Oceanic currents are driven by three main factors:
- The rise and fall of the tides. Tides create a current in the oceans, which are strongest near the shore, and in bays and estuaries along the coast.
- Wind. Winds drive currents that are at or near the ocean’s surface.
- Thermohaline circulation.
What are 3 things that affect surface ocean currents?
Surface currents are controlled by three factors: global winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflections. surface create surface currents in the ocean. Different winds cause currents to flow in different directions. objects from a straight path due to the Earth's rotation.
What are the factors that influence surface ocean currents?
What are the 5 main causes of ocean currents?
- Solar heating. it causes water to expand. …
- Wind. The Wind is responsible for ocean currents as it blows the water on the surface, causing the currents. …
- Gravity. Gravity tends to pull items towards the surface of the earth. …
- The salinity of the water. …
- Temperature. …
- Coriolis effect. …
- Underwater earthquakes.
What is the driving force behind surface currents?
the primary driving force of surface ocean currents is the distribution of major landmasses - gravity and friction between the ocean and the wind that blows across its surface influence surface currents
What are four factors cause ocean currents?
Ocean currents can be caused by wind, density differences in water masses caused by temperature and salinity variations, gravity, and events such as earthquakes or storms. Currents are cohesive streams of seawater that circulate through the ocean. Some are short-lived and small, while others are vast flows that take centuries to complete a ...
What are the factors influencing the surface currents?
Surface currents are controlled by three factors: global winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflections.
What factor has the greatest influence on surface currents?
Wind. Wind is the single biggest factor in the creation of surface currents. Strong winds moving across an expanse of water move the surface of the water.
Which factors influence the ocean currents?
The movement of ocean currents is affected by several factors. Some of these factors are planetary winds, temperature differences, salinity of water, rotation of the earth, and the structure and shape of the continents.
What are the 3 major surface currents?
Water in the surface currents is pushed in the direction of the major wind belts: trade winds: east to west between the Equator and 30oN and 30oS. westerlies: west to east in the middle latitudes. polar easterlies: east to west between 50o and 60o north and south of the Equator and the north and south pole.
What 3 things affect how surface currents move?
Winds, water density, and tides all drive ocean currents. Coastal and sea floor features influence their location, direction, and speed. Earth's rotation results in the Coriolis effect which also influences ocean currents.
What are six factors that drive surface currents?
The ocean has an interconnected current, or circulation, system powered by wind, tides, Earth's rotation (Coriolis effect), the sun (solar energy), and water density differences. The topography and shape of ocean basins and nearby landmasses also influence ocean currents.
What are the 5 main causes of ocean currents?
Ocean currents are made up of two main types of currents influenced and caused by varying environmental factors. The factors that cause ocean currents include Earth's rotation, wind, gravity, temperature, and salinity.
Which factor causes surface ocean currents quizlet?
Wind direction, the spin of Earth, and differences in temperature contribute to currents. Currents occur at the surface of and deep within the ocean. The Coriolis effect contributes to the direction of current flow. Wind direction, the spin of Earth, and differences in temperature contribute to currents.
What is the #1 factor that affects surface ocean currents?
Rotation of the Earth The wind is not the only factor that affects ocean currents. The Coriolis effect describes how Earth's rotation steers winds and surface ocean currents.
What are the 5 major surface currents?
Surface currents vary considerably in strength, width, temperature and depth. The five most notable gyres are as follows: Indian Ocean Gyre, North Atlantic Gyre, North Pacific Gyre, South Atlantic Gyre, and South Pacific Gyre.
What are surface currents?
Surface currents are driven by global wind systems that are fueled by energy from the sun. These currents bring heat from the tropics to the polar regions; the Gulf Stream, for instance, brings warm water along the eastern coast of the US up to Northern Europe.
Where are the strongest surface currents?
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is the largest ocean current on Earth. Strong winds drive its flow around the Antarctic Continent, providing a big ocean conveyer belt that where water from all of the world's major oceans comes together and mixes in the vigorous jets and eddies of the ACC.
What is the #1 factor that affects surface ocean currents?
Rotation of the Earth The wind is not the only factor that affects ocean currents. The Coriolis effect describes how Earth's rotation steers winds and surface ocean currents.
What are the 2 factors that affect currents?
Oceanic currents are driven by three main factors:The rise and fall of the tides. Tides create a current in the oceans, which are strongest near the shore, and in bays and estuaries along the coast. ... Wind. Winds drive currents that are at or near the ocean's surface. ... Thermohaline circulation.
Which factor causes surface ocean currents quizlet?
Wind direction, the spin of Earth, and differences in temperature contribute to currents. Currents occur at the surface of and deep within the ocean. The Coriolis effect contributes to the direction of current flow. Wind direction, the spin of Earth, and differences in temperature contribute to currents.