Oceanic Currents (regents questions)

what is the coriolis effect?

• change in location of warm and cold surface water every 2-7 years

• tendency of objects moving large distances on Earth’s surface to bend to the right in the northern hemisphere & to the left in the southern hemisphere

• winds in northern Indian ocean that blow from the southwest in the summer & from the northeast in winter

• two layers of horizontal winds moving in opposite directions

Gyres are known as

• vertical, density currents

• surface currents

Ocean currents in the southern hemisphere move in ____________ direction due to the Coriolis effect.

• Counterclockwise

• Westward

• Clockwise

• southward

Which ocean current brings warm water to the southeastern coast of Africa?

• A) Agulhas Current

• B) Benguela Current

• C) West Australian Current

• D) Equatorial Countercurrent

The Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Current modify the climate of northwestern Europe by making the climate

• A) warmer and drier

• B) warmer and more humid

• C) cooler and drier

• D) cooler and more humid

Which statement best explains why location A has a cooler climate than location B

• A) Location A has a longer duration of insolation each day.

• B) Location A is influenced by a cold ocean current.

• C) Location B is farther from the equator.

• D) Location B has less intense insolation each day.

Name the ocean current that most likely has the greatest effect on the climate of Riverhead.

• West Greenland Current

• Oyashio Current

• Gulf Stream

  Current

• Benguela Current

Which location's climate is most affected by the East Australia Current?

• E

• F

• G

• H

The climate of which location is warmed by a nearby major ocean current?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Identify the surface ocean current that affects the climate of Eureka.

• Alaska Current

• Kuroshio Current

• Brazil Current

• California Current