Question

Describe ocean currents . and What are the factors affecting it

Answer 1

Ocean currents can be generated by wind, density differences in watermasses caused by temperature and salinity variations, gravity, and events such as earthquakes. Currents are cohesive streams of seawater that circulate through the ocean.

hope it helps

Answer 2

Ocean currents are large masses of surface water that circulate in regular patterns
around the oceans. Those that flow from equatorial regions polewards have a higher surface temperature and are warm currents. Those that flow from polar regions equatorwards have a lower surface temperature and cold currents.




The factors that affect the ocean currents are-
1. Temperature : Due to high temperatures at equator water density decreases and in polar regions due to low temperature density of water is more. Hence water moves due to expansion of volume of water from equator(high temp) to poles(low temp)
Ex : gulf stream current , kuroshio warm current moving from equator to poles.
2. Salinity : salinity affects the density of ocean water which in turn affects the ocean currents. Waters of low salinity flow on the surface of waters of high salinity and waters of high salinity at the bottom towards the water of low salinity.
Ex : current flowing from atlantic ocean to Mediterranean sea .
3. Earth’s rotation : rotation of earth results in coriollis force which deflects the general direction of the ocean current. In northern hemisphere it is clockwise direction, in southern hemisphere it is anticlockwise direction.
4. Wind : the frictional drag of winds and direction of winds determines the direction of ocean currents. Winds are the dominant factor influencing the flow of ocean current.
Ex : Trade winds in the tropics helps in moving equatorial waters towards polewards and westwards.
5. Land : The coastline obstructs the direction of ocean currents and diverts them.Ex : the equatorial current in pacific ocean after being obstructed by brazil coast bifurcates into 2 branches- gulf stream which flows north and brazil current which flows south.