The Movement of Ocean water Carin Miranda Fall 2012 Smyrna Middle School 6B

Surface Currents Caused by global winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflection (turns direction). Surface Currents carry warm water away from the equator.

Coriolis Effect? The apparent curving of moving objects from a straight path –Caused by the Earth’s rotation Example: Trying to roll a ball straight across a turning merry-go-round. Ocean currents in the Northern and Southern hemisphere turn in opposite directions

Continental Deflections When a surface current approaches a continent it deflects or changes direction.

Taking Temperatures Warm water currents create unusually warm climates for the coastal areas that are near the area that the water has flowed. These surface currents carry warm water away from the equator.

Deep Currents Colder and denser than surface currents When the air above the water gets cold, the water’s molecules slow down, move close together, and increase in density. The density of water increases when it gets colder. The increase in density causes the water to sink.

Salinity of Ocean Water Salinity is the measure of the amount of dissolved salts or solids in a liquid. Evaporation increases the salinity of ocean water.

El Nino and La Nina Both change the weather from what should normally be expected. El Nino-change in the water temperature in the Pacific Ocean that produces a warm current. –Brings floods, mudslides, and drought La Nina-change in the eastern Pacific Ocean in which the surface water temperature becomes unusually cool. –Brings blizzards

Sea Breeze vs. Land Breeze Cold air is more dense than warm air so the cold air does the pushing. Sea Breeze-The wind blows off the water toward the land. When the temperature over land is greater than the temperature over water. Land Breeze-The wind blows off the land toward the water. When the temperature over the water is greater than the temperature over the land.