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cause
an event or process that leads to a result or change
El Niño
a climate pattern where water near the equator gets hotter than usual and affects the weather around the world; El Niño happens in the Pacific Ocean
longitude
the distance of a place east or west of Earth's prime meridian
temperature
a measure of how hot or cold something is
What determines how much energy a location receives from the sun?
The closer a location is to the equator, the more energy it receives from the sun
climate
general weather patterns over a long period of time
energy
the ability to make things move or change
prevailing winds
winds that move in one direction and are strong enough to push ocean currents
transfer
to move from one object to another or one place to another
What affects a location's air temperature?
Therefore, a location's air temperature is affected by its distance from the equator
climatology
the study of weather patterns over a long period of time
equator
the imaginary line that divides Earth into northern and southern hemispheres (halves)
ocean current
ocean water flowing in a continuous path
upwelling
a process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface of the ocean
How does ocean water flow?
Ocean water flows in consistent patterns called currents
continent
any of the Earth's main continuous areas of land, such as Africa, Asia, and North America
gyre
a giant pattern of moving water that spans whole oceans and moves water from place to place in a circle
solar
related to the sun
Where is energy transferred from?
Energy is transferred from the sun to Earth's surface.
How do ocean currents transfer energy?
Ocean currents carry energy from the sun all around Earth carrying energy with them throughout the oceans.
effect
a result or change that happens because of an event or process
latitude
the distance of a place north or south of Earth's equator
surface
the outside or top layer of something
What causes changes in air temperature?
Energy is transferred from the sun to Earth's surface. Some of that energy is then transferred to the air above the surface, causing changes in temperature
How much energy is transferred from the sun to earth's surface at the equator?
At the equator a large amount of energy is transferred from the sun to the ocean's surface.