Deep in the Ocean

Deep in the Ocean

Deep Underwater Imagine taking a trip to the deepest part of the ocean. What kinds of things would you expect to see? Would it be dark or light? Would the water be clear or cloudy? Would it be warm or cold? Would you find strange new animals and plants?

Sunlight warms the surface, or shallow parts, of the ocean down to about 200 meters (656 ft). Plants and animals that need sunlight and warm water live there, such as dolphins and sharks. Deep in the ocean, other animals, including squid and viperfish, live in water that is cold and dark.

Diving Deep in the Ocean The deep ocean, below 1, 000 meters (3, 281 ft), is freezing cold. The weight of water, or water pressure, below 39. 6 meters (130 ft) can harm you. Sport divers wear air tanks filled with a mixture of gases for safety. Deep divers wear a special hard diving suit to protect them from the water pressure. For really deep dives, groups of two or three scientists ride in a small submarine called a submersible.

Oceanographers Scientists who study the ocean are called oceanographers (oh-shuh-NOG-ruh-furs). They often live for months on a ship and work seven days a week. Some study what a sea animal eats and where it lives. Others study the ocean water itself. All of them have to understand biology and chemistry. Biology is the study of living things. Chemistry is the study of what things are made of.

Using Satellites for Tracking Satellites can help to track sea animals' travels. Scientists tag some animals with electronic sensors. A satellite can track the signal from the tag on the animal's fin or back. Tracking the signal shows where the animal goes.