Name: _____________________________________ Date: _________________________ Period: _______

Unit 5:   Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate: 

Cold Years in New Zealand  

Chapter 2: Ocean Currents 

Unit Question:

What determines the air temperature of a location on Earth?  

Chapter 2 Question:

Other than latitude, what else affects the air temperature of Christchurch?

1

Chapter 2: Ocean Currents

Lesson 1: “The Ocean in Motion”

Learning Target: I can explain how ocean currents move energy around our planet.

Focusing Questions

Unit Question → What determines air temperature of a location on earth?

Chapter 2 Question → Other than latitude, what other effects determine the air temperature of Christchurch?

Do Now

Draw a star on the place where you live on the map. Estimate the latitude.

1) What is your estimated latitude? ___

____________________________________________________ 2) Based on the latitude you estimated, how much energy do you think is transferred from the sun to the surface, and then to the air in your city?

______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 3) Other than latitude, what else do you think might affect the air temperature of where you live?

______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

2

What Do We Already Know About Temperature and Location?

● A location’s air temperature is affected by its ___________________________from the

equator. ● The closer a location is to the equator, the more ___________________________it receives

from the sun. ● But, both the air temperature and ocean temperature in Christchurch are

__________________________during El Niño years. ● Agree or Disagree: A city's latitude does not change (cities might grow and expand over

time, but they are located in the same basic place), we need to consider factors other than latitude.

● What other factors besides latitude would you consider? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

Key Concept #3

An ___________________ may have more than one _______________________;

these may be linked into a chain of causes and effects.

3

4

5

6

Chapter 2: Ocean Currents

Lesson 2: Ocean Temperatures at Different Locations

Learning Target: I can use evidence to understand how ocean currents that flow near a location affect the ocean surface temperature in that area.

Focusing Questions

Unit Question → What determines air temperature at a location on earth?

Chapter 2 Question → Other than latitude, what other effects determine the air temperature of Christchurch?

Do Now

Do you think the ocean surface temperature near Buenos Aires is the same or different from the ocean surface temperature near Cape Town? Look at the map and circle your prediction.

Prediction A Prediction B

Buenos Aires and Cape Town have the same ocean surface temperature.

Buenos Aires and Cape Town have different ocean surface temperatures.

Explain your choice: _____________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

7

Using a Map to Get Information

What does this map show?

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

_________________________________________

What is this current’s effect on Japan’s air temperature?

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

What does this map show?

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

What is this current’s effect on Australia’s air temperature?

__________________________________________

_________________________________________

Key Concept #4

● When an ocean current comes from the __________________, it brings

_____________________ water to places the current passes.

● When an ocean current comes from the __________________, it brings _____________________ water to places the current passes.

8

Investigating Ocean Surface Temperature: Part 1

Compare the two ocean currents. Match the current with the phrase that best describes it.

● Current A (near Buenos Aires) ______________________________________________.

carries no energy carries more energy carries the same energy carries less energy

● Current B (near Cape Town) ________________________________________________.

carries no energy carries more energy carries the same energy carries less energy.

1) What does the map show? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 2) Does the map provide evidence that the currents near Buenos Aires and Cape Town cause the ocean surface temperature at each location to be the same or different? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

9

Investigating Ocean Surface Temperature: Part 2

1) Which claim is better supported? (Choose 1)

Claim 1: Buenos Aires and Cape Town have the same ocean surface temperature.

Claim 2: Buenos Aires and Cape Town have different ocean surface temperatures.

2) How does the map support the claim you selected? Try to use all these words when you respond.

Equator Energy Current ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

10

Chapter 2: Ocean Currents

Lesson 3: Currents & Air Temperature

Learning Target: I can explain how warm and cold currents can affect the air temperature of a location due to differences between the amount of energy in the air and the water.

Focusing Questions

Unit Question → What determines air temperature at a location on earth?

Ch. 2 Question → Other than latitude, what other effects determine the air temperature of Christchurch?

