Currents

Learning Target 7 - I am able to explain how the

warming of the oceans by the sun, landforms, and
differences in salinity cause the movement of ocean
water around earth.
 Currents
Ocean currents are stream-like movements of water within
the ocean.
What causes ocean currents?
Global Winds Winds create surface currents.
Coriolis Effect The rotation of the Earth causes surface
currents to move in a curved path.
Continental Deflections Continents cause the currents to
change direction.
Differences in Water Density Water density differences
create deep ocean currents. Water density can differ
because of temperature or salinity.
Differences in Temperature Warmer water is less dense, it
will rise and travel on top of cooler, more dense water.
Salinity Salinity is the measure of the dissolved salts or
solids in a liquid. The higher the salinity of the water the
higher the waters density.