Currents
Waves
Tides
Vocabulary
Gyres
100
What causes surface currents?
Wind
100
Ocean waves are what type of wave?
Orbital
100
What is a tide?
Daily variation in sea level at a shoreline which varies by location
100
The constant motion of the ocean that is responsible for distributing heat throughout the world is known as what?
Ocean Conveyor Belt
100
What is an ocean gyre?
A large circular pattern of ocean movement caused by the meeting up of several currents
200

What is the name of the current located near the coast of Japan that leads back East into the Pacific Ocean?

The Kuroshio current

200
How is wave speed calculated?
It is calculated by dividing the wavelength by the period of a wave.
200
What is Equilibrium Theory and who created it?
Theory that describes the driving factor of tides as two tidal bulges caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on Earth created by Isaac Newton
200

What is the term for a certain kind of tide that occurs when the three astral bodies (Sun, Earth, and Moon) are in alignment

Spring Tide
200
How many major world gyres are there?
5
300
What causes deep ocean circulation?
Differences in water mass density (thermohaline circulation)
300
What are the 3 important parts of a wave?
Crest, Trough, and Wavelength
300
The Bay of Fundy in Canada is an example of a location where what occurs?
Extreme Tides
300

What is the term that causes certain currents to move in a certain direction depending on the hemisphere it is located in

The Coriolis Effect

300
What direction do gyres move in the northern hemisphere?
Right / Clockwise
400
Describe three characteristics of a western boundary current.
Warm temperature, high volume, fast current, flowing toward a pole
400

What is the name of a type of wave that is caused by a large displacement of water, typically from earthquakes

Tsunami

400
A _______ _______ is when the ocean is pulled into huge waves with a wavelength the size of the entire ocean basin.
Tidal Bulge
400
What is a geostrophic current?
A current caused by the Earth’s rotation
400
Name the major world gyres.
North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, and Indian
500
How does ocean circulation effect world climate?
Ocean circulation is responsible for moving heat throughout the world and therefore determines climate.
500
What are disturbing forces?
Forces that create waves such as wind or seismic activity
500
The Dynamic Theory of Tides takes into account that there are actually more than two tidal bulges and that tides are affected by what other factors?
Imperfect shape of the Earth, seasons, the shape of the ocean basins, & the Coriolis Effect
500
What causes downwelling and why is it beneficial?
It occurs when water is pushed against a coastline, forcing surface water to sink down. Downwelling is a key component to keeping the ocean oxygenated.
500
Name the 3 major currents in the North Atlantic Gyre.
Gulf Stream, Canary Current, and the N. Equatorial Current
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