Major Ocean Currents
A large volume of water flowing in a certain direction.
What is an Ocean Current
The movement of wind and water to the right or left that is caused by the Earth's rotation.
What is the Coriolis Effect
A model of the large system of ocean currents that affects weather and climate by circulating thermal energy around Earth.
what is the Great Ocean Conveyor Belt
The vertical movement of water toward the ocean's surface.
What is upwelling
Affects weather and climate in many ways.
What are warm-water currents and cold-water currents
Wind-driven currents that carry warm or cold water horizontally across the ocean's surface.
What are surface currents
Fluids curve to the right and in a clockwise direction in this area.
Where is the Northern hemisphere
How long it takes the conveyor belt to complete a cycle.
what is 1,000 years
What rises when the wind blows across the ocean's surface and pushes water away from an area.
Regions near here are often warmer and wetter.
Where are warm-water currents
A narrow, powerful surface current that flows away from the shore and is caused by pressure from uneven buildup of waves.
What is a rip current
Fluids curve to the left in a counterclockwise direction in this area.
Where is the southern hemisphere
Where high salinity water cools and sinks.
where is the North Atlantic
Where upwelling often occurs.
Where are coastlines
A warm-water current that affects coastal areas of the southwestern United States.
A type of vertical current that carries water from the surface to deeper parts of the ocean, circulating thermal energy, nutrients, and gases.
What are density currents
Affects the flow and speed of currents.
what is the shape of continents and other land masses
Where deep water returns to the surface.
where are the Indian and Pacific Oceans
What upwelling brings to the ocean's surface.
What is cold, nutrient-rich water from deep in the ocean
Helps regulate Earth's temperature.
What are ocean currents
Influences the formation of ocean currents and the direction they move.
what is are prevailing winds
Where the effect is most noticeable/ the strongest.
Where are the poles (north and south)
what is thermohaline circulation
Areas of diverging surface currents.
Where is upwelling most likely to occur
Storing solar radiation, distributing heat and moisture around the globe, and driving weather systems.
What are the influences of the ocean on weather and climate