 Skip Navigation  8.10: Importance of the Oceans  Difficulty
Level: At Grade Created by: CK-12 Atoms Practice Practice
Importance of the Oceans Practice Now  Just what is down there?
Mostly the oceans are cold, dark and have extremely high
pressure. Except at the very top, they are completely
inhospitable to humans. Even this humpback whale can only dive
to about 700 feet, so there's a lot about the ocean it doesn't
know. Earth would not be the same planet without its oceans.
Oceans Moderate Climate  The oceans, along with the atmosphere,
keep temperatures fairly constant worldwide. While some places
on Earth get as cold as -70oC and others as hot as 55oC, the
range is only 125oC. On Mercury temperatures go from -180oC to
430oC, a range of 610oC.  The oceans, along with the atmosphere,
distribute heat around the planet. The oceans absorb heat near
the equator and then move that solar energy to more polar
regions. The oceans also moderate climate within a region. At
the same latitude, the temperature range i