New Delhi: Well, both are waterbodies with unending amounts of water. One cannot distinguish between an ocean and a sea with the naked eye, but when it comes to deciphering the technicality of these two terms, there is a difference. Every year on June 8, World Ocean Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the need to keep the oceans clean and free from pollution which will enable marine life to thrive. The day is used as a platform to highlight the importance of reducing marine pollution. In this article, we take the opportunity to shed light on a simple often asked question: What is the difference between an ocean and a sea?
Ocean and sea: What is the difference between them?
About 71 per cent of the surface of the Earth is covered by water and oceans and seas hold roughly 97 per cent of all the water on this planet. The ocean basins and seas are connected throughout the world, making them one single and massive water body. It is known as the Global Ocean and lakhs of marine creatures call it their home. This unity of water bodies is proven by the Global Ocean Conveyor, a phenomenon in which seawater circulates the globe, crossing boundaries made by human beings and water at depth is replaced by water from the surface.
While people generally use the terms ocean and sea interchangeably, going by the definitions given in the subject known as geography, the two terms have separate meanings. Seas tend to be smaller than the ocean and are located where the ocean and land meet. Also, seas are mostly enclosed by land. Hence, the ocean denotes a much larger body of open water than a sea.
However, the Sargasso Sea is an exception in this regard. It is a region of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by four currents forming an ocean gyre. And unlike any other sea, the Sargasso Sea has no land boundaries. It is distinguished from other Atlantic Ocean parts by its characteristic brown Sargassum seaweed and often calm blue water.
About 71 per cent of the surface of the Earth is covered by water and oceans and seas hold roughly 97 per cent of all the water on this planet. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
