Ocean Currents and Their Dynamics

In 1992, a cargo ship lost 28,000 rubber ducks in the North Pacific, which helped researchers study ocean currents. Ocean currents are driven by wind, tides, water density, and Earth's rotation. They are categorized into surface and deep ocean currents, which interact to move the ocean. Surface currents are influenced by wind and tides, forming gyres due to the Coriolis Effect. Deep ocean currents are driven by water density changes, forming the Global Conveyor Belt, which affects climate. Rising sea temperatures may slow this belt, impacting weather systems.

What event in 1992 helped researchers better understand ocean currents?

• A cargo ship losing rubber ducks

• A volcanic eruption

• A major earthquake

• An oil spill

Which of the following is NOT a factor that drives ocean currents?

• Sunlight

• Tides

• Earth's rotation

• Wind

What percentage of the ocean's water is controlled by surface currents?

• 100%

• 90%

• 50%

• 10%

What is the primary force behind surface currents in the open ocean?

• Tides

• Wind

• Earth's rotation

• Water density

What are the large loops formed by surface currents called?

• Vortices

• Gyres

• Whirlpools

• Eddies

What effect causes the deflection of wind patterns, leading to the formation of gyres?

• Coriolis Effect

• Tidal Effect

• Magnetic Effect

• Greenhouse Effect

What primarily drives deep ocean currents?

• Sunlight

• Changes in seawater density

• Tides

• Wind

What is the name of the vertical current formed by the sinking of cold, salty water?

• Thermohaline circulation

• Tidal circulation

• Gyre circulation

• Surface circulation

What is the Global Conveyor Belt?

• A tidal wave pattern

• A deep ocean current system

• A wind-driven loop

• A series of surface currents

What potential impact could rising sea temperatures have on the Global Conveyor Belt?

• It could speed up

• It could slow down

• It could reverse direction

• It could stop completely