The oceans are said to be the "source of life." The enormous, blue, calm oceans are the signatures of the planet earth. They cover nearly three-fourths of the surface of the earth. This is equal to 71 percent of the earth's entire surface or about 361 million sq km (140 million sq mi). Its average depth is 5000 m (16,000 ft), and its total volume is about 1,347,000,000 cu km (322,300,000 cu mi). This includes the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. These oceans are bordered by the continental masses or by ocean ridges or currents. The ocean basins hold at immense amount of over 285 million cubic miles of water (1185 million cu. km.). This quantity of water developed from the Earth's interior as it cooled.
             In order to understand the role water plays in our lives, you must know the chemistry of water itself. Each molecule of water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. The hydrogen atoms bond to the oxygen atom unevenly by sharing electrons. This is shown in figure 1-1. Important interactions take place because of the electron sharing. The oxygen atom tends to draw the electrons provided by the Hydrogen atoms closer to its nucleus, making an electrical separation and a polar molecule. The polar nature results in the hydrogen end (which has a positive charge) attracting the oxygen end (with a negative charge) of other nearby water molecules. This forms hydrogen bonds between other water molecules. These bonds are weak compared to the electron sharing bonds (6% as strong) and are easily broken and changed. This is shown in figure 1-2.
             There are many different properties of the ocean water. Seawater is fresh water and dissolved solids in gases due to erosion and weathering of landmasses. In figure 1-3, it shows the electromagnetic spectrum and the transmission of light into fresh or salt water. Objects such as rocks are being dissolved by rainwater and flowing out to sea with the rivers. The ga...