Name___________________________________Date_______________Hour_____ Earth Science………………Miss Hall…………Unit #9: Oceans and Climate Ocean Currents Activity PURPOSE: To identify the movement of major ocean currents, and observe the relationship between surface ocean currents and winds. MATERIALS: Surface Ocean Current Map Prevailing Winds Map Colored Pencils and a sharp regular pencil PROCEDURE/DATA/ANALYSIS/CONCLUSIONS: Answer in complete sentences! 1. What is the definition of an ocean current?______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 2. Using the Surface Ocean Current map, locate each of the ocean currents listed in the Data Table. For each current listed, name the ocean basin in which each current occurs, indicate whether the current is located on the east or west side of the ocean basin, identify whether the current is warm or cold, and determine whether the current is flowing toward or away from the equator. The first one is completed as an example. Data Table Name of Current Gulf Stream California Ocean Basin Location in Ocean Basin Atlantic west General Temperature Flow Direction Relative to Equator warm away Canary Peru Brazil Kuroshio W. Australia E. Australia Benguela Agulhas 3. Based the information in the table, what is the relationship between the temperature of the ocean currents and the direction of current flow relative to the equator? Explain why this relationship occurs. ______________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 4. On what side of the ocean basin do cold currents flow? 5. On what side of the ocean basin do warm currents flow? 1 east / west (circle one) east / west (circle one) 6. What is the relationship between current temperature and the side of the ocean on which that current flows? Use complete sentences!______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 7. Lay a sheet of tracing paper over the Surface Ocean Currents map so that it completely covers the western half of the map. With a sharp pencil, trace as much of the map border and equator as possible. Using a red colored pencil, trace the arrows showing the direction of the North Equatorial current in the Pacific Ocean. In what compass direction do the arrows point? ___________________ 8. Move the tracing paper to the Prevailing World Winds map and align the map border and equator. With a purple colored pencil, trace the arrows representing the Northeast Trades in the Pacific Ocean. In what compass direction do these arrows point? (NOTE: the winds are named for the direction FROM which they blow). ___________________ 9. Turn your tracing paper so that the arrows for the Northeast Trades are, in general, pointing away from you. Do the arrows for the North Equatorial current point to your left or to your right? _______ 10. Based upon your previous answer, what is the general relationship between ocean current direction and the winds that cause them in the Northern Hemisphere? __________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 11. Once again, align your tracing paper with the Surface Ocean currents map and trace the South Equatorial arrows in the Pacific Ocean with a red colored pencil. In what compass direction do the arrows point? ___________ 12. Move the tracing paper to the Prevailing World Winds map and trace the Southeast Trade wind arrows in the Pacific Ocean using a purple colored pencil. In what compass direction do the arrows point? ___________________ 13. Turn your tracing paper so that the arrows for the Southeast Trades are, in general, pointing away from you. Do the arrows for the South Equatorial current point to your left or to your right? _______ 14. Based upon your previous answer, what is the general relationship between ocean current direction and the winds that cause them in the Southern Hemisphere? __________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 2 15. Compare the directions (clockwise or counterclockwise) of the major circulation patterns in the oceans of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. USE COMPLETE SENTENCES____________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 16. What is the general relationship between current temperature and direction of flow along the east coast of the continents? __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 17. What is the general relationship between current temperature and direction of flow along the west coast of the continents? __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 18. Which current flows around the Earth without interruption by land and where does it flow? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 19. What is the driving force behind surface currents? _____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 20. Based on your data, what is the relationship between the temperature of the ocean current and the direction of current flow relative to the equator? Explain why this relationship occurs (include Coriolis effect, temperature and density). __________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 3 Surface Ocean Currents Prevailing World Winds 4