ocean

ocean, interconnected mass of saltwater covering 70.78% of the surface of the earth, often called the world ocean. It is subdivided into four (or five) major units that are separated from each other in most cases by the continental masses. See also oceanography.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Importance of the Ocean
• The Pelagic Realm
• The Benthic Realm
• The Ocean as a Biological Environment
• Thermohaline Circulation
• Surface Circulation
• Relationship of the Ocean and the Atmosphere
• Trenches, Plains, and Ridges
• Continental Shelves, Slopes, and Rises
• The World Ocean
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Geology and Oceanography