Ocean Surface Currents and Climate

Surface currents are caused by

• Floods
• Warm water
• Salty water
• Wind

The density of ocean water increases when it

• joins the Gulf Stream.
• gets colder.
• gets warmer.
• turns to ice

Which process increases the salinity of ocean water?

• The Coriolis Effect
• Convection currents
• Evaporation
• Continental deflection

As water gets denser, how does it move?

• expands toward warmer water
• sinks toward the ocean floor
• gets pushed toward the poles
• gets pulled up by evaporation

Which currents carry warm water away from the equator?

• Deep currents
• Surface currents
• Evaporation currents
• Freezing currents

In which direction do global winds blow ocean currents near the equator?

• from east to west
• from west to east
• from north to south
• from south to north

Compared with surface currents, deep currents are

• colder and less dense.
• warmer and less dense.
• warmer and denser.
• colder and denser.

Surface ocean currents such as Gulf Stream

• move warm water from higher latitudes to lower latitudes.
• transport many times more water than all the rivers in the world.
• are formed in parts of the ocean where water density is great.
• move in straight paths across the oceans.

Which of the following causes water from deep currents to rise to the surface to replace warm currents?

• the flow of warm currents from the equator toward the poles
• freezing of the surface of the water
• increased salinity due to evaporation
• squeezing solids out of the ice down into the water below

How do warm-water currents affect the coastal areas along which they flow?

• They create greater rainfall along the coast
• They create unusually cool climates for the latitude.
• They create unusually warm climates for the latitude.
• They make the coastal climate cooler than the inland climate.