Geography - Rivers and Oceans - Lesson #2

Question 1

Tell me about ocean currents

• what are they?
• which way do they move in the northern and southern hemispheres?
• What do the cold and warm currents do, and what does ocean currents help move around the globe?

Answer 1

• Ocean currents are flows of seawater that move in one direction. Deep currents (over 400 m below) are flows of cold water. Surface currents are flows of warm water
• In the northern hemisphere, currents move in a clockwise direction. In the southern hemisphere, they move counterclockwise.
• The cold currents from the north bring cold water to the Tropics. The warm currents of the Tropics brings warm water to the cooler regions. Ocean currents help move energy around the globe.

Question 2

What is El Nino (ocean patterns)

Answer 2

• a mass of warm water that travels from the western Pacific across to the eastern Pacific
• brings warmer, wetter conditions to South America and warmer and drier weather to North America
• happens every two to seven years

Question 3

What is La Nina (ocean patterns)

Answer 3

• cooling of surface water near South America
• every three to five years
• has opposite weather conditions of El Nino

Question 4

How do oceans change the land?

Answer 4

Waves and currents can erode rocks and cliffs over time.

Question 5

How do oceans affect the climate?

Answer 5

Currents and winds affect climates from region to region.

Question 6

How do oceans affect habitats?

• do they contain habitats?
• If so, what is it dependent on?

Answer 6

The shallow and deep parts of the ocean contain a variety of habitats. It is dependent on temperature and amount of light.