The Pacific Ocean

THE PACIFIC OCEAN

The Pacific Ocean was named by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, who encountered calm seas during a voyage and called it Tepre Pacificum , Latin for "calm sea.” In fact, though, the Pacific Ocean is not a particularly calm ocean, and can be quite rough. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's oceans. It covers about one-third of the Earth's surface, more than 64 million square miles (about 166 million square kilometers). The area of the Pacific Ocean is greater than all of the world's continents put together, and accounts for almost half of the Earth's total ocean area. The Pacific Ocean extends 9,600 miles (15,500 km) from the Bering Sea in the Arctic to the northern edge of the Southern Ocean at 60° S. From east to west, it stretches halfway across the world, about 12,300 miles (19,800 km) from Indonesia to the coast of Colombia and Peru. The deepest point in the Pacific Ocean – and in the entire world – is the Mariana Trench in the western North Pacific. It is 35,797 feet (10,911 meters) deep. The Pacific Ocean has about 25,000 islands, most of them along the equator. This is more than all the other oceans put together. The Pacific Ocean has a rich marine population and commercial fishing is an important industry. Endangered marine species native to the Pacific Ocean include dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles and whales. The Pacific Ocean is currently shrinking very slowly due to plate tectonics, while the Atlantic Ocean is growing, by about one inch (2–3 cm) per year on 3 sides, or an average of 0.2 square miles (0.5 square km) a year. The Pacific Ocean includes areas of great geologic activity. The "Ring of Fire" is located in the Pacific Ocean. It is named for the hundreds of active volcanoes located above the various subduction zones. A subduction zone is a place where one edge of a crustal plate is forced downward into the mantle below another plate. The Ring of Fire is the world's largest belt of explosive volcanism. The geologic activity also causes earthquakes and tidal waves, or tsunami . Environmental problems in the Pacific Ocean include oil pollution in the Philippine Sea and in the South China Sea.

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PACIFIC OCEAN

1. How does the Pacific Ocean rank among oceans in terms of area? a. Largest b. Second-largest c. Third-largest d. Smallest

2. What does the Pacific Ocean’s name mean? a. Huge ocean b. Deep ocean c. Peaceful ocean d. Rich ocean

3. What is the approximate surface area of the Pacific Ocean? a. 94 million square miles b. 64 million square miles c. 35 million square miles d. 10 million square miles

4. What gives the “Ring of Fire” its name? a. Ovens b. Forest fires c. Volcanoes d. The ozone hole

5. Approximately how many islands are there in the Pacific? a. 5,000 b. 10,000 c. 15,000 d. 25,000

6. Is the Pacific growing or shrinking due to plate tectonics? a. Growing b. Shrinking c. Staying the same d. The article does not say

Use more than one complete sentence to answer these questions

1. How did the Pacific Ocean get its name? ______

2. From the way it is used in the article what do you think is the meaning of marine ? ______

3. How do volcanoes and other geological activity affect life in and near the Pacific Ocean? ______

4. Why do you think the Pacific Ocean has so many islands? ______

5. Why is the Pacific Ocean shrinking? ______

Map Skills

1. Which continent borders the Pacific Ocean to the north-east?

2. Which continent borders the Pacific Ocean to the south-east?

3. Which continent borders the Pacific Ocean to the north-west?

4. Which continent borders the Pacific Ocean to the south-west?

5. Name three island countries located in or bordering the Pacific Ocean.

6. Name five mainland (continental) countries bordering the Pacific Ocean.

7. Mark the “Ring of Fire” on the map.

8. Where does the Pacific Ocean connect with the Atlantic Ocean?

9. What ocean borders the Pacific Ocean to the north?

10. What ocean borders the Pacific Ocean to the south?

Writing Prompt: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a large area full of garbage – mostly plastics and other debris – in the northern Pacific Ocean. It covers an area between the size of Texas and the entire United States. What sort of problems do you think it could cause? What is the cause of the Garbage Patch? How could it be cleaned up and prevented from being repeated?

______

Answers to THE PACIFIC OCEAN

Multiple-choice questions 1. a 2. c 3. b 4. c 5. d 6. b

Short-answer questions 1. When Ferdinand Magellan sailed it in 1521, he encountered calm seas. 2. Marine = aquatic, oceanic 3. Answers will vary. Accept logical, realistic answers. (Answers can include some of the following: Volcanoes create islands, leading to many island nations and cultures in the Pacific. Some of the islands are popular tourist destinations. Volcanic soil can be rich and good for farming. Volcanoes can be destructive. Earthquakes can be destructive. Geologic activity can cause earthquakes and tsunami.) 4. Answers will vary. Accept logical, realistic answers. (Most of the islands in the Pacific are of volcanic origin.) 5. Answers will vary. Accept logical, realistic answers. (The Pacific Ocean is shrinking due to plate tectonics – the continents to the east and west of the Pacific are gradually moving closer together.)

Map Skills 1. North America 2. South America 3. Asia 4. Australia 5. Accept three of the island nations shown on the map. (Island countries in or bordering the Pacific include Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Oceanian countries) 6. Accept five of the mainland countries bordering the Pacific shown on the map. (The continental countries bordering the Pacific are as follows: Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, People's Republic of China, Peru, Russia, United States of America) 7. (The “Ring of Fire” runs around the edge of the Pacific Ocean clockwise from Indonesia, along the edge of Asia through Japan, and down the west coast of North America and South America.) 8. The Pacific Ocean connects with the Atlantic at its south-eastern edge, and at the Panama canal. 9. The Arctic Ocean 10. The Southern Ocean

Japan

New Guinea

New Zealand