Ocean Currents
Surface Currents
Deep Currents
100
What is an ocean current?
The movement of ocean water that follows a regular pattern.
100
What is a surface current?
A horizontal movement of ocean water that is caused by wind and occurs at or near the ocean surface.
100
What is a deep current?
A stream-like movement of ocean water far below the surface.
200
What is the main difference between surface currents and deep currents?
Surface currents occur near the surface while deep current occur far below the surface.
200
What are the three main factors that influence surface currents?
global winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflection
200
In what parts of the ocean do deep currents form?
Where density increases.
300
What factors influence ocean currents? (List 4)
The rotation of the earth, the position of the continents, weather, and water density.
300

What effect do ocean currents have on the climate?

Warm-water currents create warmer climates in coastal regions that are normally cold and cold-water currents create cooler climates in coastal regions that are normally hot.

300
What two (2) factors cause an increase in water density?
An decrease in temperature and an increase in salinity (saltiness).
400
What factor affects both deep and surface currents?
Temperature.
400
What direction does the Coriolis Effect move currents in the Northern Hemisphere? Southern Hemisphere?
Clockwise=Northern Hemisphere Counter-clockwise=Southern Hemisphere
400
What are two ways that ocean water experiences increased salinity?
Freezing and Evaporation.
500
Can you give an example of how ocean currents have impacted humans recently?
Ex. Tsunami debris landing on Alaskan shores, the faster the global conveyor belt moves, the more likely it is that hurricanes will form, oil spills and where the contamination is carried, etc.
500
What happens when surface currents meet continents (i.e. land)?
They deflect, or change direction.
500

Warm water is ________ dense and _________ than cold water

less, lighter

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