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Worksheets8.3 Ocean Currents
Total questions: 31
Worksheet time: 3600secs
Name
Class
Date
1.
What causes surface currents to move in circular paths?
a)
strong winds
b)
the Coriolis effect
c)
salinity
d)
the Global Ocean Conveyor
2.
Deep currents are caused by differences in the _______________ ocean water.
a)
eutrophication of
b)
sun's effect on
c)
density of
d)
salinity of
3.
In the northern hemisphere, the Coriolis effect causes currents to do which of the following?
a)
curve counterclockwise
b)
curve clockwise
c)
reverse direction
d)
sink
4.
Why would places near the north pole with the same latitude have very different climates?
a)
One place is near a warm ocean current.
b)
It is not possible
c)
Because of La Nina
d)
Because of El Nino
5.
Ocean currents can travel clockwise or counter-clockwise. Which direction would they travel in the southern hemisphere?
a)
Clockwise
b)
Counter-clockwise
c)
Like whaaaat?
d)
Towards the troposphere
6.
________ is a climate event that occurs when surface waters in the eastern Pacific are colder than normal.
a)
La Nina
b)
El Nino
c)
Coriolis Effect
d)
trade winds
7.
The Gulf stream carries _____________ water from the east coast of The United States to the West coast of Europe.
a)
Cold
b)
Warm
c)
Freezing
d)
Fresh
8.
Two types of ocean currents are
a)
local and global
b)
sea and land
c)
surface and deep
d)
warm and cold
9.
What happens to a current when it comes in contact with a continent or landmass?
a)
It continues over the continent
b)
It stops
c)
It changes direction (deflected)
d)
It is absorbed by the land
10.
Which of the following does not drive surface ocean currents?
a)
global surface winds
b)
density
c)
continental deflections
d)
Coriolis Effect
11.
8.3 What surface current is warm and affects the eastern US?
a)
Tropical current
b)
African Current
c)
Gulf Stream
d)
California Current
12.
8.3 What heat source causes convection currents in Earth's oceans & atmosphere?
a)
heat from Earth's core
b)
the sun
c)
wind
d)
geothermal energy
13.
8.3 What process brings the deep cold ocean currents up to the surface?
a)
Conduction
b)
Global Wind Patterns
c)
Convection Currents
d)
Temperature and salinity
14.
8.3 Ocean currents are created by
a)
Dense cold water sinking
b)
Dense cold water rising
c)
Less dense water sinking
d)
less dense warm water rising and more dense cold water sinking
15.
8.3 What ocean current located along the Eastern U.S. helps contribute to the mild climate?
a)
Atlantic Ocean
b)
Tropic of Cancer
c)
Jet Stream
d)
Gulf Stream
16.
8.3 Warm ocean currents generally come from
a)
The North Pole
b)
The South Pole
c)
The Equator
d)
Both A and B
17.
8.3 Based on the illustration, which of the following statements describes the relationship between density and temperature?
a)
Cold water is denser than warm water
b)
Warm water is denser than cold water
c)
Warm and cold water equal densities
d)
The density of water is not affected by temperature
18.
8.3 Surface ocean currents are generated mostly by
a)
the Coriolis effect
b)
water density
c)
tides
d)
wind
19.
8.3 What type of temperatures would the coast of California have based on the ocean currents?
a)
a warmer environment than others
b)
a cooler environment than others
c)
ocean currents don't affect the temperatures of a region
20.
Upwelling occurs as the _______________ blow warm surface water away from the coast.
a)
Prevailing Westerlies
b)
Equatorial Winds
c)
Trade Winds
d)
Tropical Winds
21.
Upwelling is associated with
a)
a decrease in access to nutrients for phytoplankton
b)
cooler, nutrient-rich waters being pushed up from deeper ocean waters
c)
temperature gradients moving water from the equator to the poles
d)
an increase in human fatalities
22.
According to the graph below, what happens to the density of a substance as its temperature increases (as you move up on the y-axis)? (Helpful tip: pick at least 2 temperatures and find their densities on the graph. Compare.)
a)
As temperature increases, density stays the same.
b)
As temperature increases, density decreases.
c)
As temperature increases, density increases.
23.
According to the graph below, what happens to the density of a substance as its salinity increases (as you move up on the y-axis)? (Helpful tip: pick at least 2 salinities and find their densities on the graph. Compare.)
a)
As salinity increases, density stays the same.
b)
As salinity increases, density decreases.
c)
As salinity increases, density also increases.
24.
This is an image of how upwelling occurs. Upwelling is important to organisms because...
a)
when local wind patterns blow along the north west coast, they cause local surface currents to move away from the shore.
b)
upwelling causes warm water to flow to the British Isles and creates a mild climate there.
c)
upwelling brings nutrients to the surface of the ocean to support the growth of phytoplankton and zooplankton.
25.
The El Nino is caused by
a)
cold water off the Atlantic coast of South America
b)
warm water in the Pacific off the coast of South America
c)
warm water in the Pacific off the coast of Mexico
d)
cold water in the Pacific off the coast of Mexico
26.
The change in normal patterns over the Pacific that start the El Niño event involve
a)
stronger than normal trade winds from East to West.
b)
weakened trade winds push less warm surface water to the West.
c)
strengthened trade winds push more cold water Westward.
d)
volcanic activity under water cause changes in the flow of cold water on the coast of South America.
27.
During an El Niño, it rains
a)
in the central and eastern Pacific.
b)
in the northern Pacific.
c)
in the western Pacific.
d)
in all of the Pacific.
28.
Upwelling does NOT occur off the coast of Peru during
a)
Normal Conditions
b)
El Nino
c)
La Nina
29.
During La Nina, __________ conditions occur in South America because air is sinking.
a)
flooding
b)
lots of precipitation
c)
drought
d)
low pressure
30.
"Normal" conditions in the Pacific are more closely related to
a)
El Nino
b)
La Nina
31.
The two factors that effect the density of the ocean are
a)
temperature and winds
b)
winds and salinity
c)
temperature and salinity
d)
Coriolis effect and winds
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