Surface Ocean Currents

Pretend you are an editor for Tides magazine, and a new reporter needs help in writing an article about surface ocean currents. In order to help him with his article, read each of the statements below and then rewrite the sentence so that the bold section contains correct information.

This activity is available below or in a printable version.

1. The direction of rain causes surface ocean currents to move.
2. There are five ocean gyres where currents are interrupted by continents, but the East Wind Current is the only current that is not affected by land and is allowed to travel the globe.
3. In the Coriolis Effect, the rotation of the causes water in the northern hemisphere to deflect upward and water in the southern hemisphere to deflect to downward.
4. According to the Ekman Spiral, the net movement water in the Ekman Transport is around 45 degrees from the original wind direction.
5. Doldrum brings nutrients from the deep surface to tropical areas.
6. Downwelling moves in the opposite direction of the main current, but it is under that main flow.
7. In a monsoon current in the Indian Ocean during the summer months, wind patterns reverse, causing the ocean currents to also reverse and allowing a warmer sea breeze and moisture over colder land.
8. El Niño occurs when the trade winds in the Pacific reverse and falter for a short time, ceasing upwelling on the Eastern Coasts of North and South America and causing Eastern Atlantic Ocean temperatures to warm.
9. The Gulf Stream is an example of how currents transfer nutrients around the world.
10. Warm water currents off the Southern coast of continents affect climate by generating warmer temperatures and less humidity, while currents off of the Northern coast of continents come from the poles and bring colder temperatures and more humidity.

Once you have completed your fact checking activity, please submit your work to the dropbox.