Ocean Currents

Front

What is salinity?

Back

The salt content of a substance.

Front

What is the Coriolis effect?

Back

The apparent deflection of moving air as a result of Earth's rotation.

Front

What type of current is the Gulf Stream an example of?

Back

Surface current.

Front

What primarily causes surface currents in the ocean?

Back

Wind.

Front

What happens to a material that is less dense than water?

Back

It will float.

Front

What are ocean currents?

Back

Large-scale movements of water within the oceans, driven by various factors including wind, salinity, and temperature differences.

Front

How do temperature differences affect ocean currents?

Back

Differences in temperature can create density variations in water, leading to the movement of water masses.

Front

What role does the wind play in ocean currents?

Back

Wind exerts frictional force on the surface of the ocean, generating surface currents.

Front

What is the difference between surface currents and deep ocean currents?

Back

Surface currents are primarily driven by wind and occur in the upper layer of the ocean, while deep ocean currents are driven by density differences and occur below the surface.

Front

What is thermohaline circulation?

Back

A global system of ocean currents driven by differences in temperature and salinity.