Ocean water moves in currents

What causes ocean currents?

How do ocean currents distribute

heat around the globe and interact

with climate and weather?

Ocean Currents

Surface currents are caused by

strong winds blowing over the

ocean.

They extend 300-500 feet down

Cover large areas of ocean

They curve with the rotation of

Earth

They carry warm water away from

equator and cool water away from

the poles

They effect Earth’s temperatures

Deep Currents are caused by

differences in the density of the

water.Downwelling is

water movement

from the surface

down.

This movement

carries oxygen

from the surface

to animals deeper

in the ocean.

Upwelling

Upwelling

moves water

down deep up

to the surface.

This movement

bring up

nutrients to the

animals at the

surface

Climate and Weather

Currents help distribute heat

around the globe by moving

warm and cold water around.

The moving water changes the

temperature of the air above

it.