Do Now

Trash from all around the world, especially plastics, pollutes the ocean. There are areas in the ocean that have much more trash than other areas. For example, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a huge mass of tiny pieces of garbage circulating in the Pacific Ocean.

Based on what you have learned about currents, what ideas do you have about why the trash is “trapped” in this location? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

11

Experiment: Understanding Water & Air Temperature

Initial Air Temperature Final Air Temperature

Cup with hot water

Cup with cold water

1) Why did the air temperature in each cup change? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 2) What happened to the energy in the air of the cold water cup? What happened to the energy in the air of the hot water cup? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

Results of Experiment

● The air temperature above the hot water _______________.

● The air temperature above the cold water ________________.

● Higher air temperatures mean _______________ amounts of energy in the air.

● Lower air temperatures mean _______________ amounts of energy in the air.

12

SIM: Investigating Ocean Currents and Air Temperature

Now you have evidence that air temperature can increase or decrease, depending on the temperature of nearby water. You will use the SIM to gather additional evidence and apply it to the air temperature in Buenos Aires and Cape Town. Directions:

1) Select “Current Map” mode. 2) For Temperature View, select “Surface.” 3) Place Location Sensors at 4 and 5. 4) Record the air temperature of these two locations. 5) Press play. Observe the motion of the currents and in Side View, observe how energy is being

transferred between water and air. 6) After temperatures stabilize (about 2 minutes), record your data in the table below. 7) Answer the questions that follow.

13

Air Temperature in Buenos Aires & Cape Town

1) Based on the evidence gathered from the experiment and the SIM, how do ocean currents affect the air temperature of Buenos Aires and Cape Town? Will the air temperature be same or different? ________________________________________________________________

2) The experiment showed that energy transfers from water to air when water is

( warmer / colder ) than the air. 3) The experiment showed that energy transfers from air to water when water is ( warmer / colder ) than the air. 4) A warm current makes the ocean temperature near Buenos Aires warmer than the air, so the ( ocean / air ) transfers energy to the ( ocean / air ) . 5) A cold current makes the ocean temperature near Cape Town colder than the air, so the ( ocean / air ) transfers energy to the ( ocean / air ) .

Key Concept #5

● Energy transfers from _______________ substances to ________________ substances.

● ________________ currents transfer energy to _______________ air, and warmer air transfers energy to cooler currents.

14

Chapter 2: Ocean Currents

Lesson 4: Modeling Ocean Currents and Air Temperature

Learning Target: I can explain how ocean currents affect the air temperature of Christchurch, New Zealand.

Do Now

Circle one word per blank to complete the sentences below.

● When an ocean current comes from the equator, energy is transferred from the (water / air) to the (water / air), and the air gets (warmer / cooler).

● When an ocean current comes from the pole, energy is transferred from the (water / air) to

the (water / air), and the air gets (warmer / cooler). ●

15

Modeling How Currents Affect Air Temperature

16

Cause and Effect For Air Temperature

Chain of Cause and Effects

1. A warm current that begins at the equator has a lot of energy. 2. That high amount of energy is carried by the current as it moves through the ocean. 3. Christchurch is near warm currents. 4. Energy from those currents is transferred to the air of Christchurch.

Considering the El Niño Year

Based on what you have learned, why do you think the ocean surface temperature near Christchurch, New Zealand is cooler during El Niño years?

17

Exit Ticket- Writing a Report the New Zealand Farm Council

18

Chapter 2: Ocean Currents

Lesson 5: Temperature and Density

Learning Target: I can explain how the density of water depends on its temperature. Do Now

Shown below is a half-filled glass of water. Draw the molecules in the space provided to show the spacing of molecules in the air above and liquid below: In your models above, why does your representation of the water molecules look different from the air molecules? Refer to your models in your explanation. ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

19

Temperature Phenomenon - Video

In your do-now, you had the opportunity to revisit the topic of different phases of matter (in this case, liquids and gases). As you drew in your models, the molecules in a gas are spaced out differently than the molecules in a liquid. As a result, the air molecules rise above the liquid, which rests below. Have you ever wondered whether groups of molecules in a liquid could be spaced differently from other groups of molecules in the same liquid? Let’s watch a quick video to explore that question.

