Ocean Surface Currents
Stream like movements of water that occur at or near the surface are called:
Surface currents
The EAC can get up to speeds of ____
4-5 mph
When currents meet landforms__________
change direction
Deep currents are mainly controlled by________
increase in water density
Waves are made of two components ________ and ________
crest and troughs
The golf stream is ___________
one of the longest surface currents
The EAC flows along the ____
Eastern Australia
When currents hit land forms it is called_______
Continental deflection
deep currents are______
ocean water far below the surface
A wavelength is _______
The distance between to troughs or crest
Surface currents are controlled by 4 factors:
Global winds, Carlois effect, Continental deflections, and water temperature
The EAC transports _______ cubic meters of water
40 million
Surface currents greatly affect____
climate
temperature and salinity affect the _____
Density of ocean water
Ocean waves form because of __________
Friction between wind and surface of water
________ winds blowing across the Earth's surface create surface currents
Global winds
The current is almost ____
100 Km wide
Are all currents warm?
no
cold air chills water molecules at the surface causing them to _______
move closer together
Mechanical waves are waves that require a _________
Medium
Surface currents can reach depths of ________ and lenghts of ________
Several hundred meters deep, thousands meters long
The EAC is more than _____ deep
1.5 km
Warm water currents create_______
warmer climates in coastal areas
water temperature becomes _______ as depth increases
colder
A wave is defined as a _______
transfer of energy