• Oceans Key Concepts

    SchoolCenter Picture

    • The ocean is a dynamic system in which many chemical, biological, and physical changes are taking place.
    • The oceans are environmentally and economically important.
    • Human activities and public policy have important consequences for the oceans.
    • The oceans' resources are finite and should be utilized with care.
    • The impact of human activities, such as waste disposal, construction, and agriculture, affect the water quality within watershed systems and ultimately the ocean.
    • Convection is the major mechanism of energy transfer in the oceans, atmosphere, and Earth's interior.
    • The ocean is the single largest reservoir of heat at Earth's surface.
    • The topography of the seafloor is at least as variable as that on the continents.