earth's vast oceans

smt 2, qtr 2

pangaea

• largest supercontinent

• existed during the late paleozoic / early mesozoic era

• laurasia = northern continents

• gondwana = southern continents

panthalassa

• single enormous ocean surrounding pangaea

• stretched from pole to pole & extended twice the width of the present-day pacific ocean

paleo-pacific

means “old pacific”

tethys ocean

• ocean that surrounded the southeast

• formed the atlantic / arctic / indian ocean

age of exploration

• early 15th to 17th century

• sailors claimed they have sailed the “seven seas”

• seven seas — reference to all oceans of the world

arctic ocean

• smallest of the world’s oceans

• centering apprx. on the north pole

atlantic ocean

• 1/5 of earth

• seperates europe / africa from north / south america

• s-shape, narrow

indian ocean

• 3rd smallest

• geologically youngest

• physically most complex of the world’s 3 major oceans

pacific ocean

• developed from panthalassa during mesozoic era

• north & west

• 1/3 of the earth’s surface

• between continents of asia / australia on the west & north / south america on the east

southern ocean

• newest named ocean

• 1/16 of the earth’s total area