Name: _____________________________________
Date: _______________________
Block: ________
Investigation – Prevailing Winds and World Ocean Currents
Learning Target: I will analyze the relationship between prevailing winds and ocean currents.
I will identify and describe Earth’s major ocean currents and global winds.
MAP PROCEDURES: PART A - GLOBAL PREVAILING WINDS (pg 422-425)
1. Label Map 1 – Global Prevailing Winds
2. Lightly shade in all land areas on your map with a green colored pencil.
3. Using page 423 in the textbook, write in the number of degrees of latitude (90⁰N, 60⁰N, 30⁰N, 0⁰, 30⁰S, 60⁰S, 90⁰S)
in the left margin beside each of the lines on the map.
4. Use a purple colored pencil and draw arrows between the latitudes to show the prevailing surface winds.
(Shown in purple in the book.)
5. Label the name of the surface winds on the right-hand side of the map. (There are six of them.)
6. Label along the line of each latitude the correct pressure belt – either high or low. Using a blue colored pencil,
trace over the latitude lines with a high pressure belt. Using a red colored pencil, trace over the latitude lines with
a low pressure belt.
Questions: Part A- Global Prevailing Winds
1. List the name of the prevailing winds that are found between the following latitudes:
_________________________________________ - Between the North Pole and 60˚ N
_________________________________________ - Between the equator and 30 ˚ N
_________________________________________ - Between 30˚ S and 60˚ S
2. The low pressure areas near the Equator are sometimes referred to as the “Doldrums” because of the lack of winds
found there. Explain why this area is also described as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). (p. 425)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What prevents the air from flowing in straight lines north and south? _______________________________________
4. Most of the world’s deserts occur at what two latitudes? ___________________ Explain: ______________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Find the Global Surface Winds map on page 424 of your book and locate the 30oN latitude line (goes through Florida).
5. What general direction are the winds blowing towards in the Atlantic Ocean just above 30˚ N? ___________________
6. What general direction are the winds blowing towards in the Atlantic Ocean just below 30˚ N? ___________________
Find the Three-Celled Circulation Model map on page 423.
7. Do the wind directions you found in questions 5 & 6 match the wind directions shown in the model? ______________
Read the 3rd paragraph on page 424.
8. Explain why the Southern Hemisphere and not the Northern Hemisphere is more likely to show wind patterns that
resemble the Three-Celled Circulation Model map.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
MAP PROCEDURES: PART B- GLOBAL OCEAN CURRENTS (pg 532)
1. Label Map 2- Global Ocean Currents
2. Lightly shade in all land areas on your map with a green colored pencil.
3. Write in the number of degrees of latitude in the left margin beside each of the lines on the map. (page 532)
4. Using the image on the board, copy the circulation of surface currents in each ocean. Use a red colored pencil to
represent warm currents and a blue colored pencil for cold.
5. Label the name of each gyre.
6. Using page 532 in the text book, locate and label on your map the name of the following ocean currents:
[Gulf Stream, Brazil, Kuroshio, East Australia, Agulhas, Benguela, Canary, Peru, California, West Wind Drift]
Questions: Part B – Global Ocean Currents
1. What is the relationship between the temperature of an ocean current and the direction of current flow from the
equator?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Explain:____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Look along the east coast of each continent. What is the temperature of the current? [warm or cold] What direction
is the current flowing? [toward the equator or away from the equator]
3. Look along the west coast of each continent. What is the temperature of the current? [warm or cold] What direction
is the current flowing? [toward the equator or away from the equator]
4. What direction do the oceans circulate in the Northern Hemisphere? [clockwise or counterclockwise]
5. What direction do the oceans circulate in the Southern Hemisphere? [clockwise or counterclockwise]
6. What force is primarily responsible for circular motion of the oceans? ______________________________________
7. Which prevailing winds are likely responsible for driving the West Wind Drift? ________________________________
8. Think about it --- Surface ocean currents are ultimately caused by the _______________________________________
OCEAN CURRENTS & WINDS DATA TABLE: Using and comparing your maps complete the data table below.
Name of current
Gulf Stream
Brazil
Kuroshio
E. Australia
Agulhas
Canary
Benguela
Peru
California
Ocean Basin
(Atlantic/Pacific/Indian)
Prevailing Wind
General
Temperature
(warm/cold)
Flow Direction
Relative to Equator
(toward/away from)
MAP # 1 ________________________________________________________________
MAP # 2 _______________________________________________________________