The sea is so big because water gradually accumulated over millions of years.
The Earth's oceans didn't form overnight. It was a very long process! Think of it like filling a giant bathtub, but instead of a faucet, you have the slow and steady release of water from inside the Earth itself. This process, called 'degassing', gradually filled the basins that now hold our world ocean.
Here's a breakdown:
- The Source: Most scientists believe the water came from the Earth's interior.
- The Process: 'Degassing': Volcanic activity and other geological processes released water vapor from the Earth's mantle into the atmosphere. This is degassing. (Reference: At this time, about 3.8 billion years ago, the water condensed into rain which filled the basins that we now know as our world ocean. Most scientists agree that the atmosphere and the ocean accumulated gradually over millions and millions of years with the continual 'degassing' of the Earth's interior.)
- Condensation and Rain: Over immense periods, this water vapor condensed and fell as rain.
- Filling the Basins: This rain filled the low-lying areas and basins on Earth, eventually forming the vast oceans we see today. This happened about 3.8 billion years ago.
- Time Scale: This was not a quick event. It took millions and millions of years for this accumulation to occur.
Therefore, the sheer volume of water released over such an extended period is why the sea is so big.
