Welcome to our web page about the oceans of North
America. Here you will learn about the oceans surrounding us. The two
main oceans are the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The ocean is studied
in lots of ways. We hope you enjoy our pages.
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The
Pacific Ocean is the biggest ocean on the earth. It stretches from
the frozen Arctic on the north to the frozen Antarctic on the south.
The Pacific is also the deepest ocean on the earth, reaching a depth
of over 39,000 feet in the Marianna Trench. This great ocean forms
most of the western border of the North American continent. It is the
home to countless species of plants and animals and a great resource
for both man and animals. It can also be a deadly force of nature.
Earthquakes and erupting volcanoes can cause tsunamis over 100 feet
high which can sweep over islands and flood seacoasts. Pacific ocean
tides can change as much as 30 feet on some coasts.
Like the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic stretches from the Arctic to the Antarctic. It is the second largest ocean on the earth and forms most of the eastern border of North America. It is named after the Atlas mountains. The deepest place in the Atlantic Ocean is the Milwaukee Deep and is over 28,000 feet deep.
Ocean currents start from two forces: 1. The
action of the wind on the top waters, and 2. the changes in
temperature and salt content of surface and deeper waters. The winds
moving around the earth produce the major currents--great streams
that carry the oceans top waters in roughly circular patterns.
Wind also causes upwelling, which happens when coastal waters are
blown off shore and replaced by colder, deeper waters.
The
oceans provide many habitats for the plants and animals that live
there. There are ocean caves, reefs, seaweed beds, and plenty of open
water where these living things can get food and find
homes.
There are millions of animals in the oceans. One
of the tiniest is the plankton, small plants that are food for many
animals. Other animals eat each other; the large ones eat the small
ones. The largest animal on the earth is the blue whale. Some animals
are mean like sharks, and others are strange like the coral which
looks more like a plant. Some of the most beautiful plants in the
world are the strange sea anemones found on the ocean
floor.
The ocean gives or can give lots of resources. They include food, energy, minerals, and medicines. Food from the ocean is mostly fish and shellfish. These resources are in danger. Men dump garbage, chemicals, and radioactive waste into the oceans. This garbage kills many of the plants and animals it touches.
Some recreations are swimming, surfing, fishing, and boating. Other activities include shipping, commercial fishing, mining things from beneath the ocean floor, and taking chemicals out of the water.
1997 World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia
1997 World Book Encyclopedia
Art Explosion 40,000 Images. Calabasas, CA: Nova Development
Houghton Mifflin Social Studies, (1991) From Sea to Shining
Sea. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.