OCEAN KNOWLEDGE
What are the five oceans on Earth?
Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern.
What is a coral reef and why is it important?
A coral reef is an underwater structure made by tiny animals called coral. It’s important because it provides habitat for many ocean species.
What is the largest animal on Earth?
The blue whale.
What is pollution, and how does it affect the ocean?
Pollution is harmful waste. It can hurt animals, damage coral reefs, and make the water unsafe.
What causes ocean waves?
Mostly the wind.
What is the difference between saltwater and freshwater?
Saltwater has salt in it (like the ocean); freshwater has little or no salt (like lakes and rivers).
What is a food chain? Can you name one marine food chain?
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A food chain shows who eats what. Example: phytoplankton → small fish → big fish → shark
What is the difference between a fish and a mammal?
Fish breathe with gills and lay eggs; mammals breathe air with lungs, are warm-blooded, and nurse their young.
What can people do to help protect the oceans?
Recycle, reduce plastic use, clean beaches, and avoid littering.
What is a tide?
The rising and falling of ocean water caused by the moon’s gravity.
Why is the ocean important for life on Earth?
It produces most of the oxygen we breathe, controls climate, and is home to many living things.
What is a habitat? What kinds of habitats are found in the ocean?
A habitat is where an animal lives. Ocean habitats include coral reefs, open ocean, deep sea, kelp forests, and tide pools.
What are some adaptations animals use to survive in the ocean?
Fins for swimming, gills for breathing, blubber for warmth, camouflage for hiding.
Name an animal that lives in the deep sea.
What is seaweed? Is it a plant?
Seaweed is algae. It’s like a plant but not exactly a land plant.
Why do some animals live near the surface while others live deep in the ocean?
Some need sunlight (like plants and many fish), while deep-sea animals survive in darkness and high pressure.
What do sharks eat?
Most sharks eat fish and other sea animals. Some eat plankton (like whale sharks)
Why is sunlight important for life in the ocean?
Sunlight helps plants and algae make food through photosynthesis.
Why do whales need to come to the surface?
They are mammals and need to breathe air.