Final answer:
Oceans cover approximately 70% of the Earth's surface, play a crucial role in supporting life, and contain about 97% of the planet's water.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oceans cover approximately 70% of the Earth's surface, which is a significant amount. The vastness of the oceans is crucial for various ecosystems and for numerous species of fish, mammals, and sea turtles. However, despite the size and significance of the oceans, they are not inexhaustible and face challenges like pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction.
The importance of the oceans goes beyond their coverage of the Earth's surface; they also contain about 97% of the planet's water, with most of the remaining water being locked in glaciers and ice sheets. The oceans play a vital role in supporting life on Earth, from coral reefs to deep ocean ecosystems that are abundant with marine organisms and perform a substantial part of Earth's photosynthesis.