Ocean Currents

Ocean Currents

Current

A stream of steady moving water within a larger body of water

*40 main currents in ocean

Gulf Stream

* In Atlantic Ocean - from America to England

* 15 times faster than other currents

* Can travel 100 miles a day

* Strong steady current

Gyre

A group (loop) of currents that circle through the seas

5 great ones in the oceans

Multiple Choice

motion of the ocean created by wind patterns

• waves

• currents

• tides

Multiple Choice

Why are ocean currents important?

• ocean currents allow people to sail around the world

• ocean currents move the continents from one place to another

• ocean currents move heat energy from the equator to the poles

• Ocean currents affect the rotation of the Earth

Multiple Choice

If you were floating in a raft in the Gulf Stream, you and the raft would________________.

• not move with the water

• move back and forth

• move with the current

• move in a circular motion

Multiple Choice

Movements of ocean water in a continuous flow are called?

• ocean currents

• air masses

• global winds

• front

Multiple Choice

As you go deeper in the ocean, the water is colder and less salty.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Where is ocean water the densest.

• the surface

• the middle

• the bottom

Multiple Choice

What do we call the constantly moving system of deep-ocean circulation driven by differences in temperature and salinity?

• California Current

• Surface Currents

• Gulf Stream

• Global Conveyor Belt

Multiple Choice

What are a circular system of currents in the Earth's major oceans?

• ocean currents

• upwellings

• Gyres

• Conveyer belt

Multiple Choice

Warm ocean currents generally come from

• The North Pole

• The South Pole

• The Equator

• Both A and B

Multiple Choice

_______ causes the Coriolis Effect

• Earth's rotation

• gravity

• wind

• density

Multiple Choice

If a material is less dense then water, it will

• sink

• float

• be neutrally buoyant

• freese

Multiple Choice

What heats the Earth's oceans?

• People

• Earth's core

• The moon

• The Sun

Multiple Choice

Regular movements of water far below the oceans surface are called

• Warm Currents

• Deep Currents

• Shallow Currents

• Surface Currents

Multiple Choice

The warm, strong current off the coast of Florida is the

• Gulf Stream

• California Current

• North Equatorial Current

• North Equatorial Current

Multiple Choice

Surface currents are mainly caused by

• The Coriolis Effect

• Cold and Warm Water

• Convection

• Wind

Multiple Choice

Upwellings is the movement of deep water towards the surface, what does it bring with it?

• microplastics

• nutrients

• decomposed remains

Poll

How do you feel about your understanding of ocean currents

• Good

• Ok

• Bad