Ocean surface currents
Surface currents are controlled by four
factors
global winds, the Coriolis effect,
continental deflections, and the water
temperature
The East Australian Current does flow along
the
East coast of Australia
Warm water currents begin near the
equator
_________are stream-like movements of ocean water far below the ocean surface
Deep currents
Ocean waves form because of________between the wind and the surface of the water
friction
he Gulf Stream, which is one of the
longest surface currents, transports_______
times more water than all of the rivers in
the world and flows from Florida to Iceland!
25
Speeds in the core of the EAC are
among the strongest in the South Pacific, up
to
4.5 mph an hour
Coldwater currents begin closer to the
poles
_________________affect the density of ocean water
Temperature and salinity
Waves move in a__________pattern
circular
Global winds blowing across the Earth’s surface create
surface currents
The East Australian Current transports a staggering____________cubic meters of water southward each second
40 million
Surface currents greatly affect the___________in many parts of the world
Climate
Ocean water gets______when it becomes saltier or gets colder
denser
A____________-is the distance between two adjust crests or troughs
wavelength
Just as with winds, the rotation of the Earth causes
surface currents to move in curved paths
The current is almost____km wide
100
Some surface currents warm and some cool coastal areas_________
year-round
_____air chills the water molecules at the surface, causing them to move closer together
Cold
A________is the highest point and the trough is the lowest point
crest
Because of the Coriolis Effect, currents in the Northern Hemisphere turn
clockwise
it flows________from the Great Barrier Reef
southward
Warm-water currents create_______climates in coastal areas
warmer
The_______water moves along the ocean floor and eventually travels toward the equator in the form of a deep current
denser
A crest is the highest point and the_______is the lowest point
trough