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