why are some bodies of water called lakes, some oceans, some seas. What is the diff between a sea and a ocean?

Answer 1

A lake is a body of water or other liquid of considerable size surrounded by land.

A sea is a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, or a large, usually saline, lake that lacks a natural outlet such as the Caspian Sea and the Dead Sea. The term is used colloquially as synonymous with ocean, as in the tropical sea or down to the sea shore, or even sea water referring to water of the ocean.

Geologically, an ocean is an area of oceanic crust covered by water. Smaller regions of the oceans are called seas, gulfs, straits and other names.

I hope this helps answers your questions.

Answer 2

Oceans and sea, it's all related to subdivisions of the interconnected body of salt water that occupies almost three-quarters of the Earth's surface: this continuos body of salt water, is called the world ocean. It is subdivided into four (or five) major units that are separated from each other in most cases by the continental masses, which are called oceans. These major oceans are further subdivided into smaller regions loosely called seas, gulfs, or bays.
world ocean ==> oceans ==> seas
• Of the major units that comprise the world ocean, three—the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans—, are largely delimited by land and submarine topographic boundaries; they extend northward from Antarctica as huge “gulfs” separating the continents. The fourth, the Arctic Ocean, nearly landlocked by Eurasia and North America and nearly circular in outline, caps the north polar region. The Southern Ocean (also called the Antarctic Ocean) is now often considered a fifth, separate ocean, extending from the shores of Antarctica northward to about 60°S.
• On the other hand, lake is an inland body of standing water, small to moderately large in size, with its surface exposed to the atmosphere, occupying a hollow in the earth's surface. Generically speaking, all bodies of water of this type are lakes, although small lakes usually are called ponds, tarns (in mountains), and less frequently pools or meres. Most lakes are composed of fresh water, but some are more salty than the oceans. Generally speaking, a number of water bodies which are called seas are actually salt lakes; examples are the Dead, Caspian, and Aral seas. All salt lakes are found under desert or semiarid climates,
Ponds are generally small, shallow lakes; the criterion for differentiating between ponds and lakes is usually temperature. Ponds have a more consistent temperature throughout; while lakes, because they are deeper, have a stratified temperature structure that depends on the season.

Answer 3

Diffrences in Size is the biggest factor Seas are alot smaller than oceans and are also close to coasts or lands

Answer 4

A lake is completely surrounded by land.

A sea is either all or mostly surrounded by land. Think Caspian sea, Red Sea, Mediterrian Sea. etc...

You should be able to figure out what makes something an ocean for yourself.

Answer 5

I picked river and that far from actual.i'm no longer a city individual in any respect. even although for the previous 4 years i've got been living in between the main important becoming cities in the international. the only reason I picked river is using the fact it jogs my memory of a river someplace in the mountains far faraway from any vast city with a alluring waterfall or something.

Answer 6

there are only four oceans; lots of seas.

seas are much smaller. in a few cases, they can even be fresh-water.

Answer 7

Diffrences in Size, Shape, salty or fresh

Answer 8

Try this web site:

http://geography.about.com/od/physicalgeography/a/waterbodies.htm