Ocean Currents

Organize these options into the right categories:

Groups:

(a) Cause ocean currents

,

(b) Not related to ocean currents

• thunderstorms

• winds

• tsunami

• water density

• gravity

• rotation of the Earth

• electromagnetic spectrum

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

The total movement of all ocean currents

(a)  

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Masses of water that flow from one place to another

(a)  

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Develop from friction between the ocean and the wind that blows across the surface

(a)  

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The arrows on the map represent:

(a)  

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Huge, slow moving currents that flow in a vortex.

(a)  

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Identify the five (5) major gyres on Earth:

b

c

d

e

a

South Pacific gyre

Indian ocean gyre

North Pacific gyre

South Atlantic gyre

North Atlantic gyre

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

A localized current that flows away from the shoreline toward the ocean

(a)  

What should you do if you are caught in a rip current and you are being pulled away from the shore?

Answer explanation

Swim parallel to the shore line to get out of the rip current. Do not panic and do not try to swim into the current.

Carries heat from the equator to the North Atlantic and warms the atmosphere. The region is much warmer than it would otherwise be.

(a)  

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6