Science 2.3 Ocean Currents

sodium chloride, nitrogen and phosphorus

3 examples of what the ocean transports

differences in water density

How do deep currents form?

upwelling

The movement of deep, cold, and nutrient-rich water to the surface

continental deflections, coriolis effect and global winds

What affects surface currents?

energy and matter

What do ocean currents transport?

sun and wind

What powers surface currents?

surface current

Wind-powered ocean current that moves water horizontally, parallel to Earth's surface, and moves only the upper few hundred meters of seawater.

deep current

a streamlike movement of ocean water far below the surface

ocean currents

large streams of surface seawater

Coriolis effect

the deflection of an object's path due to the rotation of Earth

convection current

the movement of a fluid, caused by differences in temperature, that transfers heat from one part of the fluid to another