Strong winds cause evaporation, so the ocean surface cools, weakening the stratification. As a result, the surface waters are overturned and sink while the “warmer” waters rise to the surface , starting the process of convection.
Why are ocean currents important to coastal regions?
Why are ocean currents important to coastal regions? A. They produce high and low tides along coastal regions . ... They move vertically pushing warm water and nutrients to the surface along coastal regions.
What role do convection currents play in oceans and the atmosphere?
In the atmosphere, as air warms it rises, allowing cooler air to flow in underneath. Along with the turning of the Earth, this movement of air creates winds. Winds, in turn, create surface waves on the ocean. Convection also plays a role in the movement of deep ocean waters and contributes to oceanic currents.
Which statement is true about convection currents in the earth’s atmosphere and oceans?
Convection currents are the result of differential heating . Less dense (lighter) warm materials rise while heavier (more dense) cool materials sink. It is the movement that creates a circulation pattern known as conventional current in the atmosphere, water and mantle of earth. Hence the given statement is true.
Which of the following is a major way in which oceans contribute to weather systems?
The ocean influences weather and climate by storing solar radiation, distributing heat and moisture around the globe , and driving weather systems. ... Ocean water is constantly evaporating, increasing the temperature and humidity of the surrounding air to form rain and storms that are then carried by trade winds.
How does convection affect climate?
How does convection affect the weather? Convection within the atmosphere can often be observed in our weather. ... Stronger convection can result in much larger clouds developing as the air rises higher before it is cooled , sometimes producing Cumulonimbus clouds and even thunderstorms.
What is the effect of convection currents?
Convection currents within the Earth’s mantle are movements of the magma that are less dense, therefore they rise . As they move away from the Earth’s heat source, the core, the magma cools off and becomes more dense, causing it to sink.
What are the two main factors that influence ocean currents?
Winds, water density, and tides all drive ocean currents. Coastal and sea floor features influence their location, direction, and speed. Earth’s rotation results in the Coriolis effect which also influences ocean currents.
What are the 5 major ocean currents?
Ocean gyres are large system of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and forces created by Earth’s rotation. The five major circulation patterns formed by the currents on this map are the world’s five major ocean gyres: North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian, North Pacific, and South Pacific .
What are the two main categories of ocean currents?
Currents. There are two main types of ocean currents: currents driven mainly by wind and currents mainly driven by density differences . Density depends on temperature and salinity of the water.
Why is convection current important?
Convections currents in the earth’s mantle are thought to be the driving force of plate tectonics . Where the hot magma is brought near the surface by the convection currents a divergent boundary is created. The divergent boundaries form new oceans and widen existing oceans.
What is needed for convection?
Convection occurs when particles with a lot of heat energy in a liquid or gas move and take the place of particles with less heat energy . ... The liquid or gas in hot areas is less dense than the liquid or gas in cold areas, so it rises into the cold areas. The denser cold liquid or gas falls into the warm areas.
What do you understand by convection currents?
A convection current is a process that involves the movement of energy from one place to another . ... The convection currents tend to move a fluid or gas particles from one place to another. These are created as a result of the differences occurring within the densities and temperature of a specific gas or a fluid.
How do oceans affect weather?
The ocean influences weather patterns by distributing heat and moisture around the globe . ... Tropical storms form over warm ocean waters, which supply the energy for hurricanes and typhoons to grow and move, often over land. The winter storms that bring precipitation to the western U.S. originate over the North Pacific.
Why are oceans important?
The air we breathe: The ocean produces over half of the world’s oxygen and absorbs 50 times more carbon dioxide than our atmosphere. Climate regulation: Covering 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, the ocean transports heat from the equator to the poles, regulating our climate and weather patterns.
What are oceans currents?
Ocean currents are the continuous, predictable, directional movement of seawater driven by gravity, wind (Coriolis Effect), and water density . Ocean water moves in two directions: horizontally and vertically. Horizontal movements are referred to as currents, while vertical changes are called upwellings or downwellings.
