1. World Continents and Oceans

2. North America  North America is made up of four countries: Canada is the furthest North, The United States is in the middle, and Mexico is the furthest south. Greenland is an Island of North America, lying Northeast of Canada.  There are three Oceans that touch North America, The Arctic to the North, The Pacific to the West, and the Atlantic to the East.

3. South America  South America is made up of twelve countries.  The Pacific Ocean borders South America to the West, and the Atlantic to the East.

4. Europe  Europe is made up of forty-eight countries.  The Atlantic Ocean is Europe’s western border.  The Arctic Ocean is north of Europe.

5. Asia  Asia is made up of numerous countries, the largest of which include Russia, China, and India.  The Pacific Ocean lies to the east, while the Indian Ocean falls on the southwest.

6. Africa  Africa is made up of fifty-three countries.  Africa is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Indian Ocean to the East.

7. Australia / Oseania  Australia as a continent includes the mainland of Australia along with Tasmania and many of the Islands throughout the Pacific Ocean.  The Indian Ocean borders the west and south, while the Pacific is on the east.

8. Antarctica  Antarctica is made of five regions and one island Chain.  The Ocean surrounding Antarctica has been recently renamed as the Southern Ocean.

9. The Oceans  The Pacific Ocean  The Atlantic Ocean  The Indian Ocean  The Arctic Ocean  The Southern Ocean (AKA the Antarctic Ocean)

10. The World’s Oceans  71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by ocean water.  The oceans contain 97% of the earth’s water.  All the oceans and seas are actually one continuous body of water.

11. Seas  A sea is a part of an ocean that is nearly surrounded by water.  The Mediterranean, Arctic and Black Sea are really part of the Atlantic Ocean.

12. Water Cycle  The sun’s rays heat the surface of the ocean.  The heat causes the water to evaporate.  The evaporating water (clean, fresh water) enters the atmosphere as water vapor and condenses.  Condensation causes precipitation and surface water.

13. Water Cycle  Winds carry water vapor over land.  Some of the water vapor condenses to form clouds.  The water in the clouds falls as precipitation.

14. Water Cycle  Some of this water runs into rivers and streams which flow back into the oceans.  Some of the water seeps into the soil and rocks become part of the groundwater.

15. Surface Zone  The zone where the water is mixed by waves and currents is called the surface zone.  The surface zone extends 100-400 meters downward.  The temperature remains constant with depth.  Temperature in a surface zone changes due to seasons and locations.

16. Thermocline  The zone of rapid temperature change is called the thermocline.  The thermocline does not occur at a certain depth.  The season and flow of ocean currents alter the depth of the thermocline.  The thermocline exists because warm, surface water does not mix easily with colder, denser water.

17. Deep Zone  The thermocline forms a transition between the surface zone and the deep zone.  The deep zone is an area of extremely cold water that extends from the bottom of the thermocline to depths of 4000 meters or more.

18. Motions of the Oceans  Ocean water never stops moving.  The three basic motions of the ocean are : the up and down movement of the waves. The steady movement of ocean currents and the rise and fall of the ocean tides.

19. Waves  Waves are pulses of energy that move through the ocean.  Waves are set in motion by winds, earthquakes and the gravitational pull of the moon.  The most common source of wave movement is the wind blowing across the surface.

20. Movement of Waves  The water in a wave is not moving forward at all. Only the energy moves forward through the water producing one wave after another.  The energy is passed from particle to particle. It is also passed downward. With increasing depth, the motion of the particles decrease. At a certain depth the motion stops. In deep water, there are no waves except those caused by tides and earthquakes.

21. Surface Currents  Currents caused mainly by wind patterns are called surface currents. These currents have a depth of several hundred meters.  The temperature of a current depends on where it originated, making it either warm or cold.  Currents are a MAJOR factor in weather patterns and climate

22. Long-Distance Currents  Surface currents that travel thousands of kilometers are called long-distance currents, such as the Gulf Steam.  The Gulf Stream carries warm water from the southern tip of Florida north along the eastern coast of the United States moving at speeds of 1.5 meters per second.

23. Continuous Currents  All currents form a continuous worldwide pattern of water circulation.  The water in each ocean moves in a large, almost circular pattern.  In the Northern Hemisphere, the currents move clockwise.  In the Southern hemisphere, the currents move counterclockwise.

24. Short- Distance Currents  Short distance currents are usually found near a shoreline where the waves hit at an angle.  When the waves hit the shoreline, the water turns and produces currents that move parallel to the shoreline called longshore currents. Longshore currents move large quantities of sand which deposit in sand bars.

25. Deep Currents  Deep currents are caused mainly by differences in water density.  The cold, salty water, that is more dense, flowing from the polar regions moves under the less dense water away from the polar regions.  Most deep currents flow in the opposite direction from surface currents.

26. Upwellings  The densest water on Earth lies off the coast of Antarctica.  This water sinks to the ocean floor and flows north. As the Antarctic currents come close to land, the ocean floor rises, forcing these cold currents upward.  These risings, called upwellings, carry rich food from the ocean floor that results in rich fishing grounds near Spring and Neap Tides  Spring Tides, higher than normal high tides, are produced when the sun, Earth and moon line up or new and full moon phases.  Neap tides, lower than normal high tides, are produced when the sun, Earth and moon are at right angles or first and last quarter moon phases.