Sediments, Density and Currents Flashcards
the massive flow of water through Earth’s oceans.
ocean current
rivers of water that move through the ocean’s surface
surface currents
List the two main types of currents
surface currents and deep currents (subsurface)
Where are surface currents found?
the surface
What are two causes of surface currents?
the wind and the Coriolis effect
winds that move from east to west, towards the equator.
trade winds
winds that move from west to east, away from the equator.
westerlies
List two main wind types
trade winds and westerlies
the curving effect on winds and currents that results from Earth’s rotation
the Coriolis effect
What is the direction of movement of surface ocean water in the northern hemisphere?
clockwise
What is the direction of movement of surface ocean water in the southern hemisphere?
counterclockwise
Does the Coriolis effect make sinks and toilets swirl in the opposite direction in the US and Australia when they drain?
NO
Which currents are the result of differences in the density of ocean water?
deep currents
What are the two causes of deep currents?
Salinity and temperature
What word refers to the saltiness of ocean water?
salinity
When salty water mixes with less salty water,, where does the salty water go and why?
it sinks because it is more dense
When cold water mixes with warm water, where does the cold water go and why?
It sinks because it is more dense
True or False: Surface currents and deep currents interact and trade places , moving water in a global pattern between the poles and the equator
TRUE
List two reasons ocean currents are important
They create weather patterns
They distribute food, nutrients, reproductive cells, larva for coral sponges
a process in which deep, cold water rises to the surface.
upwelling
tiny, plant-like organisms that cannot swim against current and use sunlight to make their own food by photosynthesis
Phytoplankton
animal-like organisms that drift in the water and feed on other organisms.
zooplankton
