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Ocean Currents

Total questions: 45

Worksheet time: 23mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The movement of deep, cold, nutrient filled water to the surface of the ocean is..

a)

Ocean Current

b)

Upwelling

c)

Deep Currents

d)

Surface Currents

2.

What affects the density of water?

a)

Salt

b)

Temperature

c)

The seasons of the year

d)

Both temperature & salt

e)

The Coriolis Force

3.

Why is upwelling important?

a)

Upwelling regulates ocean temperature

b)

Upwelling provides nutrient rich water that sustains life

c)

Upwelling controls the tides

d)

Upwelling helps sailors to navigate the seas

4.
When surface currents meet continents they ___?
a)
Stop moving
b)
Are deflected (change paths)
c)
Continue in the direction they were going
5.

What are a circular system of currents in the Earth's major oceans?

a)

ocean current

b)

gyre

c)

upwelling

d)

conveyor belt

6.
The warm, strong current off the coast of Florida is the 
a)
Gulf Stream
b)
California Current
c)
North Equatorial Current
d)
Brazil Current
7.
Ocean currents move energy in the form of
a)
Salt
b)
Water
c)
Heat
d)
Oxygen
8.
Ocean currents bring warm water from the equator towards Earth's
a)
Southern Hemisphere
b)
Continents
c)
Equator
d)
Poles
9.
What causes surface currents north and south of the equator to move in different directions? 
a)
Gases in the ocean
b)
The rotation of the Earth
c)
Temperature differences
d)
Continental deflection
10.

The Coriolis Effect is caused by what?

a)

The wind blowing

b)

Earth's gravity pulling things down

c)

The rotation of the Earth

d)

The pull of the Moon

11.

The Coriolis effect influences which of the following things (Check all that apply)

a)

Currents

b)

Winds

c)

Time zones

d)

Gravity

12.

In the Northern hemisphere, winds and currents get deflected to the ______ due to the Coriolis effect

a)

right

b)

left

13.

______ causes surface currents.

a)

The Coriolis Effect

b)

gravity

c)

density differences

d)

wind

14.

______ causes deep ocean currents

a)

The Coriolis Effect

b)

gravity

c)

wind

d)

density differences

15.

As plants and animals in the ocean die, the nutrients produced from their decay _____.

a)

are recycled by the Global Conveyor Belt

b)

sink to the bottom

c)

are destroyed by sunlight

d)

become coral reefs

16.

Nutrients are brought to the surface for phytoplankton to use at _______.

a)

gyres

b)

eddies

c)

upwellings

d)

the equator

17.

_______ causes the Coriolis Effect

a)

Earth's rotation

b)

gravity

c)

wind

d)

density

18.

The __________ is a surface current that flows along the eastern US and brings warm water to Europe.

a)

California Current

b)

Gulf Current

c)

North American Gyre

d)

Arctic Current

19.

Gyres in the southern hemisphere are surface currents that turn _________ due to the Coriolis Effect.

a)

clockwise

b)

counterclockwise

c)

toward the right

d)

toward the bottom of the ocean

20.

________ and _______ affect the ocean's density and cause the Global Conveyor Belt to travel

a)

gravity and the Coriolis Effect

b)

temperature and salinity

c)

wind and climate

d)

temperature and the Coriolis Effect

21.

The more scientific name of the Global Conveyor Belt is _____.

a)

halinethermal circulation

b)

thermohaline circulation

c)

thermodensity circulation

22.

How are wind's named?

a)

From the direction they come from

b)

From the direction they blow towards

c)

From their temperature

d)

From their speed

23.

Surface currents move at a ______ ° angle from the direction of the wind.

a)

30°

b)

45°

c)

60*

d)

90°

24.

Surface currents in the southern hemisphere move

a)

clockwise

b)

counter clockwise

25.

Where are warm ocean currents found?

a)

in the western ocean basin

b)

in the eastern ocean basin

26.

Where are cold currents found?

a)

Western coasts of continents

b)

Eastern coasts of continents.

27.

Where is a major downwelling location?

a)

Equator

b)

Greenland

c)

Alaska

d)

India

28.

Which bottom water has the highest density?

a)

Antarctic Bottom Water

b)

North Atlantic Deep Water

29.

How can winds cause dense water to rise to the surface?

a)

Wind can push surface water away from land.

b)

Wind can push surface water towards land.

c)

Wind can rise at low pressures, pulling up on the water.

d)

Wind can generate waves, pulling water to the surface.

30.

During a(n) ____ event, trade winds are much stronger than usual.

a)

El Nino

b)

La Nina

c)

Normal

d)

Partly sunny

31.

Normally, atmospheric upwelling and rain occurs in the:

a)

FAR Western Pacific

b)

Central Pacific

c)

Western Pacific

32.

During an El Nino, trade winds are typically...

a)

about average

b)

stronger

c)

weaker

33.

The image is of a(n):

a)

El Nino event

b)

La Nina event

c)

Non-El Nino (normal conditions)

34.

The picture below is of a(n) ____ event.

a)

Non-El Nino (Normal)

b)

El Nino

c)

La Nina

35.

The picture represents a(n) ___ event.

a)

El Nino

b)

La Nina

c)

Non-El Nino (normal conditions)

36.

Which of the following will bring nutrients to areas of need?

a)

El Nino

b)

La Nina

37.

Downwelling is important because it

a)

transports oxygen to bottom water

b)

transports nutrients to bottom water

c)

transports nutrients to the surface water

d)

transports oxygen to the surface water

38.
where do downwelling occur?
a)
nutrients
b)
when the water on the surface of the sea becomes denser than the water beneath it and so it sinks
c)
when wind causes surface water to build up along a coastline.
d)
when surface currents move away from one another
39.

In the northern hemisphere, wind coming from the south along a western coast of a continent coastline will create

a)

upwelling

b)

downwelling

40.

Which current is the Brazil Current?

a)

Current T

b)

Current E

c)

Current D

d)

Current F

e)

Current U

41.

The Peru current is a

a)

Warm Current

b)

Cold Current

42.

Which current is the Gulf Stream?

a)

Current A

b)

Current B

c)

Current C

d)

Current D

e)

Current O

43.

The Gulf Stream is a

a)

Warm Current

b)

Cold Current

44.

Which current is the Canary?

a)

Current A

b)

Current B

c)

Current C

d)

Current D

e)

Current O

45.

What direction is current I flowing?

a)

towards the north

b)

towards the south