?
For thousands of years, people have depended on the ocean as a source of food and as a route for trade and exploration. Today, people continue to travel on the ocean and rely on the resources it contains.
Where does oil come from?
About one-quarter of all oil and natural gas supplies now comes from offshore oil deposit s around the world. Offshore drilling requires complex engineering.
Which moon has oceans?
Mars probably had oceans billions of years ago, but ice and dry seabeds are all that remain today. Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, is probably covered by an ocean of water more than 96 kilometers (60 miles) deep, but it is trapped beneath a layer of ice, which the warmer water below frequently cracks.
How much of the Earth's surface is covered by water?
Water on Earth is very abundant— about 71 percent of Earth’s surface is covered by water.
What is the story of the ocean?
The story of oceans is the story of life. Oceans define our home planet, covering the majority of Earth’s surface and driving the water cycle that dominates our land and atmosphere. But more profound still, the story of our oceans envelops our home in a far larger context that reaches deep into the universe and places us in a rich family ...
Where does water come from?
Chemical markers in the water of our oceans suggest that most of the water came from asteroids. Recent observations hint that ice, and possibly even liquid water, exists in the interiors of asteroids and comets.
How much of the Earth's freshwater is locked up in ice caps and glaciers?
More than two-thirds of Earth’s freshwater is locked up in ice caps and glaciers.
How many atoms are in a water molecule?
A water molecule is made up of one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms. Hydrogen was created in the Big Bang and oxygen in the cores of stars more massive than the Sun. Enormous amounts of water, in gaseous form, exist in the vast stellar nurseries of our galaxy.
What are the forces that drive ocean currents?
Driven by wind, temperature, salinity, and other forces, currents on the ocean surface cover our planet. Some span hundreds to thousands of miles across vast ocean basins in well-defined flows. Others are confined to particular regions and form slow-moving, circular pools. This visualization is based on data collected during field observations and by NASA satellites.
Which planet has the smallest water vapor?
Water vapor has been discovered on a planet roughly the size of Neptune; the smallest exoplanet known to have water. HAT-P-11b is 120 light years away in the constellation Cygnus and sits close to its star in a five-day orbit. This world is likely too warm for oceans, but has water vapor and clear, cloudless skies.
How many ocean basins are there in the world?
Image credit: Alex Stemmer/Shutterstock.com. According to NOAA, there are five ocean basins in the world - Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern. However, there is only one Global Ocean. The ocean covers about 71% of the surface of the Earth. As per estimates, 97% of the water on our planet is found in the ocean.
How much of the ocean is saline?
The ocean is a massive body of saline water that covers approximately 72% of the Earth's surface. According to NOAA, there is only one Global Ocean. However, this ocean has been divided into distinct named geographic regions by countries and oceanographers. Today, most nations including the United States recognizes five ocean basins, namely Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern. Together, they hold around 97% of the water found on Earth and significantly influence global weather patterns and food supply chains. The ocean houses a plethora of marine organisms ranging from marine microbes to the world's largest animal, the blue whale. However, although the ocean plays a major role in sustaining life on Earth, we have explored or mapped only about 20% of the ocean. The rest remains a mystery.
What is the Arctic Ocean?
The Arctic Ocean is located in a polar climatic zone characterized by frigid year-round temperatures. Long hours of darkness engulf the ocean during winters and summers are characterized by continuous daylight. The marine habitat of the Arctic Ocean is a fragile ecosystem that is highly susceptible to slight disruptions in weather. Threatened species of whales and walruses inhabit the ocean. Plant life in the Arctic Ocean is scarce except for abundant volumes of phytoplanktons. The Lion’s mane jellyfish and the banded gunnel are among the few species of marine creatures inhabiting the Arctic Ocean’s waters. The ocean bed also hosts petroleum and natural gas fields, polymetallic nodules, and placer deposits.
What is the habitat of the Arctic Ocean?
The marine habitat of the Arctic Ocean is a fragile ecosystem that is highly susceptible to slight disruptions in weather. Threatened species of whales and walruses inhabit the ocean. Plant life in the Arctic Ocean is scarce except for abundant volumes of phytoplanktons.
What countries border the Arctic Ocean?
The countries bordering the Arctic Ocean are the US, Canada, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. Barrow and Prudhoe Bay in Alaska; Churchill, Nanisivik, and Inuvik in Canada; Nuuk in Greenland; Kirkenes, Vardø, and Longyearbyen in Norway; and several ports like Murmansk, Tiksi, and Pevek in Russia, all lie on the Arctic coast.
Where is the Arctic Ocean located?
The smallest, coldest, and shallowest of the oceans of the world, the Arctic Ocean is located in the Northern Hemisphere’s Arctic north polar region.
How deep is the Atlantic Ocean?
The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is 3,646 m and the Milwaukee Deep (8,380 m) in the Puerto Rico Trench, is its deepest known point.
How much of the Earth's surface is ocean?
Oceans are 71% of Earth’s Surface, but more than 99% of Biosphere. If asked how much of our planet is ocean, most educated people will give a correct approximate of something like the “two thirds.”. A more accurate answer would be about 71% of the planet’s surface area.
How deep are the oceans?
Starting with that 71% of the SURFACE AREA, we need to consider the depth, or height to grasp the volume. At the deepest point, the oceans are almost 7 miles deep.
What are the changes in the ocean?
The oceans are changing. Changing temperatures and salinities will change ocean currents, which might include the gulf stream, the El Nino / La Nina oscillation in the Southern Pacific. Few people realize the importance of the ocean. The fact that you are reading this, indicates you are one who does.
How does the ocean food web change?
