Explain three effects of ocean currents.
Answers
Answered by
1
Answer:
Answered by Waymaker
- Ocean currents act much like a conveyor belt, transporting warm water and precipitation from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics. Thus, ocean currents regulate global climate, helping to counteract the uneven distribution of solar radiation reaching Earth's surface.
Answered by
0
What are Ocean Currents?
Ocean currents refer to the steady movement or flow of surface ocean water in a prevailing direction. Various forces act upon ocean water, causing it to move. They include the wind, temperature, breaking waves and at tides, and sometimes underground forces like earthquakes.
Ocean currents are the movements of ocean water due to gravity, the rotating earth (Coriolis effect), water density, the sun, and wind. The various forces determine the size, speed direction, and shape of ocean currents. The water can either move horizontally – known as currents, or vertically – known as downwellings or upwellings Ocean currents are responsible for the transfer of heat, variations in biodiversity, and the climate of the planet. In this article we look at how ocean currents affect climate, the importance of ocean currents, and the types, causes, and effects of ocean currents. An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of sea water generated by a number of forces acting upon the water, including wind, the Coriolis effect, breaking waves, cabbeling, and temperature and salinity differences. Depth contours, shoreline configurations, and interactions with other currents influence a current’s direction and strength. Ocean currents are primarily horizontal water movements.”Effects of Ocean Currents
1. They result in rain
Warm currents lead to evaporation, which turns into the rain for the coastal areas. For instance, North Atlantic Drift brings rainfall to Western parts of Europe that results in rains throughout the year.
2. They can also cause deserts
Cold currents do not give rise to moisture-laden winds and, therefore, there is no rainfall in the coastal regions. The conditions cause desertification in the affected coastal regions, such as the Kalahari and Patagonia Deserts because of the cold Benguela and Falkland currents, respectively.
3. They can destroy marine wildlife
Some currents might be too strong and end up destroying planktons. For instance, El Nino currently destroys planktons along the Peruvian coasts. It also brings with it several diseases that kill fish.
4. They help with the continuity of life
In Antarctica, strong upwelling currents pump nitrogen and phosphates up from the deep sea to blooms of algae and other plants. The planktons are eaten by crustaceans called krill. The krill in turn feed penguins, seabirds, seals, and the baleen whales – the largest animals on earth.
5. They save up on time and costs
It goes to the advanced knowledge of currents by sailors. When currents are in their favor, they can reach their destinations in time. They can also rescue shipping time and fuel costs.
However, if they are against the sailors, they might make tore time battling the currents, and use more fuel to sail past those currents
6. They can result in deaths
Ocean currents can also result in deaths and destruction of property if they are strong enough to overpower ships in the ocean. Of course, to do so, they have to be very strong and probably accompanied by tremors or lightning, but in the end, they can lead to disastrous results.
Ocean currents refer to the steady movement or flow of surface ocean water in a prevailing direction. Various forces act upon ocean water, causing it to move. They include the wind, temperature, breaking waves and at tides, and sometimes underground forces like earthquakes.
Ocean currents are the movements of ocean water due to gravity, the rotating earth (Coriolis effect), water density, the sun, and wind. The various forces determine the size, speed direction, and shape of ocean currents. The water can either move horizontally – known as currents, or vertically – known as downwellings or upwellings Ocean currents are responsible for the transfer of heat, variations in biodiversity, and the climate of the planet. In this article we look at how ocean currents affect climate, the importance of ocean currents, and the types, causes, and effects of ocean currents. An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of sea water generated by a number of forces acting upon the water, including wind, the Coriolis effect, breaking waves, cabbeling, and temperature and salinity differences. Depth contours, shoreline configurations, and interactions with other currents influence a current’s direction and strength. Ocean currents are primarily horizontal water movements.”Effects of Ocean Currents
1. They result in rain
Warm currents lead to evaporation, which turns into the rain for the coastal areas. For instance, North Atlantic Drift brings rainfall to Western parts of Europe that results in rains throughout the year.
2. They can also cause deserts
Cold currents do not give rise to moisture-laden winds and, therefore, there is no rainfall in the coastal regions. The conditions cause desertification in the affected coastal regions, such as the Kalahari and Patagonia Deserts because of the cold Benguela and Falkland currents, respectively.
3. They can destroy marine wildlife
Some currents might be too strong and end up destroying planktons. For instance, El Nino currently destroys planktons along the Peruvian coasts. It also brings with it several diseases that kill fish.
4. They help with the continuity of life
In Antarctica, strong upwelling currents pump nitrogen and phosphates up from the deep sea to blooms of algae and other plants. The planktons are eaten by crustaceans called krill. The krill in turn feed penguins, seabirds, seals, and the baleen whales – the largest animals on earth.
5. They save up on time and costs
It goes to the advanced knowledge of currents by sailors. When currents are in their favor, they can reach their destinations in time. They can also rescue shipping time and fuel costs.
However, if they are against the sailors, they might make tore time battling the currents, and use more fuel to sail past those currents
6. They can result in deaths
Ocean currents can also result in deaths and destruction of property if they are strong enough to overpower ships in the ocean. Of course, to do so, they have to be very strong and probably accompanied by tremors or lightning, but in the end, they can lead to disastrous results.
Similar questions