Types of Currents
These are the two main types of ocean currents
What are surface currents and deep currents?
This effect is caused by the rotation of the Earth.
What is the Coriolis effect?
These global patterns push surface ocean water across the planet.
What are global wind patterns?
Question: Surface currents help distribute this around the Earth.
Question: This process brings cold, nutrient-rich water up to the surface.
This type of current is driven mainly by wind.
Answer: What are surface currents?
In the Northern Hemisphere, currents curve in this direction.
What is to the right (clockwise)?
The spinning of Earth that causes currents to curve.
What is the Coriolis effect?
Question: This is the long-term pattern of weather that currents influence.
Question: Upwelling most often occurs along these areas.
Answer : What is the equator?
This type of current is driven by differences in density (temperature and salinity).
What are deep currents?
In the Southern Hemisphere, currents curve in this direction.
This factor refers to how continents and ocean floors influence current direction.
What is the shape of the ocean basin?
Question: Warm currents usually make nearby land areas feel this way.
Question: This is why upwelling is important for marine life.
This process moves surface water down into the deep ocean.
Answer: What is downwelling?
True or False: The Coriolis effect affects moving fluids like air and water.
What is True?
This factor relates to how salty the water is and can influence movement.
What is salinity?
Cold currents usually make nearby land areas feel this way.
Question: This happens when surface water becomes denser and sinks.
Answer: What is downwelling?