Earth's Oceans Study Guide

if coastal winds are strong, How will this affect wave heights?

It will increase the heights of them.

What is the term used to described the amount of dissolved salts in a given amount of liquid?

Salinty

Which surface ocean current transports warm water to higher latitudes of Western Europe?

The Gulf stream

Besides the time of year, what will cause the ocean's surface temperatures to vary?

longitude

What is the origin of most of the salt in the ocean?

minerals and salts are deposited into the ocean by the ocean carrying it out to sea

where Would the temperature of the ocean probably be lowest?

near the poles in the winter

What do global winds blowing over the Earth's oceans cause?

surface currents

What causes tides, but NOT waves and currents?

the moon's gravitaional pull

How is a tsunami wave differ from most ocean waves?

Because it forms after a volcanic eruption

Ocean currents move in different directions in different hemispheres due to the Earth's rotation. What is this called?

Coriolis effect

How are deep currents different from surface currents?

Deep currents are deep below the the surface and surface currents are near the ocean's surface