OCEAN FACTS by Laketempest 2011/03/05 19:48
Breathtaking views and vast, seemingly endless spans of water, make up the oceans of our planet earth. Throughout history, many men believed that the oceans of our planet literally ran off the edge of our world. Today, we know this is not true, but what do know now is no less astonishing!
[img=http://www.blirk.net/wallpapers/1600x1200/ocean-wallpaper-2.jpg][img=http://www.tiptopglobe.com/big-photo/atlantic-ocean-3.jpg]
Arctic Ocean;
Average depth of 5000 feet, but is 17,880 feet deep at it's deepest. Covers an area of 5,440,000 square miles.
Indian Ocean;
Average depth of 13,000 feet, but is 25, 344 feet deep at it's deepest. Covers an area of 28,400,000 square miles.
Atlantic Ocean;
Average depth 14,000 feet, but is 28,374 feet at it's deepest. Covers an area of 31,831,000 square miles. Home to the Puerto Rico Trench, and home to a volcanic mountain range, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, that runs the entire length of the ocean.
pacific Ocean;
Average depth of 14,000 feet, but is 36,198 feet at it's deepest. The largest ocean of the four, it covers an area of nearly 64,000,000 square miles. Home to the Mariana Trench.
Coverage of the Earth's Surface;
Add all of the area coverage above together, and you will realize that the oceans cover over seventy-five percent of the earth's surface.
Topography;
If you were to look at a topography map of the world's oceans, you would understand the differences of each oceans average depth and their deepest points of depth. As varied as the dry land of our planet earth is, so are the ocean lands beneath it. Whole mountain ranges, canyons, and other earth shaping features such as volcanoes, exist beneath their depths. Guyots are flat-topped, undersea mountains. It is believed they once had typical peaks like other mountains, but they were leveled off by waves. At one point in time, none of this was even believable. The ocean floor was thought to be relatively flat, downward sloping from one side, then gradually sloping back up as it reached another shore.
Freshwater or Saltwater;
Are any of the oceans filled with fresh water? All four of the oceans, which, by the way, are interconnected, are on average, 3.5 percent salt.
Tides, Currents and Waves;
Tides are the rise of fall of the ocean's water. Caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. Depending on the time of month, and whether the moon is new or full, also has an effect on the height of the tide. Currents are in effect, the ocean in a constant motion. Winds provide the fuel that keeps the currents constantly moving. Wind is the main factor behind most waves, with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes causing some waves. Though factors such as a boat passing through the water can also bring about a wave. When a wave hits the shoreline, it is then called a surf.
Life;
Home to an array of life like no other surface of the earth, within depths of unbelievable reaches, combined with frigid temperatures, and tremendous water pressure, life still exists. With sunlight having no chance of reaching even a depth of about 650 feet, it is easy to see that most of the world's oceans exist in a land of darkness. For that reason alone, those creatures that do live in these extraordinary environments have adapted in numerous ways, with some even having the capabilities to light themselves up. This is referred to as bioluminescence, the ability to generate light.
Breathtaking views and vast, seemingly endless spans of water, make up the oceans of our planet earth. Throughout history, many men believed that the oceans of our planet literally ran off the edge of our world. Today, we know this is not true, but what do know now is no less astonishing!
[img=http://www.blirk.net/wallpapers/1600x1200/ocean-wallpaper-2.jpg][img=http://www.tiptopglobe.com/big-photo/atlantic-ocean-3.jpg]
Arctic Ocean;
Average depth of 5000 feet, but is 17,880 feet deep at it's deepest. Covers an area of 5,440,000 square miles.
Indian Ocean;
Average depth of 13,000 feet, but is 25, 344 feet deep at it's deepest. Covers an area of 28,400,000 square miles.
Atlantic Ocean;
Average depth 14,000 feet, but is 28,374 feet at it's deepest. Covers an area of 31,831,000 square miles. Home to the Puerto Rico Trench, and home to a volcanic mountain range, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, that runs the entire length of the ocean.
pacific Ocean;
Average depth of 14,000 feet, but is 36,198 feet at it's deepest. The largest ocean of the four, it covers an area of nearly 64,000,000 square miles. Home to the Mariana Trench.
Coverage of the Earth's Surface;
Add all of the area coverage above together, and you will realize that the oceans cover over seventy-five percent of the earth's surface.
Topography;
If you were to look at a topography map of the world's oceans, you would understand the differences of each oceans average depth and their deepest points of depth. As varied as the dry land of our planet earth is, so are the ocean lands beneath it. Whole mountain ranges, canyons, and other earth shaping features such as volcanoes, exist beneath their depths. Guyots are flat-topped, undersea mountains. It is believed they once had typical peaks like other mountains, but they were leveled off by waves. At one point in time, none of this was even believable. The ocean floor was thought to be relatively flat, downward sloping from one side, then gradually sloping back up as it reached another shore.
Freshwater or Saltwater;
Are any of the oceans filled with fresh water? All four of the oceans, which, by the way, are interconnected, are on average, 3.5 percent salt.
Tides, Currents and Waves;
Tides are the rise of fall of the ocean's water. Caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. Depending on the time of month, and whether the moon is new or full, also has an effect on the height of the tide. Currents are in effect, the ocean in a constant motion. Winds provide the fuel that keeps the currents constantly moving. Wind is the main factor behind most waves, with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes causing some waves. Though factors such as a boat passing through the water can also bring about a wave. When a wave hits the shoreline, it is then called a surf.
Life;
Home to an array of life like no other surface of the earth, within depths of unbelievable reaches, combined with frigid temperatures, and tremendous water pressure, life still exists. With sunlight having no chance of reaching even a depth of about 650 feet, it is easy to see that most of the world's oceans exist in a land of darkness. For that reason alone, those creatures that do live in these extraordinary environments have adapted in numerous ways, with some even having the capabilities to light themselves up. This is referred to as bioluminescence, the ability to generate light.
keep it up.. Nice to have little knowledge on nature 
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