Download Unit 6 Lesson 2 Ocean Currents

Unit 6 Lesson 2 Ocean Currents
What are ocean currents?
• ________ ________ are stream like movements of
water in the ocean.
• __________ _______ are ocean currents that occur
at or near the surface of the ocean, caused by wind.
• The ______ _______ is one of the strongest surface
currents on Earth.
What affects surface currents?
• Surface currents are affected by continental
________, the _________effect, and __________
winds.
• When surface currents meet __________, they are
deflected and change ____________.
• The deflection of moving objects from a straight path
due to Earth’s rotation is called the ________
__________
• In the ________ Hemisphere, currents are deflected
to the right.
• In the _________Hemisphere, currents are deflected
to the left.
• _______ _______ can push ocean water across
Earth’s surface to create surface currents.
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Unit 6 Lesson 2 Ocean Currents
What powers surface currents?
• The major source of energy that powers surface
currents is the ________.
• The sun heats air near the _________ more than it
heats air at other _________. As a result, there are
differences in pressure in the __________.
• Winds form as a result of __________in air pressure
and create _________ currents.
How do deep currents form?
• _______ _________ are movements of ocean water
far below the surface. They are caused by
differences in water density.
• ________ is the amount of matter in a given space
or volume.
• _________ and ___________ cause differing ocean
water densities.
• ____________ is a measure of the amount of
dissolved salts or solids in a liquid. Higher
_________ makes water more dense.
• _______ water is denser than ______ water.
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Unit 6 Lesson 2 Ocean Currents
• Dense water _____ and can form deep water
currents that flow along the ocean floor or on
another layer of denser water.
What are convection currents?
• ________ ________ in the ocean are the
movement of water that results from density
differences.
• Convection currents can be ________, _______, or
_________.
How do convection currents transfer energy?
• Water at the ocean’s surface _________ energy from
the sun, and surface currents carry this energy to
_______ regions.
• As warm water reaches a colder region, it cools,
becomes denser, and _______.
• As _____ surface water moves away, ______ water
rises to the surface. The cold water absorbs the sun’s
energy, and the cycle continues.
What is upwelling?
• __________ is the process by which winds blow
warm water away from a shore, allowing cool,
nutrient-rich water to rise to the surface.
• Upwelling supplies the ________ that support the
growth of ____________ and _________________.
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Unit 6 Lesson 2 Ocean Currents
• These tiny organisms are food for larger organisms,
such as _______ and _________.
• Ocean currents can _________ various living
organisms to different parts of the world.
• Turtles, coconuts, and phytoplankton all ride the
ocean’s _______ __________.
What do ocean currents transport?
• Convection currents in the ocean transport energy in
the form of ______.
• Ocean currents can release energy into the
___________, making currents an important
influence on climate.
• Ocean water also ________ dissolved solids,
including nutrients, and dissolved gases that support
the growth of many marine organisms
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