What are the 3 forces that make the ocean surface currents?

What are the 3 forces that make the ocean surface currents?

Oceanic currents are driven by three main factors:

• The rise and fall of the tides. Tides create a current in the oceans, which are strongest near the shore, and in bays and estuaries along the coast.
• Wind. Winds drive currents that are at or near the ocean’s surface.
• Thermohaline circulation.

What force affects surface currents?

Coriolis force
Coastal currents are affected by local winds. Surface ocean currents, which occur on the open ocean, are driven by a complex global wind system. To understand the effects of winds on ocean currents, one first needs to understand the Coriolis force and the Ekman spiral.

What forces are responsible for currents?

Ocean currents can be caused by wind, density differences in water masses caused by temperature and salinity variations, gravity, and events such as earthquakes or storms. Currents are cohesive streams of seawater that circulate through the ocean.

What is the driving force of surface currents quizlet?

1. Wind is the primary driving force of surface currents. The Coriolis effect deflects the currents to the right (Northern Hemisphere) or left (Southern Hemisphere) of their path of motion (the prevailing wind direction). The location of the continents also affects the pattern of surface currents.

What are three factors that affect surface ocean currents?

Surface currents are controlled by three factors: global winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflections. surface create surface currents in the ocean. Different winds cause currents to flow in different directions. objects from a straight path due to the Earth’s rotation.

What causes currents to flow in different directions?

Different winds cause currents to flow in different directions. objects from a straight path due to the Earth’s rotation. Also, what are the 3 factors that directly affect surface currents in the ocean? List the three factors that control surface currents: Global winds, continental deflection and temperature, and the Coriolis effect.

How are deep ocean currents different from surface currents?

Deep ocean currents are density-driven and differ from surface currents in scale, speed, and energy. Water density is affected by the temperature, salinity (saltiness), and depth of the water. The colder and saltier the ocean water, the denser it is.

Why are surface currents important to the environment?

Surface currents are extremely important because they distribute heat around the planet and are a major factor influencing climate around the globe. What are the 5 major ocean currents? There are five major ocean-wide gyres—the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, and Indian Ocean gyres.