Ocean Currents

Front

What are ocean currents?

Back

Movements of ocean water in a continuous flow.

Front

What is the Coriolis Effect?

Back

The phenomenon that causes moving water and air to turn and twist rather than to move in a straight line.

Front

How does water temperature change with depth in the ocean?

Back

Water generally gets colder as you go deeper in the ocean.

Front

What is the primary driver of ocean currents?

Back

Wind, along with the Earth's rotation and differences in water density.

Front

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

Back

Surface currents are driven by wind and affect the upper layer of the ocean, while deep ocean currents are driven by density differences due to temperature and salinity.

Front

What is a gyre?

Back

A large system of rotating ocean currents, typically driven by wind and the Coriolis Effect.

Front

What is the role of ocean currents in climate?

Back

Ocean currents help regulate global climate by distributing heat from the equator to the poles.

Front

What is the term for the height of a wave?

Back

Wave height.

Front

What is a wave crest?

Back

The highest point of a wave.

Front

What is a wave trough?

Back

The lowest point of a wave.