Because all of the major bodies of water on Earth are connected, there is some debate regarding the names of various oceans. In general, an ocean is separated from the ocean next to it if there is a major shift in the chemical makeup of the ocean or if there is a major shift in trade routes. The readily accepted oceans on the planet include the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. There is some debate whether there is also a Southern Ocean, but these are the main oceans that people discuss when they are talking about the oceans on Earth.
The largest ocean on earth is the Pacific Ocean. It is also the deepest of the oceans on the planet. The Pacific Ocean runs from the western coast of the United States to the eastern coast of Japan and China. The Pacific Ocean is also accessible from Australia, which is located in the southwestern corner of the ocean. In total, the Pacific Ocean covers more than 63 million square miles, representing approximately 45 percent of the total water mass of the Earth. As a result, it is typically divided into the Northern Pacific Ocean and Southern Pacific Ocean, which makes it easier for people to talk about geography and directions. The deepest portion of the Pacific Ocean is the Mariana Trench, which is approximately 4,000 meters below the surface of the water. It is located in the Northwestern area of the Pacific Ocean, and it is widely accepted to be the deepest point on the planet.
The Atlantic Ocean is on the other side of North America from the Pacific Ocean. It is also a very large ocean, and it is approximately 41 million square miles in size. Therefore, it is significantly smaller than the Pacific Ocean, but the Atlantic Ocean also has a lot of very important trade routes. The Atlantic Ocean spans the Equator, so it is also frequently divided into the northern Atlantic Ocean and the southern Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean was crossed by Christopher Columbus in 1492 when he reached the Americas for the first time.
There are a lot of people who believe that the Pacific Ocean is significantly colder than the Atlantic Ocean. In reality, there are portions of each ocean that are both hot and cold. Much of this perception has to do with the United States. If you were to swim in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the United States, you would find that it is significantly colder than the Atlantic coast on the other side of the country. On the other hand, if you were to swim in the portion of the Pacific Ocean that is close to the equator, you would find that it is still very warm. There are also portions of the northern Atlantic that are absolutely frigid, such as where the Titanic sank.