Ocean Currents
The name of the circular pattern for rotating ocean currents
Gyre
Where is the majority of thermal energy concentrated?
What is a surface current?
horizontal movement of water in a regular pattern at the ocean’s surface
Hot water is (less dense/denser) than cold water.
less dense
In what way does water and wind move?
As warm water/wind _____ (rises or sinks), cool water/wind _______ (rises or sinks)
rises, sinks
How does kinetic energy move through the ocean?
The wind creates waves
What is an ocean current?
a movement of ocean water that follows a regular pattern
Other acceptable answers: describing how an ocean current works
Which sequence shows the chain of energy transfers that create surface currents on the ocean? Circle the letter of the correct answer.
A. solar energy, wind energy, surface currents
B. wind energy, solar energy, surface currents
C. tidal energy, wind energy, surface currents
D. geothermal energy, wind energy, surface currents
A. solar energy, wind energy, surface currents
A horizontal movement of ocean water caused by wind and occurs at or near the surface
Surface current
How thermal energy moves
Radiation
What is upwelling
Movement of water from the bottom to the top
Which action can cause an increase in density that results in a deep ocean current? Circle the letter of the correct answer.
A. The sun heats the water’s surface.
B. A warm wind blows across cold water.
C. An iceberg melts, adding fresh water to ocean water.
D. Warm water loses energy to its surroundings and cools.
D. Warm water loses energy to its surroundings and cools.
What effect causes wind and water to move in a curved pattern based on the Earth's rotation
Coriolis Effect
When something cools, is it gaining or losing heat energy
Losing
What is the hydrosphere?
all of Earth’s water, including rivers, oceans, clouds, and precipitation
What role does heat play in the formation of convection currents? Circle the letter of the correct answer.
A. When water loses heat, it becomes denser and sinks.
B. When water gains heat, it becomes denser and sinks.
C. When water loses heat to cooler water, the cooler water becomes denser and sinks.
D. When water gains heat, it dissolves more solids and gases, becomes denser, and sinks.
C. When water loses heat to cooler water, the cooler water becomes denser and sinks.
A stream-like movement of water far below the surface
Deep ocean current
What is kinetic energy?
What is convection?
The movement of matter due to differences in density
The process of upwelling occurs when water from deep in the ocean rises to the surface. Explain why upwelling would occur near the equator.
The water is getting heated more, cool water is deeper and begins to rise due to the increase in thermal energy