Surface ocean currents
1 min 41 s. The words are spoken and shown in the picture; the player can also show them as subtitles.
For the Earth and Space Sciences Regents. Topic: Surface ocean currents, with the past questions on it.
What Dr. Mars says (the words of the video)
Where do surface ocean currents flow, and why are they important?
Steady winds push the surface water of the ocean.
Trade winds blow toward the west. Westerlies blow toward the east.
Winds, Earth's rotation and the continents move the water in a loop.
Dr. Mars throws in a drift bottle. It floats with the water and shows where it goes.
This loop is a gyre. It turns clockwise.
Warm currents carry warm water from near the Equator.
The Gulf Stream carries it north along the coast, then away from the coast.
Cold currents bring cold water toward the Equator.
The Canary Current and the East Greenland Current are cold.
A cold current makes the nearby coast cooler and drier.
The cold water cools the air, and less water evaporates.
A warm current makes the nearby coast warmer and wetter.
The North Atlantic Current heats the air and adds water vapor.
Check yourself! Which marked current is a warm current: A, B, or C?
Think about which way they flow.
Answer: B! It carries warm water north, away from the Equator.
Dr. Mars threw his bottle into the Gulf Stream.
Dr. Mars. Free practice for the New York Earth and Space Sciences Regents.