What are 3 causes of surface currents?
Surface currents are controlled by three factors: global winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflections. surface create surface currents in the ocean.
What causes surface currents in water?
Major surface ocean currents in the open ocean, however, are set in motion by the wind, which drags on the surface of the water as it blows. The winds pull surface water with them, creating currents. As these currents flow westward, the Coriolis effect—a force that results from the rotation of the Earth—deflects them.
What are the 5 factors that affect the surface currents?
What are the 5 factors that affect the surface currents? The different types of currents (referred to as surface or thermohaline, depending on their depth) are created by, among other things, wind, water density, the topography of the ocean floor and the coriolis effect.
What 4 factors affect ocean currents?
There are four factors affecting the origin and flow of Ocean Currents i.e. Rotation and gravitational force of the Earth; Oceanic factors (temperature, salinity, density, pressure gradient and melting of ice); atmospheric factors (atmospheric pressure, winds, rainfall, evaporation and insolation); factors that …
What two factors affect the currents of the ocean?
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 the three major factors affect water circulation?
The wind belts, Earths’ rotation, and the location of continents are the three factors that control the surface currents of the oceans. The trade winds and the westerlies are the global wind belts that most directly affect the flow of surface currents.
What is the most direct cause of major surface ocean currents?
Large-scale surface ocean currents are driven by global wind systems that are fueled by energy from the sun. These currents transfer heat from the tropics to the polar regions, influencing local and global climate.
What are the causes and effects of ocean currents?
Various forces act upon ocean water, causing it to move. They include the wind, temperature, breaking waves and at tides, and sometimes underground forces like earthquakes. Ocean currents are the movements of ocean water due to gravity, the rotating earth (Coriolis effect), water density, the sun, and wind.
How do the causes of surface and deepwater currents differ?
How do the causes of surface and deepwater currents differ? Surface currents are caused by wind; deepwater currents are caused by differences in water density. Wind and ocean currents do not move in straight lines; instead, they curve as they move across the planet.
What has the greatest effect 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.
What are the two main factors that affect deep ocean currents?
Deep currents are driven by temperature and water density/salinity.
What causes ocean currents quizlet?
A directional movement of ocean water; surface currents result from steady winds over the ocean surface; deep ocean currents result from density variations due to temperature and salinity differences.
What causes ocean surface circulation currents?
Coriolis forces is another cause of ocean surface circulation currents. These forces can cause the ocean currents to move in a certain way. Every layer in the water would move at different rate of velocity to the right direction. Thus the ocean currents would form a circular or spiral currents.
What is the influence of wind on ocean currents?
Influence of wind (atmospheric circulation) Wind blowing on the surface of the ocean pushes the water to move. Friction between the wind and the water surface affects the movement of the water body in its course. Winds are responsible for both magnitude and direction [Coriolis force also affects direction] of the ocean currents.
How do surface currents affect the climate?
Surface currents. Large-scale surface ocean currents are driven by global wind systems that are fueled by energy from the sun. These currents transfer heat from the tropics to the polar regions, influencing local and global climate.
What causes deep water currents to form?
Surface wind-driven currents generate upwelling currents in conjunction with landforms, creating deepwater currents. Currents may also be caused by density differences in water masses due to temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline) variations via a process known as thermohaline circulation.