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Ocean Currents. Nelson Science 10 Section 13.9 (525) Weather Dynamics Unit Science 10 Mrs. S. Pipke-Painchaud. Weather and Oceans. Oceans are very important in creating _______________________________. Occupy a __________ portion of the earth’s surface
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Ocean Currents Nelson Science 10 Section 13.9 (525) Weather Dynamics Unit Science 10 Mrs. S. Pipke-Painchaud
Weather and Oceans • Oceans are very important in creating _______________________________. • Occupy a __________ portion of the earth’s surface • Most land masses are found at ____* north • What does this mean? • What is the purpose of ocean currents? (Nelson Science 10 525)
http://www.oceansonline.com/ocean_currents.htm Use a red pen to highlight the warm ocean currents
Ocean Currents (top) Wind Patterns (Bottom) ~ Do you notice any similarities or differences?
Iceland and Norway are located at what latitude? What climate would you expect them to have based on their similarity to the same Canadian latitude?
Norway and Iceland have harbors that remain ice free all winter. Why?? http://www.bigelow.org/shipmates/hc_currents_lg.gif
Ocean currents transport ___________ stored in the ___________ from one part of the world to other parts (___________ to ___________) • Cold currents flow ____________ the equator and warm as they travel through the region. • (Nelson Science 10 525)
Causes of Ocean Currents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Warm water travels ___________ or _________ from the _________________. • Cold water is opposite • Warm water is ________________ dense; Cold water is ____________ dense. • The sun’s energy is most intense at the __________________ starts ___________ currents • Water warmed by the sun’s rays at the surface moves north or south, the cold water from the bottom moves up to the surface. • (Nelson Science 10 526)
Edges of the continents: • Earth rotates ______________ • Currents on the West side of the oceans _________ and _____________ (____________ km/h) • Currents on the East side ___________ and ____________ (___________ km/h) • What is the only current that travels around the world without running into any continents? • (Nelson Science 10 526)
Water ~ Heat Sink • Remember that water takes a ________ time to heat up and a ____________ time to cool off. • Salt • As warm water evaporates it leaves behind saltier currents. • Saltier water is __________ dense _______ ___________ water currents • (Nelson Science 10 526)
Effects of Ocean Currents • Remember the _________ the air the _____________ moisture it can hold. • If a cold ocean current runs by a coastal areas, then the air is __________ and __________ (may cause a desert). • Peru current is cold = cold, dry air = ______________ Desert
Atacama Desert http://digilander.libero.it/luigipizzi/Atacama.jpg
“Bounded on the west by the Pacific and on the east by the Andes, the Atacama Desert only knows rainfall between two and four times a century. . . There are some parts of the desert where rainfall has never been recorded. The only moisture available comes from a dense fog known as camanchaca, formed when cold air associated with ocean currents originating in the Antarctic hits warmer air. This fog is literally harvested by plants and animals alike, including Atacama's human inhabitants who use 'fog nets' to capture it for drinking water” (Universe Today). http://www.universetoday.com/am/publish/printer_atacama_desert_space.html
Warm currents cause water to _______________ _________ large amounts of precipitation • Ex. Brazil Rainforests http://www.bugbog.com/gallery/brazil_pictures/brazil_pictures_1.html
Red shows logging http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2005/1021scipak.shtml http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Category:South_America
Ocean Currents and Climate • Coastal regions are ____________ in the winter and __________ in the summer. • i.e. Ottawa vs Newfoundland • Ottawa has a ______ degree difference between winter and summer • Newfoundland (further _______) has only an ______ degree difference.
High Heat Capacity of Water • Our warmest months are June, July and August even though we have more solar energy in May, June and July. Why?
Global Weather Model • Please refer to page 536 • Read through the info presented • Discuss the following text questions together. • Questions on page 527 • 1 (b,c,d), 4, 5, 6
Sources • Nelson Science 10 Textbook • Section 13.9 • Universe Today – Atacama Desert • http://www.universetoday.com/am/publish/printer_atacama_desert_space.html • Resource Sites: • University of Miami • http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/ • Ocean Planet – Smithsonian • http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/oceanography_currents_1.html