How Does the Ocean Affect the Climate?

The ocean is like a giant bathtub that helps keep the Earth cool or warm. When it's hot, it holds onto the heat and sends it to other places, kind of like a big, slow heater. Currents in the ocean move water around, helping carry warmth from one part of the world to another.

Take the quiz →

Examples

  1. The ocean is like a big heater, when it moves warm water from the tropics toward the poles, it warms up places that are usually cold.
  2. During winter, the ocean can keep cities warmer than they would be otherwise, like how the Gulf Stream helps keep Europe milder.
  3. When the ocean gets too hot, it sends extra heat into the air, this makes weather more extreme and can cause big storms.

Ask a question

See also

Discussion

Recent activity

Nothing here yet.