As the oceans warm, and as the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves in the sea, making it more acid (technically, less alkaline), the ocean food web is changing, and quickly. That will likely have far reaching effects from the coral reefs, to the fish we eat, to the shellfish — which are showing the earliest signs of impact from the reduced pH.
How deep is the biosphere?
All together a modest depth of hundreds of feet, or perhaps a few thousand. The oceans are another matter.
What is the biggest biomass on Earth?
The biggest biomass on the planet is composed of the tiniest plants, the phytoplankton. Easy to overlook, these tiny, tiny bits of algae produce about half the oxygen, upon which we depend. Phytoplankton are also the base of the marine food chain.
What percentage of Earth's water is in the ocean?
About 97 percent of Earth's water is in the ocean. The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the surface of our planet.
How many cubic miles are there in the ocean?
Of this vast volume of water, NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center estimates that 321,003,271 cubic miles is in the ocean.
How much water is fresh?
Less than one percent of all the water on Earth is fresh. A tiny fraction of water exists as water vapor in our atmosphere. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there are over 332,519,000 cubic miles of water on the planet. A cubic mile is the volume of a cube measuring one mile on each side. Of this vast volume of water, NOAA's National ...
Climate
- Climate The atmosphere receives much of its heat from the ocean. As the sun warms the water, the ocean transfers heat to the atmosphere. In turn, the atmosphere distributes the heat around the globe. Because water absorbs and loses heat more slowly than land masses, the ocean help…
Formation
- After the Earth began to form about 4.6 billion years ago, it gradually separated into layers of lighter and heavier rock. The lighter rock rose and formed the Earths crust. The heavier rock sank and formed the Earths core and mantle. The oceans water came from rocks inside the newly forming Earth. As the molten rocks cooled, they released water vapor and other gases. Eventuall…
Discovery
- Scientists began mapping the ocean floor in the 1920s. They used instruments called echo sounders, which measure water depths using sound waves. Echo sounders use sonar technology. Sonar is an acronym for SOund Navigation And Ranging. The sonar showed that the ocean floor has dramatic physical features, including huge mountains, deep canyons, steep cliffs, and wide …
Geology
- The oceans crust is a thin layer of volcanic rock called basalt. The ocean floor is divided into several different areas. The first is the continental shelf, the nearly flat, underwater extension of a continent. Continental shelves vary in width. They are usually wide along low-lying land, and narrow along mountainous coasts. A shelf is covered in sediment from the nearby continent. So…
Ecology
- The ocean has five major life zones, each with organisms uniquely adapted to their specific marine ecosystem. Phytoplankton are a basis of the ocean food web. Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton are responsible for almost half the oxygen released into the Earths atmosphere. Animals such as krill (a type of shrimp), fish, and microscopic organisms called zooplankton all …
Definition
- The epipelagic zone (1) is the sunlit upper layer of the ocean. It reaches from the surface to about 200 meters (660 feet) deep. The epipelagic zone is also known as the photic or euphotic zone, and can exist in lakes as well as the ocean.
Appearance
- Phytoplankton also live in the epipelagic zone. Phytoplankton are microscopic organisms that include plants, algae, and bacteria. They are only visible when billions of them form algal blooms, and appear as green or blue splotches in the ocean.
Flora and fauna
- The next zone down, stretching to about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) deep, is the mesopelagic zone (2). This zone is also known as the twilight zone because the light there is very dim. The lack of sunlight means there are no plants in the mesopelagic zone, but large fish and whales dive there to hunt prey. Fish in this zone are small and luminous. One of the most common is the lanternfis…
Environment
- The water at the bottom of the ocean, the abyssopelagic zone (4), is very salty and cold (2 degrees Celsius, or 35 degrees Fahrenheit). At depths up to 6,000 meters (19,700 feet), the pressure is very strong11,000 pounds per square inch. This makes it impossible for most animals to live. Animals in this zone have bizarre adaptations to cope with their ecosystem. Many fish ha…
Biology
- Many of the animals in this zone, including squid and fish, are bioluminescent. Bioluminescent organisms produce light through chemical reactions in their bodies. A type of angler fish, for example, has a glowing growth extending in front of its huge, toothy mouth. When smaller fish are attracted to the light, the angler fish simply snaps its jaws to eat its prey.
Function
- Deep, cold currents transport oxygen to organisms throughout the ocean. They also carry rich supplies of nutrients that all living things need. The nutrients come from plankton and the remains of other organisms that drift down and decay on the ocean floor.
Causes
- Along some coasts, winds and currents produce a phenomenon called upwelling. As winds push surface water away from shore, deep currents of cold water rise to take its place. This upwelling of deep water brings up nutrients that nourish new growth of plankton, providing food for fish. Ocean food chains constantly recycle food and energy this way.
Examples
- Some ocean currents are enormous and extremely powerful. One of the most powerful is the Gulf Stream, a warm surface current that originates in the tropical Caribbean Sea and flows northeast along the eastern coast of the United States. The Gulf Stream measures up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) wide and is more than a kilometer (3,281 feet) deep.
Economy
- Through the centuries, people have sailed the ocean on trade routes. Today, ships still carry most of the worlds freight, particularly bulky goods such as machinery, grain, and oil. Ocean ports are areas of commerce and culture. Water and land transportation meet there, and so do people of different professions: businesspeople who import and export goods and services; dockworkers …
Benefits
- Scientists and other experts hope the ocean will be used more widely as a source of renewable energy. Some countries have already harnessed the energy of ocean waves, temperature, currents, or tides to power turbines and generate electricity.
Resources
- Another source of renewable energy is ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). It uses the difference in temperature between the warm surface water and cold deep water to run an engine. OTEC facilities exist in places with significant differences in ocean depth: Japan, India and the U.S. state of Hawaii, for instance.