Ocean Currents

What is a current in the ocean?

• A small stream of water that flows through the ocean

• A large stream of moving water that flows through the ocean

• The movement of waves on the surface of the ocean

• The temperature changes in ocean water

Surface currents are mainly driven by:

• Ocean temperature

• Global winds

• Tidal forces

• Ocean salinity

How deep do surface currents affect ocean water?

• Only the top few meters

• To a depth of several hundred meters

• To the ocean floor

• Only during high tide

What causes global wind belts that affect surface currents?

• Unequal heating and Earth's rotation

• Ocean floor topography

• Volcanic activity

• The moon's gravitational pull

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect causes currents to:

• Move in straight lines

• Curve to the left

• Curve to the right

• Move in zigzag patterns

What is the largest and most powerful surface current in the North Atlantic Ocean?

• The North Atlantic Drift

• The Gulf Stream

• The Labrador Current

• The Canary Current

How do surface currents affect Earth's climate?

• They have no effect on climate

• They redistribute heat from the equator to the poles

• They only affect marine life

• They cause hurricanes and tropical storms

Why is England warmer and wetter than other countries at the same latitude?

• It has more volcanoes

• It has more forests

• The North Atlantic Drift brings warm water to Northern Europe

• It is closer to the equator

How often does El Niño occur?

• Every year

• Every two to seven years

• Every ten years

• Every twenty years

During El Niño, what happens to the winds along the Equator?

• They strengthen and blow faster

• They weaken and reverse direction

• They disappear completely

• They move north toward Alaska