Name_____________________________________________________
Period______________
Winds and Currents
Video:
1. ____________________________ are cohesive streams of seawater that flow through the oceans.
2. Larger streams, like the Gulf Stream have followed their course for _________________________ while
other smaller currents die out quickly.
3. Currents are caused by ____________________, _____________________, and variations in _____________________ .
4. What are the 2 types of ocean currents?
________________________________________________ and _____________________________________
5. There are ________ main gyres, 2 in the Pacific, 2 in the Atlantic, and 1 in the Indian Ocean.
6. ___________________________________ is the most important cause of surface currents.
7. Surface currents dissipate as water gets __________________________, until they die out.
8. Currents move at an ___________________________ to the force that generates them. This is called the
__________________________________ ______________________________ .
9. The Coriolis Effect occurs because the Earth’s surface rotates faster at the _______________________
than at the __________________________ .
10. The Coriolis deflection is to the ________________________ in the northern hemisphere, and to the
____________________ in the southern hemisphere.
11. The Trade Winds flow from _______________________ to _____________________ .
12. The Westerlies flow from the _______________________ to the ________________________ .
13. The _____________________________ current is responsible for pushing icebergs down into the Atlantic
Ocean. This caused the sinking of the Titanic!
14. _______________________________________ currents flow along coast lines when waves run into the shore
at an angle.
15. ____________________ currents form where obstacle channel water away from the shoreline.
16. _______________________________ occurs when winds push surface water away from the shore. Deeper
water rises to fill the gap left behind.
17. Deep currents twist together into a continuous stream called the ______________________
___________________________________ ________________________ .
18. As polar water freezes _______________________ is left behind. This causes the water to become more
_________________________, so it sinks.
19. ___________________________ _______________________ is pulled in above the dense, cold salt water.
20. Two currents split off near Antarctica, one to the _______________________ Ocean, and one to the
_________________________ Ocean.
21. As these currents move North they get ____________________________ and _________________ salt making
them less dense.
22. This causes them to rise back to the ____________________________.
Coriolis Effect:
Which Target Do You Chose?
What Was the Correct Target?
1. ____________________
______________________
2. ____________________
______________________
3. ____________________
______________________
4. ____________________
______________________
El Nino:
1. Compare sea temperatures in the Eastern and Western sides of the Pacific under normal
conditions.
2. Knowing that the Tradewinds flow from East to West, explain how they create this temperature
pattern.
3. Now compare the temperatures in the Eastern and Western sides of the Pacific during El Nino
conditions.
4. What would cause this change?