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Chapter 14
Currents
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Ocean Current | A movement of ocean water that follows a regular pattern. |
Surface Current | A horizontal movement of ocean water that is caused by wind that occurs at or near the ocean's surface. |
Coriolis effect | The apparent curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to the Earth's rotation. |
Deep Current | A streamlike movement of ocean water far below the surface. |
Currents in general are influenced by these three things: | Weather, Earth's Rotation, and Position of Continents. |
One of the longest surface currents. It is a warm current carrying warm waters from the Caribbean to the British Isles. | The Gulf Stream. |
Surface Currents are controlled or caused by three things: | Global Winds, the Coriolis Effect, and Continental Deflections. |
Global Winds near the equator blow in what direction? | East to West. |
Global Winds near the poles blow in what direction? | West to East. |
The Coriolis Effect causes surface currents in the Northern Hemisphere to turn ___________________. | Clockwise. |
The Coriolis Effect causes surface currents in the Southern Hemisphere to turn___________________. | Counterclockwise. |
When surface currents meet continents, the currents bounce off the land and change direction. | Continental Deflection. |
Warm water currents start near the ______________ and carry __________________ water to other parts of the ocean | Equator, warm. |
Cold-water currents start near the _______________ and carry __________________ water to other parts of the ocean. | Poles, cool. |
Deep currents are not directly controlled by the _____________. | Wind. |
Density | The amount of water in a given space, or volume. |
Deep currents form in the ocean where there is increased ____________________. | Density. |
Density is influenced by two factors: | Salinity and Temperature. |
Salinity | A measure of the amount of dissolved salts or solids in a liquid. |
How to Deep Currents Form? | Decreasing Temperature of Water, Increasing Salinity through Freezing and Increasing Salinity through Evaporation. |
Less dense water currents will always flow on __________ of more dense water currents. In other words, the densest current will always be closest to the bottom. | Top |
How would the patterns of currents change if the earth didn't rotate? | The Currents would not curve. |