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Geography/World Oceans
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.
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Geography/World Oceans
Name _____________________________ Date ____________________
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
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Geography/World Oceans
Name _____________________________ Date ____________________
Use more than one complete sentence to answer these questions
1. How did the Pacific Ocean get its name?
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2. From the way it is used in the article what do you think is the meaning of
marine?
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3. How do volcanoes and other geological activity affect life in and near the
Pacific Ocean?
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4. Why do you think the Pacific Ocean has so many islands?
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5. Why is the Pacific Ocean shrinking?
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© 2010 abcteach.com
Geography/World Oceans
Name _____________________________ Date ____________________
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?
© 2010 abcteach.com
Geography/World Oceans
Name _____________________________ Date ____________________
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?
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© 2010 abcteach.com
Geography/World Oceans
Name _____________________________ Date ____________________
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
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Japan
New Guinea
New Zealand