Earth’s Waters 4-4 Notes – Flashcards
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How does 'The Sneaker Incident' show the function of currents?
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It shows that the path and speed of the ocean currents is constant.
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Compare and contrast currents and waves.
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They are both types of water movement. Currents are a large stream of moving water that flows through the oceans. Currents carry water through great distances.
Waves are the movement of energy through a body of water.
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What causes currents? Why are they curved?
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Surface currents are driven by winds. Deep sea currents are caused by density. Currents are curved because of the Coriolis Effect.
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How does a surface current effect climate (both temperature and humidity)? Give both a temperature and humidity example.
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Surface currents warm or cool the air above it, influencing the climate near the coast. Winds can also pick up moisture and change the humidity. The Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift give Trondheim, Norway a fair winter even though it is by the Arctic Circle. The Kuroshio Current brings mild, rainy weather to the southern islands of Japan.
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Compare and contrast surface currents and deep currents.
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They are both are moving water that flows through oceans. Surface currents are towards the top of the ocean, can be warm or cold, and are controlled by winds. Deep currents are low, deep in the ocean, cold, and are controlled by density.
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How does upwelling effect marine life?
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Upwelling brings up tiny ocean organisms, minerals, and other nutrients from the deeper layers of water. This provides food for enormous schools of fish.
