Difference Between Ocean, Rivers and Lakes

The difference between the oceans, rivers, and lakes is based on the water quality, habitat, and many other factors. Water is found in different forms across the globe: fresh or salty, long and narrow or wide and round, and partially or fully surrounded by land. An ocean is a large water body containing salt that surrounds a continent.

A river is a large flowing water body that ends up in an ocean whereas a lake is a large water body surrounded by land from all sides. Some major differences between oceans, rivers, and lakes should be noted. In this article, we will understand what an ocean is, what a river is, and what a lake is and their differences.

What is an Ocean?

An ocean is a huge body of salt water that surrounds the whole of a continent. Presently, the ocean covers more than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface. The oceans are larger and deeper than the sea. An important point is that the movement of currents in the oceans affects the weather in the whole world. There are five oceans in the world namely:

• The Pacific Ocean,
• The Atlantic Ocean
• The Arctic Ocean
• The Indian Ocean
• The Antarctic Ocean

Characteristics of Ocean

The important characteristics of oceans are mentioned below:

• Approximately 97 percent of the world’s water is found in the ocean.
• Due to this reason, the ocean has considerable impact on the Earths’s weather conditions, the food supply of humans and other organisms and temperature.
• Towering mountain ranges are present in the ocean.
• It also contains deep canyons called trenches which are similar to those present on land.

What is a River?

A river is a natural stream of free-flowing water. It can originate from a glacier that is melting or from a melting snow or a lake. The Nile River in Africa and the Amazon River in South America are the two largest rivers. The strong flow of a river can even form a delta whose famous example is the Sunderban delta. The reason for its formation was weathering and erosion.

Characteristics of River

Some of the main characteristics of the river are mentioned below:

• Rivers are divided into three main zones — Erosion (dominant in the upper course), Transportation and Deposition (dominant in the lower course).
• A river flows downhill due to the force of gravity.
• A river can be wide and deep, or shallow enough for a person to cross it.
• Some rivers flow the whole year that is their water never dries up while some flow only during a particular season or when there has been a lot of rain.
• All rivers have a starting point where water begins its flow and this source is referred to as headwater.
• Similarly the other end of a river is called its mouth, where water empties into a larger body of water which can be a lake or ocean.

What is a Lake?

A large water body of stagnant water within an area is defined as a lake. It can be either natural such as formed by glaciers, or man-made, such as reservoirs. The size of lakes differ greatly in size and depth. The physical characteristics of a lake are affected by wind, light, and temperature. Lakes are abundant in nitrogen and phosphorus allowing the growth of nutrient-rich plants in them. Many different species of plants and aquatic animals are found in it.

Characteristics of Lake

The following are some of the characteristics of a lake:

• The main sources of lake water are melting ice and snow, direct precipitation, springs, rivers, runoff from the land surface.
• A good supply of light, heat, oxygen, and nutrients is found in the upper part of lakes which is distributed properly by turbulence and currents. Mostly found organisms are plankton (mainly diatoms), algae, and flagellates.
• In the lower levels and in the sediments bacteria are the main forms of life found.

Difference Between Ocean, Rivers, and Lakes

Following are some important differences between river and sea and ocean:

Ocean	River	Lake
Huge water body that covers 2/3rd of the earth’s surface.	Flowing water body that ends in an ocean or a sea.	Stagnant water body.
Acts as the end point for other small water bodies.	Connects to a larger water body.	Does not end in any other water body.
These are naturally formed.	These are naturally formed.	These can be natural or man-made.
It’s a saltwater source.	It’s a freshwater source.	It’s a freshwater source.
Variety of aquatic species are found in an ocean.	Aquatic species found in rivers are comparatively lesser than oceans.	A lesser variety of aquatic species are found in lakes.
Examples : Octopus, sharks, giant squid, whales.	Examples : Crocodiles, and fish.	Examples : Ducks, fish, and water snakes.

Conclusion: Difference Between Ocean, Rivers, and Lakes

It can be concluded that there are major differences between oceans, rivers, and lakes. Oceans are the largest water bodies on Earth. They are the endpoints of all the other small water bodies. Rivers are the flowing water bodies whereas lakes are stagnant or still water bodies. There are many different types of water bodies apart from the ones discussed above. There are some basic differences among these water bodies that are based on whether the water is salty or fresh, or the depth of the waterbody is more or less, etc. Thus, based on these points any waterbody can be categorized easily.

FAQs on Difference Between Ocean, Rivers and Lakes

Is there any Difference between a Oceanwater and a Riverwater?

Yes, ocean water and river water have a difference. The ocean water is contains high amount of salt in it whereas the river water contains freshwater so they don’t taste salty.

Name the Sea that is Known to be the only Sea without Shores.

The only sea in the world that is surrounded by other seas is the Sargasso Sea which lies in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is named after Sargassum which is a species of seaweed that covers its waters.

What is the Difference between Water in the Oceans and Water in the Lakes?

The salt percentage in ocean water is very high. But lakes contain stagnant freshwater.

What is the Difference between Ocean and Sea?

The main difference between oceans and sea is that oceans are much larger than seas. Many seas are partly surrounded by land but oceans are not. Also it can be said that seas are located within the oceans.

How do you Differentiate between a Sea and a Lake?

The difference between a sea and a lake is that a sea has a direct outlet to the ocean, whereas lakes do not. Lakes may be above or below sea level.

What is the Smallest Ocean in the World?

The smallest ocean in the world is the Arctic Ocean.

What are Tides?

Tides are the rhythmic rising and falling of sea levels that are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun.

What is the Difference Between River and Sea Class 4?

The difference between a river and a sea is that a river is a flowing body of water that moves towards the ocean, while a sea is a large body of saltwater that is connected to an ocean.

What are the Similarities Between Ocean and River?

Some similarities between oceans and rivers include both being bodies of water, supporting aquatic life, and being influenced by factors like temperature and climate.