Driving Forces
The primary source of energy that powers the winds that push surface currents.
What is the Sun?
This term describes the way continents act like "walls" that redirect ocean currents.
What is continental deflection?
This is the name for the curving of moving water and air caused by the Earth’s rotation.
What is the Coriolis Effect?
Though the ocean looks flat, wind and air pressure create these 2 "landforms" on the water's surface.
What are hills and valleys?
A _______ is a large amount of water that moves in one direction.
What is a current?
Surface currents get ______ when they hit a landmass.
What is deflected?
The Coriolis Effect is caused by Earth's _________.
What is rotation?
High air pressure creates ________.
What are valleys?
Surface currents form when this moves across the ocean’s surface.
what is wind
This type of air is less dense and rises at the Equator, which causes global winds
What is warm air?
___________ redirect currents.
What are continents (landmasses)?
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis Effect redirects currents in this direction.
What is right (clockwise)?
Hills are created by this type of air pressure.
What is low air pressure?
Main energy that drives surface currents
what is the sun
Wind is created when air moves away from an area of high pressure and travels toward an area of this
What is low pressure?
The current will go in this direction if it gets deflected downward.
What is South?
These are the large, circular loops of water formed when winds, the Coriolis effect, and landmasses all work together.
What are gyres?
This force pulls ocean water down from the hills toward the valleys.
What is gravity?
Because the earth is a sphere, the sun heats the planet like this, making the equator much hotter than the poles
What is uneven heating?
Without continents, this would happen to the currents.
What is following the wind patterns?
When Earth rotates East, water goes toward this.
What is the equator?
Water moves through the hills and valleys in a _______ direction.
What is curved?