Ocean Currents & Climate Flashcards
What is the Coriolis effect?
The Coriolis effect is the deflection of moving objects caused by Earth’s rotation, affecting the direction of winds and currents.
Example sentence: The Coriolis effect causes hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere to rotate counterclockwise.
How do surface currents and gyres interact?
Surface currents flow across oceans, forming large, circular systems called gyres that distribute heat.
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What drives deep ocean currents?
Differences in water density, influenced by temperature and salinity, drive deep ocean currents.
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How does temperature affect ocean currents?
Warmer, less dense water rises, while colder, denser water sinks, creating a circulation pattern.
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What factors influence a region’s climate?
Latitude, elevation, and nearby geographic features all influence a region’s climate.
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How does latitude affect climate?
Higher latitudes receive less direct sunlight, leading to cooler temperatures.
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What impact does elevation have on temperature?
As elevation increases, air cools, resulting in lower temperatures.
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How do geographic features affect local climates?
Large bodies of water moderate temperatures, while mountain ranges can create rain shadows.
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What is a rain shadow, and how does it form?
A rain shadow is an area of reduced rainfall on the leeward side of a mountain range, created as moist air rises, cools, and precipitates on the windward side.
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What is the rock cycle, and how does it operate?
The rock cycle describes the processes through which rocks form, change, and break down over time, including igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic processes.
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