1. Chapter 21 Section 1 Handout
Ocean Currents

2. 1
A horizontal movement of water in a well-defined pattern is called a(n)
current

3. 2 What are two ways that oceanographers identify ocean currents?
By Studying the physical and chemical characteristics of the ocean water
By mapping the path of debris that comes from ships.

4. 3 What are the two major categories of ocean currents? deep currents
surface currents

5. 4
Currents that are driven by wind and move horizontally on or near the ocean’s surface are called
surface currents

6. 5 The following factors control surface currents? Air currents
Location of the continents
Earth’s rotation

7. 6
All surface currents are affected by
winds.

8. 7
Explain what causes winds to form.
Uneven heating of the atmosphere.

9. 8 How does wind make water on the ocean’s surface move?
Kinetic energy is transferred from the air to the ocean.

10. Numbers I H K C D B G E F J J A

11. 33
A current that is uninterrupted by any continents and crosses all three major oceans is the __________________.
Antarctic Circompolar Current.

12. 34
Currents in the northern Indian Ocean are governed by _________, which are winds whose direction change seasonally.
monsoons

13. 35
The Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic Current, the Canary Current, and the North Equatorial Current form the ______.
North Atlantic Gyre.

14. 36
A vast are of calm, warm water at the center of the North Atlantic Gyre is called the ____________.
Sargasso Sea.

15. The End