Ocean Surface Currents (Slides 1 & 2)
Streamlike movements of water that occur at or near the surface of the ocean are called
surface currents
What current is used in the movie?
east australian current
If Earth's surface were covered only with water, currents would travel in a __________ across the Earth.
fixed pattern
___________ are stream-like movements of ocean water far below the ocean surface.
Deep currents
A ____ is defined as a transfer of energy.
wave
The Gulf Stream transports __ times more water then all the rivers in the world.
25
Is the East Australian Current a warm or cold current?
warm
Cold water currents begin closer to the _____ and carry cool water to other parts of the ocean.
poles
Starting at a depth of about ___ meters, the water temperature becomes colder as the depth increases.
200
________ waves are waves that require a medium.
Mechanical
Surface currents can reach depths of several hundred meters and lengths of several thousand _________
kilometers
The current is almost ___ km wide, and more than 1.5 km deep
100 km wide
Warm water currents begin near the ________ and carry warm water to other parts of the ocean.
equator
Less-dense water always flows ________ of denser water.
on top
A __________ is the distance between two adjust crests or troughs.
wavelength
Because of the _________, currents in the Northern Hemisphere turn clockwise while currents in the Southern Hemisphere turn counterclockwise.
Coriolis Effect
The East Australian Current transports a staggering _________ cubic metres of water southward each second.
40 million
When currents meet landforms, they ___________
change direction
Ocean water gets denser when it becomes saltier or gets ______.
colder
Ocean ____ form because of friction between the wind and the surface of the water. Waves move in a circular pattern.
aves
What are the four factors that control surface currents?
global winds, the Coriolis effect, continental deflections, and the water temperature.
Speeds in the core of the EAC are among the strongest in the South Pacific, up to
4.5 mph an hour.
When currents meet landforms, they change direction. This is known as ____________.
continental deflection
The _______ water moves along the ocean floor and eventually travels toward the equator in the form of a deep current.
denser
We even use __________ to cook our food really fast.
microwaves