Arctic Ocean

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/arctic-ocean

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is the Arctic Ocean?14,060,000 km² (5,430,000 sq mi)
2. What is the location?Centered on the geographic North Pole, extending south to approximately 60°N latitude
3. What is the average salinity?Lowest among the world's five major oceans
4. Why does the Arctic Ocean have so much sea ice?Its cold temperatures, little evaporation, and freshwater from rivers keep the water less salty, so ice forms and stays on the surface.
5. How does sea ice affect the planet’s climate?The ice reflects sunlight back into space, a process called the albedo effect, which helps keep the Earth cooler.

Arctic Mediterranean Sea: An alternative name used by some oceanographers, highlighting its connection to surrounding continents.
Albedo Effect: The measure of how much light that hits a surface is reflected without being absorbed, crucial for Earth's temperature regulation.
Arctic Amplification: The phenomenon where the Arctic region is warming at a rate much faster than the global average.