Wind causes most waves

Video clip on winds and waves

Watch the water droplet move in a vertical circle as the wave passes. The droplet moves forward with the wave's crest and backward with the trough.*

Deep currents are caused by differences in density because of salinity and temperature, and the shape of the ocean floor.

Surface currents are caused by wind.

Surface currents are caused by wind.Surface currents near the equator are warm.

Because the Earth is spinning, the ocean water and wind trying to travel in a straight line from one place to another gets pulled off course.

Also affects currents

Don’t get it yet! More on the next slide!

Link to a Coriolis Effect animation part 2Link to a Coriolis Effect animation

Continued!

Notice that the ball in the center of the disk is trying to roll toward the red dot. But because the disk is spinning under the ball, it never makes it to the red dot but is “deflected” to the side.

http://en.wikipedia.org

The top view is showing that the ball actually moves in a straight line.

The bottom view is showing the path the ball took across the disk.

Video on ocean waves and currents

Florida

Gulf Stream

It is a “river” of warm water in the Atlantic Ocean!

Video clip on how currents affect weather and climate

Tides are caused by the moon’s gravity pulling on the Earth’s water.

Video clip on tides

                                            

                

How many high tides and low tides do we have each day?

If you are at the beach and high tide is at 6:00am, about what time would low tide be? When would the next high tide be?

Watch carefully!

This is a view from above the North Pole.

This is what is happening at the beach!

                                                                                                     

                           

As the moon pulls on the Earth’s water, it rises and falls.

Have you had a “tide” experience at the beach?

1. What causes waves?2. How do tides affect the Earth?3. What is the most common salt in the ocean?4. How do we use that substance?5. Define salinity.6. What causes some parts of the ocean to be saltier than others?7. What is the Gulf Stream?8. Why does the Gulf Stream affect England’s weather?9. Explain the Coriolis Effect.10. How does sonar work?11. Explain two ways we explore the ocean without going there

ourselves.12. What is the difference between the continental shelf and the

continental slope?13. What is a seamount?