Ocean Currents

What event in 1992 helped researchers better understand ocean currents?

• A tsunami altered the ocean floor.

• A hurricane disrupted ocean currents.

• A volcanic eruption affected water density.

• A cargo ship lost rubber ducks in the ocean.

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What primarily drives surface currents in the open ocean?

• Earth's rotation

• Wind

• Changes in water density

• Tides

What is the term for the large loops formed by surface currents?

• Thermohaline circulation

• Ocean basins

• Gyres

• Global conveyor belt

In what ways might the sinking of cold, salty water in the polar oceans affect the climate of far‑away places like Europe or North America?

What causes deep ocean currents to form?

• Earth's rotation

• Tidal forces

• Changes in water density

• Wind patterns

What is the global conveyor belt responsible for?

• Creating gyres in the ocean

• Redistributing nutrients and heat

• Speeding up surface currents

• Stopping the Coriolis effect

How do changes in water temperature and salinity work together to start the movement of deep ocean currents in the thermohaline circulation?

Why do you think the differences in temperature and salinity are important for mixing water throughout the world’s oceans, and how could this mixing influence global weather patterns?