Temperature Phenomenon Reflection Questions

1) What happened in the experiment? Write specific observations of what you saw take place. ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 2) In the space below, complete a molecular model of the phenomenon you observed in the video:

1. First, label your model with the energy level of the liquid in that region (Hot/Warm/Cold). 2. Then, draw the water molecules in each region.

20

3) Based on what you observed in the video and the models you drew on the previous page, answer the following two questions:

How does the temperature of a liquid affect the spacing of molecules in that liquid? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

How does the spacing of molecules in a liquid affect whether those molecules float or sink? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

Density

What’s the Difference?

The left image shows that there are more trees in the forest. The trees are packed closely together. Therefore, these trees are more dense. We say that there is a high density of trees in this forest. The right image shows that there are less trees in the forest. The trees are more spread out. Therefore, these trees are less dense. We say that there is a low density of trees in this forest.

21

For example:

● More matter in a space = more dense ● Less matter in a space = less dense

Exit Ticket - Pulling it all together

The two models below show two different samples of water. The circles represent water molecules.

1. Circle whether each sample of water is warmer/colder and more dense / less dense.

2. Based on your responses to #1, which sample would float on top of the other? How do you know?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

22

Chapter 2: Ocean Currents

Lesson 6: Salinity and Density

Learning Target: I can explain how the density of water depends on its salinity. Do Now

Circle the correct description for the following two examples:

More Dense / Less Dense More Dense / Less Dense Using what you have learned about density, explain how you know: ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

What Other Factors Determine Density?

Yesterday, you had the opportunity to explore how water at different temperatures separates into layers. We saw that hot water rests on top of room-temperature water, and room-temperature water rests on top of cold water. We learned that this pattern happens because water molecules in hot water are more spread out (they are less dense) and water molecules in cold water are more tightly-packed together (they are more dense). So, we learned that the density of water depends on temperature. But does density of water depend on anything else??? Let’s explore that question in another video.

23

Fresh Water vs. Salt Water - Video

Before we press play on the video, let’s describe the setup of the experiment.

Now, let’s watch the video and describe what we see. Sketch the layers that result in your diagrams above.

24

Key Vocabulary

Salinity: The measure of the salt dissolved in water.

The higher the water salinity, the more salt there is!

Explaining the Density of Freshwater vs. Saltwater

The density of a sample depends on how much matter (how much of a substance) is in that space. Warm water is less dense because the water molecules are more spread out - there are fewer molecules in that space!

More matter in a space means that it is more dense. Less matter in a space means that it is less dense.

Let’s use the models below to explain how this relates to fresh water and salt water. In ocean water, salt molecules are mixed in (dissolved in) the water. This makes the water salty.

The circles represent water molecules. The diamonds represent salt molecules.

What are those numbers??? The numbers in each molecule represent the amount of matter in each molecule. Using this information, find the sum total of the amount of matter in each sample of water. With this information, determine which type of water has greater density (more matter in a given space). Freshwater Saltwater

Sum Total of the Amount of Matter: Sum Total of the Amount of Matter:

____________ ____________

CIRCLE ONE: CIRCLE ONE: Less Dense / More Dense Less Dense / More Dense

How did you know which type of water is more dense?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

25

With this new information, let’s return to the model of the glasses of water from the video.

1. In each glass on page 24, sketch the water and/or salt molecules present in each region.

2. Why did the fresh water from the ice cube float on top of the salt water in the glass? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Checking for Understanding

The three samples of water below show different amounts of water molecules and salt molecules. Based on this information, determine which layer of the glass each sample would be located if all three samples were added to the same glass.

Exit Ticket

Read the statement and determine if you agree or disagree. Use evidence to support your answer. The higher the salinity of the water, the higher it will float. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What evidence supports your ideas? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

26