Module 10-Circulation of the Ocean

The Ekman spiral is similar to an eddy in that the water spirals downward like a whirlpool.

False

The Pacific's Equatorial Currents are driven eastward by westerly winds and flow faster than the westward flowing currents driven by the trades.

False

Western boundary currents move cold water poleward in each of the gyres.

False

Thermohaline circulation distributes which of the following?

Heat, nutrients, and carbon dioxide

What happens to plastic waste in the ocean?

It never fully goes away; It just breaks down into little pieces

This example of UPWELLING (right) takes place in the:

Northern Hemisphere

Where does the majority of plastic waste end up?

Oceans

Thermohaline currents are created by differences in:

Salinity and temperature

This example of DOWNWELLING (left) takes place in the:

Southern Hemisphere

This example of UPWELLING (left) takes place in the:

Southern Hemisphere

The two properties of ocean water that influence density are:

Temperature and salinity

Animals can get trapped and entangled in large plastic items, but tiny "micro plastics" are also harmful, as marine animals often mistake them for food. What happens when animals ingest plastic?

They can become malnourished, they can get toxins in the plastic, and chemicals from plastic can end up in the food chain and can reach humans

What changes are caused by the Southern Oscillation in the Pacific Ocean?

Trade winds blow from west to east

Gyres tend to collect seaweed and trash as their centers.

True

Surface currents distribute tropical heat worldwide. The winters in Scotland, Ireland, and England are relatively mild due to the energy transported by the North Atlantic Current and the Gulf Stream.

True

The "hill" of water that occurs as a result of westward intensification due to the Coriolis effect is formed by Ekman transport.

True

The centers of gyres tend to be calm and support high productivity.

True

The only ocean current that continues in an uninterrupted circle around the circumference of the Earth without encountering land is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

True

The raw material to make plastic is oil.

True

The westward intensification is driven by the Coriolis effect.

True

What can be caused by ENSO events in the Eastern Pacific?

Upwelled water is nutrient-depleted, causing loss of productivity

England's weather is ___ than would be expected at that latitude because of the influence of surface currents.

Warmer and wetter

Generally the fastest and deepest ocean currents are:

Western boundary currents

Currents tend to move in large ___ patterns in the northern hemisphere.

Clockwise

Surface currents flow vertically in the uppermost 400 meters of the water column.

False

San Francisco's characteristic cold and foggy weather is caused by a:

Cold eastern boundary current

How much of the water in the world ocean is involved in surface currents?

10%

A system of four currents completing a flow circuit around the periphery of an ocean basin is collectively called:

A Gyre

The concentration of plastic is highest in the ___ of the north pacific gyre.

Center

What water mass is the densest in the world ocean?

Antarctic Bottom Water

The centers of gyres tend to be ____.

Calm and support relatively little life

All of the following statements are true about an Ekman Spiral, EXCEPT:

Ekman spiral is not influenced by Coriolis

A transverse current is a surface current that connects eastern-boundary and western-boundary currents.

False

Downwelling can have direct effects on the climate of an adjacent coast.

False

Most of the plastic pollution floats on the surface of the water, making it easy to skim the surface in clean-up efforts.

False

Petroleum based plastics are biodegradable.

False

The flow of water around the periphery of an ocean basin driven by winds and the Coriolis effect is called a(n) ____.

gyre