Density Currents
What is salinity?
Amount of dissolved salts and minerals in water
What drives surface currents?
Wind
What is a gyre?
Large circulating pattern of ocean currents
What does most ocean pollution consist of?
Plastic
What way do currents bend in the Northern Hemisphere?
Clockwise or right
What 2 things determine density currents?
Temperature and Salinity
On what side of continents are warm currents?
Eastern
What is the coriolis effect?
The deflection of objects on Earth due to the Earth's rotation
What does marine life mistake plastic for?
Plankton
What is the nickname of the North Pacific Gyre due to its pollution?
Garbage Patch Island/Great Pacific Garbage Patch
What type of water will sink?(2 things)
Cold and Salty
What is the name of our local warm current?
The Gulf Stream
What way do currents bend in the Southern Hemisphere?
Counterclockwise or left
Why is it so hard to clean up plastic pollution in our gyres?
Small pieces constantly moving in mush like mass
What is the system of ocean currents called?
Ocean Conveyor Belt
What is upwelling?
Cold, nutrient dense water rises to the surface
Where does the California current come from?
The Poles
How many gyres are there?
5
What is the name of one of the dangerous chemicals found in plastics?(initials)
BPA
What food is the plastic pollution in the gyres compared to?
Soup
What is the name of an important density current near Antartica?
Antarctic Bottom Water
Why are surface currents so important?
They regulate climate by bringing warmth and cold where needed
What gyre are we a part of?
The North Atlantic Gyre
What are the name of the birds from the documentary that are horribly affected by plastic at Midway Island?
Albatross
What happened in Europe when glaciers melted and added cold fresh water to the ocean?
Ice Age-shut down Ocean Conveyor Belt