Origin of Continent and Ocean Basins

Ocean basins and continents are the fundamental features of relief. Oceans basins originate from the rising of magma and mantle materials, rifting, and spitting of the continental crust in the lithosphere of the earth. There are five main ocean basins such as the Atlantic, Southern, Arctic, Pacific, and Indian. Among all these ocean basins, the Atlantic Ocean has the simplest ocean-floor age pattern. The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean among all these, covering 30% of the surface area of the Earth. There are 7 major continents in the world such as “Asia, Europe, Antarctica, Australia, South America, North America and Africa”. Among all these seven continents of the world, Australia is the smallest and Asia is the biggest continent. 

Continents and Ocean Basins: Origin

The ocean basins and the continents are the fundamental relief features of the Earth which are also considered the first-order relief features. The origin of continents and oceans is mainly associated with endogenic forces that are responsible for the gigantic lithospheric plates’ movements in the crust of the Earth. Based on the statements of Wegner, it can be stated that continents are mainly the sections of Pangea, the supercontinent present previously. Pangea gradually broke into various small parts and drifted across the present location to form independent continents. Lateral displacement formation has resulted in the transformation faults of the offset, Oceanic ridge’s axis. The movements of the lithospheric plates are mainly indicated by rifts and ridges. 

Stages of Formation of Ocean Basins 

Ocean basins have initially formed by the splitting or rifting and stretching of the continental crust. The rise of magma and materials of the Earth’s mantle within the crack is the integrated step of new oceanic lithosphere formation. Origin of the ocean basin occurs through 6 stages. 

• Embryonic

This is the first stage where due to the splitting of the continents formation of rift valleys occurs. For example, Eastern Africa and the Great Rift Valley have formed by this process. 

• Juvenile 

In this stage, the formation of sea-floor basalts occurs due to the divergence in continental sections. The red sea has been formed by this process. 

• Mature 

In this stage, sub ducts begin due to the widening of broad ocean basins, and the development of the trench. The Atlantic Ocean has formed by this process. 

• Declining

The Pacific Ocean has formed by the process of elimination of subducts from oceanic ridge and sea-floor. 

• Terminal 

The Persian Gulf, a narrow ocean basin has formed due to input of sedimentation in the young ranges of mountains along with flanks. 

• Suturing 

In this stage, a continental collision takes place with regional uplift and the formation of high mountain belts occurs. The Tibetan Plateau and Himalayas are formed by this process. 

Number of Oceans and Continents of the World

There are seven continents and five oceans in the World. 

The five main oceans are:

• Atlantic
• Southern
• Arctic
• Pacific
• Indian

The seven major continents of the world are: 

• Europe
• Antarctica
• South America
• North America
• Asia
• Africa 
• Australia

Oceans are the life support system of all living organisms as they regulate climates by absorbing carbon dioxide and generating enough oxygen necessary for breathing. The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the World and it covers nearly 30% of the surface of the Earth. 

Seven Continents and Five Oceans

The oceans of the World account for nearly 97% of the water that exists on the Earth. Water bodies of the planet provide 3% of freshwaters from lakes, rivers, and ice caps and 97% of the water from oceans. The major ocean of the World is the Pacific Ocean which lies in the west of North America, covering 30% of Earth’s surface. There are also other 4 main ocean basins like Atlantic, Arctic, Southern, and Indian. Continents are the large pieces of land present on the surface of the Earth. The seven main continents are “Europe, Australia, Antarctica, South and North America, Asia, and Africa”. Among all these, Australia is the smallest and Asia is the biggest continent. 

Conclusion

The origin of continents and ocean basins occured due to movements of the tectonic plates in the lithosphere of Earth. Wegner’s theory states that when the subducts and collision among the continents occurs, the plates of the mantle and the crust in the Earth’s lithosphere diverge gradually into distinct segments. These segments then move far from each other to form independent continents. There are five main oceans basins like Atlantic, Southern, Arctic, Pacific, and Indian, formed due to rifting and stretching continental crust and the rise of magma and mantle materials.