Ocean Currents and Their Effect on Climate

What factors affect surface currents?

• Global winds, Tides
• Continental deflection, Gravitational pull from moon
• Global winds, Coriolis effect, continental deflection
• Tides, gravity from sun, Global winds

Which of the following is not true about gyres?    

• A gyre refers to the large circular motion of ocean water in an ocean basin.
• A gyre is made up of four separate surface currents.
• In the Southern Hemisphere, gyres circulate clockwise.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, gyres circulate clockwise.

Streamlike movements of water at or near the surface of the ocean are called ____.

• Deep Ocean Currents
• Jet Stream Currents
• Surface Currents
• Convection Currents

The Coriolis effect causes ___________.

• global winds and surface currents to move in a curved path instead of a straight line
• continental deflection
• the Earth to rotate on its axis
• global winds and deep ocean currents to move in a curved path instead of a straight line.

What does the Coriolis effect have on surface currents in the northern and southern hemispheres?

• in general, there is no real effect
• in general, surface currents will flow counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
• in general, surface currents will flow clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere.
• in general, they flow in the same direction

What happens when an ocean current meets a land mass?

• the water heats up
• the current is deflected
• a tidal bore forms
• an undertow recedes from the shoreline

Explain the role of density in the movement of deep currents.

• Cold, high salinity (salty) deep current water is less dense than warm, low salinity surface current water. As warm water sinks, cold water will move in to take its place, creating a circular movement called a convection current.
• Cold, high (salinity) deep current water is more dense than warm, low salinity surface current water. As warm water rises, cold water will move in to take its place, creating a circular movement called a convection current.
• Warm, high salinity (salty) deep current water is less dense than warm, low salinity surface current water. As warm water sinks, cold water will move in to take its place, creating a circular movement called a convection current.
• Warm, high salinity (salty) deep current water is more dense than warm, low salinity surface current water. As warm water sinks, cold water will move in to take its place, creating a circular movement called a convection current.

If a cool surface current flows along a coastline, what effect might it have on the climate in that area?

• In general, it will bring warmer temperatures in the summer and milder temperatures in the winters
• In general, it will bring cooler temperatures in the summer and milder temperatures in the winters
• In general, it will have no long term effect on climate in that area.
• In general, it will bring cooler temperatures in the summer and colder temperatures in the winters

Where on Earth does the Sun's energy heat up the ocean water the LEAST?

• at the Poles
• at the equator
• near the continents
• the Sun's energy heats up ocean water the same all around the Earth

Due to the prevailing westerlies wind belt and the jet stream, weather in the middle latitudes (30^o-60^o) of the Northern Hemisphere blows ---- to ----- . 

• north; south
• east; west
• west; east
• south; north