Ocean Surface Currents (Slides 1 & 2)
Streamlike movements of water that occur at or near the surface of the ocean are called
Surface currents
The East Australian Current transports a staggering _ million cubic meters of water southward each second
40
what is a continental deflection?
When currents meet landforms, they change direction.
What are deep currents?
Deep currents are stream-like movements of ocean water far below the ocean surface.
Waves are made of two main components what are they?
Crests and troughs.
Surface currents are controlled by four
factors what are they?
global winds, the Coriolis effect,
continental deflections, and the water
temperature.
The ______ Australian Current does flow along
the East coast of Australia
East
Warm _currents begin near the equator and carry warm water to other parts of the ocean
Water
What are deep currents mainly controlled by?
Deep currents are mainly controlled by increases in water density.
What is a wavelength?
A wavelength is the distance between two adjust crests or troughs.
what body of water do surface currents mimic
Rivers
Speeds in the core of the EAC are
among the strongest in the South Pacific, up
to _____ mph an hour.
4.5
what causes changes in the atmosphere that disrupt the climate in many parts of the world.
When some surface currents warm and some cool coastal areas year-round.
Cold air chills the water molecules at the surface, causing them to move closer together. As a result what happens?
As a result, the volume of the water decreases, and the water becomes denser.
How do ocean waves form?
Ocean waves form because of friction between the wind and the surface of the water.
which surface current transports 25 times more water than all the rivers in the world and flows from Florida to Iceland
The gulf stream
The East Australian Current is / or is not the
fast-flowing warp-tube as it’s portrayed in
the movie
Is not
Cold-water currents create cooler climates where?
in coastal areas that would be much warmer (San Francisco).
Less-dense water always flows on ________
Water
What are mechanical waves?
Mechanical waves are waves that require a medium.
what creates surface currents
Global winds blowing across the Earth’s surface
the real East Australian Current is much bigger / much smaller than in the movie
Bigger.
if Earth's surface were covered only with water, how would currents travel?
Currents would travel in a fixed pattern across the Earth.
What affects ocean water density?
Temperature and salinity.
What is a wave defined as?
A transfer of energy.