The residual part of 'Panthalassa' is known as

Question

Accepted Answer

The residual part of 'Panthalassa' is known as Pacific Ocean because:

*   **Panthalassa was the superocean that surrounded the supercontinent Pangaea.** As Pangaea broke apart due to plate tectonics, the single, massive ocean of Panthalassa also fragmented.

*   **The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's oceanic divisions.** It represents the remaining, albeit significantly altered, portion of the original Panthalassa. The other oceans formed as Pangaea drifted apart, filling the gaps created by the continental movement.

*   **The Pacific Ocean's vast size and location directly correlate with the original extent of Panthalassa.** It occupies a significant portion of what was once the single global ocean.

Here's why the other options are incorrect:

*   **Atlantic Ocean:** The Atlantic Ocean formed *after* the breakup of Pangaea, as the Americas drifted away from Europe and Africa. It is a relatively "younger" ocean compared to the Pacific and was not the residual part of Panthalassa.

*   **Indian Ocean:** The Indian Ocean also formed as a result of the breakup of Pangaea, specifically as India separated from Gondwana and moved northward. It is not the remnant of Panthalassa.

*   **Arctic Ocean:** The Arctic Ocean is a relatively small and shallow ocean located in the Arctic region. It is not a remnant of the vast Panthalassa. Its formation is related to the later stages of continental drift and the opening of the Atlantic.