Ocean and sea

The sea represents a vast expanse of confined salt water and relatively smaller than the oceans. In addition, it is located close to the continents and can be connected to the ocean by channels. Sometimes it is part of an ocean.

The oceans are instead huge expanses of salty water larger than the seas and unconfined, which may contain the seas or be connected to them.

Although there are differences between sea ​​and ocean , these terms are often used without distinction to indicate vast expanses of salt water, but sea and ocean are not synonymous with each other and have different peculiarities that determine their use.

What is the sea:

The sea is an extension of salt water that runs along the coasts of islands and continents (therefore, well defined or closed) and is hydrographically connected to an ocean through channels. The seas are shallower and with higher water temperatures. Many species of marine animals and plants inhabit the seas because the sun’s rays fulfill their function as the waters are not so deep. There are about 61 seas in the world. The European continent is where the largest number are found, followed by the Asian continent and America.

Examples of seas of the world

* Sea of ​​the Antilles or Caribbean Sea (between Central America and South America).
* Baltic Sea (found in northern Europe).
* Mediterranean Sea (Between Europe, eAfrica and Asia).
* Black Sea (between Europa and the Caucasus).
* Red Sea (located between Africa and Asia)

Seas whose characteristic is to be large salty lakes:

* Caspian Sea (found in southeastern Europe).
* Aral Sea (Found in Central Asia).
* Dead Sea (located in the Middle East).

Classes of seas

Of the 54 seas there are different classes:
* Littoral or coastal seas.
* Continental seas.
* Closed seas.

What is an ocean:

Instead, the ocean is a vast and unlimited expanse of water that covers 71% of the earth’s surface, within which different seas can be contained. But it doesn’t end there. In fact, the oceans are characterized by ever-expanding ocean ridges, while the seas are stable basins. Because the oceans are deeper than the seas, the waters are colder.

In the oceans there are animals and plants adapted to depths and low temperatures. The average depth of the oceans is about 3,900 meters, although the greatest depth is in the Mariana Trench, where it reaches a depth of 11,034 meters.

Examples of Oceans of the world

The oceans of the world are only five and separate continents. The first three are considered great oceans while the last two that we will mention are considered minor oceans:

* Atlantic Ocean (It is located between the Americas, Africa and Europe)
* Pacific Ocean (located between Asia, America and Oceania)
* Indian Ocean (Located between Africa, Asia and Oceania).
* Antarctic Ocean (It is located in the southern hemisphere).
* Arctic Ocean (It is located in the northern hemisphere).

Here we have finally seen the difference between the sea and the ocean. As we have seen, they are not exactly the same.