currents, tides, and waves. ocean currents ocean currents are moving streams of water within the...

CURRENTS, TIDES, AND WAVES

OCEAN CURRENTSOcean currents are moving streams of water within the ocean.

There are two types of currents: surface currents and deep currents.

How are surface currents caused?

WIND

How are deep currents caused?

DIFFERENCES IN DENSITY

SURFACE CURRENTS

THREE THINGS EFFECT SURFACE CURRENTS:

WIND, CORIOLIS EFFECT, AND CONTINENTS

DEEP CURRENTS

WHAT CAUSES DEEP CURRENTS TO MOVE IF THE WIND DOESN’T HAVE AN EFFECT ON IT?

WATER DENSITY MOVES THE WATER.

COLD WATER IS MORE DENSE AND IT SINKS AND MOVES

WARM WATER IS LESS DENSE AND IT RISES

NOTE: SURFACE CURRENTS TRAVEL MUCH FASTER THAN DEEP CURRENTS

UPWELLING

UPWELLING

WHY IS UPWELLING IMPORTANT TO US?

THE DEEP CURRENT CARRIES UP NUTRIENTS WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR MARINE LIFE!

OCEAN WAVES

WAVE FEATURES

BIRTH OF A WAVE

TSUNAMI•CAUSED FROM EARTHQUAKES ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS, UNDERWATER LANDSLIDES

•CANNOT BE FELT BY SHIPS IN THE OPEN OCEAN

•HAS A SPEED OF 725 KM PER HOUR

•30-40 METERS HIGH

TIDES

Changes in water level due to the gravitational pull of the moon on the earth.

TIDES

SPRING TIDES – WHEN THE MOON, THE EARTH, AND THE SUN ARE ALL ALIGNED. THERE IS A COMBINED GRAVITATIONAL PULL ON THE EARTHS OCEANS, RESULTING IN HIGHER HIGH TIDES AND LOWER LOW TIDES.

NEAP TIDES – WHEN THE MOON AND THE SUN ARE AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER. GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF THE SUN AND THE MOON WORK AGAINST EACH OTHER RESULTING IN LOWER HIGH TIDES AND HIGHER LOW TIDES.