Surface Ocean Currents
Many oceanographers find it interesting that the term Oceanus (Okeanos) is Latin for river, not ocean. The word dates back to Greek times when mariners encountered the Canary current off of the coast of Western Europe. That is how currents function like rivers of moving water. They are not located on land, though. These rivers are moving through the oceans!
Ever wonder where the water goes after a heavy rain? Have you ever seen a large moving river and wondered where it ends? Many terrestrial rivers lead to oceans and empty there, but where do these ocean currents run? What do they carry? How do they form? What impact do they have on the climates of our planet? In this interactivity, you will learn about surface ocean currents and how they are formed. Click the player button to get started.
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Currents
There are more currents in the ocean than just surface currents. But what other currents exist and what impact do they have on the oceans. In this interactivity, you will learn about different currents. Click the player button to get started.
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The Importance of Currents
The colors orange and yellow represent the warmer
Gulf Stream as it flows northeast from the
Gulf of
Mexico into the Atlantic. Landmasses,
such as
the United States' eastern seaboard
as seen in
this
image, are represented as black.
What is the importance of ocean surface currents to the world? Remember that these currents are carrying warm water to northern latitudes, and cold water down from the poles. Ocean currents have and always will drive the climate of planet Earth. Scientists' estimates claim that currents in the tropics can transfer ten million billion calories per second. Without this transfer of heat, the warmest places on Earth would be warmer and the coldest places on Earth would remain colder!
Of course, the transfer is not equal to all places, so the currents do distribute this heat equally. There is one general rule though. Currents on the Eastern coast of continents are always warm and originate near the equator. One of these currents is the Gulf Stream current off of the eastern coast of North America. Warm water currents affect climate by generating warmer temperatures and more humidity. Currents off of the Western coast of continents come from the poles. This brings colder temperatures and less humidity to locations close to a cold water current.
Surface Ocean Currents Review
Now that you have explored the various surface currents and their importance, review your knowledge. In this non-graded interactivity, follow the instructions on each question slide. Click SUBMIT to check your response. Click the player button to begin.