Surface Current

Upwellings and Currents

​

Do you believe if I place a rubber duckie in water near Jamaica it will move to NC and Vice versa? Why? or Why not?

Ocean water moves  

• Circular in a particular location

• Horizontally from one location to the next 

Water movement is influenced by the following :

• Wind

• Density of water

• Earth's Rotation

• Landmass

These factors work together in determining the type of movement that takes place in  the Ocean 

How do each of the factors affect the movement of water?

Wind, Density , Earth's Rotation, Landmass

​Objectives :

• Differentiate between the 2 types of Currents

• Discuss how landmass , density and temperature affect currents formation

• Why are currents important?

• What are upwelling ?

• How are upwellings form?

• How is upwelling of economic importance to Humans ?

Upwelling 

• Upwelling is the movement of cold water from deeper down to the surface in a set location

Upwellings

• Upwellings occurs when wind blows the warm water away from the surface the colder DENSER water below rises to the surface

• Upwelling brings nutrients from the Ocean floor to the surface which attracts a lot of fish. This provides a constant supply of nutrients 

• Takes place only along shores

Upwelling

• Major areas of Upwelling takes place in the Pacific Ocean near the West coast of South america

  
  

Importance of Upwelling

• SInce nutrients come to the surface , fish are found in abundance

• Fishing Industries thrive in these areas

Multiple Choice

The movement of deep, cold, nutrient filled water to the surface of the ocean is..

• Ocean Current

• Upwelling

• Deep Currents

• Surface Currents

Multiple Choice

Upwelling takes place in deep ocean waters

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Nutrients are brought to the surface for phytoplankton to use at _______.

• gyres

• eddies

• upwellings

• the equator

Multiple Choice

Why is upwelling important?

• Upwelling regulates ocean temperature

• Upwelling provides nutrient rich water that sustains life

• Upwelling controls the tides

• Upwelling helps sailors to navigate the seas

Multiple Choice

Which of the following doesn't affect the movement of water in Oceans?

• Density

• Wind

• Landmass

• Photosynthesis

Multiple Choice

The movement of nutrients from the oceans floor in a circular motion is called ?

• Eutrophication

• Condensation

• UpWelling

• Nutrient development

Multiple Choice

Upwelling takes place in deep ocean waters

• True

• False

Currents

• Currents are like rivers flowing in the ocean 

• They move horizontally over long distances

There are two types of Currents 

• Surface Current

• Deep Current

Multiple Choice

Two types of ocean currents are

• local and global
• sea and land
• surface and deep
• warm and cold

Surface Current

• Surface currents, which affect water to a depth of several hundred meters, are driven mainly by winds

• As the wind blows over the water it moves the water and carries it in a path wherever it goes

• The Gulf Stream is the most Powerful Current located in the North Atlantic Ocean

Home

Open in new tab

Copy link

• One of the largest Ocean Current that affects the USA on the East Coast is the Gulf Stream

• How important is the Gulf Stream to North America , Greenland and parts of Europe ?

Multiple Choice

______ causes surface currents.

• The Coriolis Effect

• gravity

• density differences

• wind

Do Surface Current flows in a straight line ? Why? or Why Not ?

• Surface Current do not travel in a straight line due to the spinning of the Earth .

• This caused by the Coriolis Effect

• These big loops in current are called Gyres

• They loop clockwise in Northern Hemisphere

• They loop counter clockwise in Southern Hemisphere

• In Northern Hemisphere they move Clockwise

• In Southern Hemisphere they move counter clockwise

• There are 5 Major Gyres

Multiple Choice

The deflection of currents due to Earth's rotation is called the

• Rotation Effect
• Current Effect
• Coriolis Effect
• Deflection Effect

Multiple Choice

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

• ocean current

• gyre

• upwelling

• conveyor belt

Multiple Choice

When surface currents meet continents they ___?

• Stop moving
• Are deflected (change paths)
• Continue in the direction they were going

Multiple Choice

Surface currents are mainly caused by

• The Coriolis Effect
• Cold and Warm Water
• Convection
• Wind

Multiple Choice

Warm ocean currents generally come from

• The North Pole

• The South Pole

• The Equator

• Both A and B

Multiple Choice

The Gulf stream carries _____________ water from the east coast of The United States to the West coast of Europe.

• Cold
• Warm 
• Freezing
• Fresh

Multiple Choice

Ocean currents move energy in the form of

• Salt
• Water
• Heat
• Oxygen

Multiple Choice

What drives surface current?

• Wind

• Density

• Temperature of water

• Salinity

Multiple Choice

Surface current moves in straight lines

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What are big loops in ocean currents called ?

• Surface Current

• Deep Current

• Coriolis

• Gyres

Multiple Choice

The term used to described the effect Earth's rotation have on Ocean Current

• Gyres Effect

• Coriolis Effect

• Oceanic Effect

Multiple Choice

Which of the following doesn't affect the movement of water in Oceans?

• Density

• Wind

• Landmass

• Photosynthesis

Multiple Choice

Currents loop in a clockwise pattern in the Northern hemisphere

• True

• False

Deep Current

• Caused by difference in density of ocean water

• These are called ThermoHaline Currents

• Deep current move and mix water around the world. 

• They carry cold water from the poles to the equator 

• They are slower than Surface and may take a 1000 years to flow from pole to equator and back again

How are Deep Current formed?

Dense cold water at the poles sink to the bottom

​ carried toward the equator where it becomes warmer

and less dense and rises back to the top. 

​

The global ocean conveyor belt is a constantly moving system of deep-ocean circulation driven by temperature and salinity.

Multiple Choice

________ and _______ affect the ocean's density and cause the Global Conveyor Belt to travel

• gravity and the Coriolis Effect

• temperature and salinity

• wind and climate

• temperature and the Coriolis Effect

Multiple Choice

What affects the density of water?

• Salt

• Temperature

• The seasons of the year

• Both A and B

Multiple Choice

Regular movements of water far below the oceans surface are called

• Warm Currents
• Deep Currents
• Shallow Currents
• Surface Currents

Impt. of Currents

• Affects temperature 

• Water coming from colder areas will lower temperature of warmer areas

• Water coming from warmer areas will increase temperature in cooler areas

• When this happens it warms or cools the air in the area bringing rain

Impt. of Currents

• When water moves like this it can lead change in climate

• El Nino

• La Nina

• Northern Atlantic Oscillation

Multiple Choice

How does salt affects the density of Ocean water ?

• Makes it less dense

• Doesn't change its density

• Makes it more dense

Impt. of Currents

• Ships sometimes use current to reduce on the amount of fuel 

• Doldrum are areas where there are no currents .

• These are found 5 degree N and 5 degree S of Equator