Ocean Currents and Salinity

How do oceans influence weather and climate?

• Oceans cause winds to move by the motion of strong currents.

• Oceans reflect the sun's energy back through the atmosphere into space.

• Oceans absorb the energy of the sun, store it, release it.

• Oceans' waves continually generate heat through wave action.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Differences in water temperature in the ocean create movement because–

• as water heats up, the atoms of water more faster.

• warm water is pulled more by gravity than cold water.

• warm and cold water mix and reach the same temperature.

• bodies of water at different temperatures have different densities.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

One of the characteristics of ocean water that causes ocean currents is salinity. Differences in salinity can generate movement in the ocean because the amount of dissolved salt in ocean water correlates to–

• how quickly it evaporates.

• its ability to conduct electricity.

• the latitude where it is found.

• the density of the water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The energy of the sun drives a general trend in ocean water movement from the equator outward toward the poles. The actual global pattern of ocean currents, however, is a more complicated series of rotating systems as shown in the map provided.

Which of the following describes the features that change the general trend of ocean water movement into the actual pattern we see?

• Earth’s rotation and arrangement of continents

• Global patterns of fishing and sailing

• Gravitational pull of the sun and moon

• Concentration of dissolved salt and minerals

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

A map of average sea surface temperatures over the entire Earth is provided.

Warm water is less dense than cold water. Based on this information and the map provided, it could be predicted that, as a general trend, ocean water will–

• rise at the equator.

• be less dense at the poles.

• flow from west to east.

• be warmer near the continents.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

One of the characteristics of ocean water that causes ocean currents is salinity. Differences in salinity can generate movement in the ocean because the amount of dissolved salt in ocean water correlates to -

• how quickly it evaporates.

• its ability to conduct electricity.

• the latitude where it is found.

• the density of the water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Salinity and temperature both have an influence on ocean currents because both the temperature of water and the amount of dissolved salt in it affect–

• how quickly it evaporates.

• its ability to conduct electricity.

• the latitude where it is found.

• the density of the water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

One of the characteristics of ocean water that causes ocean currents is salinity. Differences in salinity can generate movement in the ocean because the amount of dissolved salt in ocean water is correlated with–

• the latitude where it is found.

• how quickly it evaporates.

• the density of the water.

• its ability to conduct electricity.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Differences in water temperature in the ocean create movement because –

• as water heats up, the atoms of water move faster.

• warm water is pulled more by gravity than cold water.

• warm and cold water mix and reach the same temperature.

• bodies of water at different temperatures have different densities.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

An overall worldwide increase in temperatures leads to the melting of sea ice. How does this create positive feedback that will further increase temperature?

• Sea ice reflects more of the Sun’s energy while ocean water absorbs more

• As the sea level rises, wave action increases, speeding the erosion of continents

• More water available for evaporation leads to more clouds that reflect sunlight

• egetation increases, leading to lower levels of carbon dioxide, a gas that traps heat

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-2

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4