Oceans Continued Lesson 67

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Oceans Outside of Earth’s equatorial areas, weather patterns are driven largely by ocean currents. Currents are movements of ocean water in a continuous flow, created largely by surface winds but also by temperature, Earth’s rotation, and tides Flow clockwise in the northern hemisphere Flow counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere

Ocean Currents Ocean currents act like a conveyer belt Transport warm water from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics. Regulate global climate, helping to counteract the uneven distribution of solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface.

Current Direction Factors that affect the direction ocean currents move: 1. Trade winds: winds that blow across the ocean's surface determines a current's direction. 2. Coriolis effect:­ earth spins counter­clockwise causing the ocean's currents to travel in a curved path. 3. Continental deflection: when an ocean current hits a land mass, the current changes directions because of the land.

Classwork Answer the following questions to pass in for a grade 1. What are ocean currents? 2. What direction do ocean currents flow in the northern hemisphere? 3. What direction do ocean currents flow in the southern hemisphere? 4. Why are ocean currents similar to a conveyer belt? 5. Explain the three factors that influence ocean current direction.