Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate Test Flashcards

energy

What the sun sends to Earth. More energy in something means a higher temperature.

transfer

To move from one thing to another

Ex: Energy transfers from warmer things to colder things.

What does sunlight hit the first?

The surface

surface

Earth's land and ocean water

temperature

A measure of how hot or cold something is.

latitude

How far north or south of the equator a location is.

ocean current

Ocean water flowing in a continuous path

prevailing wind

Winds that move in one direction and are strong enough to push ocean currents

climate

General weather patterns over a long period of time

gyre

Huge areas of water moving in big circles

cause and effect

A cause makes something happen. The effect is what happens. One effect can have more than one cause

If there are two locations which have different distances from the equator(one closer one farther) which location has the higher temperature? Explain

A location closer to the equator receives more energy from the sun, so it has a higher temperature. Since the location is closer, the currents had received energy from the sun more recently than the location farther. The energy from the currents transfer to the air which is how the temperature increaes.

If there are two locations equally distanced from the equator, both near the ocean, which has the higher temperature?

Ocean currents that come from the equator have more energy, therefore they are warmer compared to ocean currents coming from the South or North Pole. So, whichever location has currents that come from the equator will have the higher temperature. The currents affect the air temperature because the energy from the water transfers to the air when the air is colder than the ocean, which causes the temperature of the air to rise. The ocean currents’ path is determined by prevailing winds and the land. The prevailing winds move the currents in different directions, and once the currents hit a piece of land, it bounces off of the land. So, even if two locations share the exact same distance from the equator, and both of them have currents that come from the equator, they will still end up being different temperatures due to the varying ocean currents.

What causes ocean currents to move? And why?

Prevailing winds cause ocean currents to move. prevailing winds are winds so strong that they are able to move the currents. Prevailing winds may also push the currents to follow the coastline, which is another reason they move.

Why does a location have the temperature that it does? What is the source of that energy?

A location has the temperature that it does because of the ocean currents. Ocean currents receive energy from the sun. That energy is then transferred to the air, warming the air. A location may be colder if the ocean currents are colder than the air, then the energy in the air would transfer to the ocean. That would result in the air being colder.

Can something have more than one cause?

Yes.

Give and example of how something can have more than one cause

A location’s latitude and the ocean currents decide the location’s air temperature:

1. Energy from the sun is transferred to Earth’s surface, some of that energy is then transferred to the air.

2. Locations closer to the equator receive more energy from the sun. currents move water from one latitude to another. Energy is transferred between the ocean and the air to even out the temperature differences.

Where does almost all the energy in the air come from?

The sun.

Does the sun heat the air directly?

NO.

Two cities, one closer to the equator. Which is colder?

The one farther from the equator

Which way does energy move between two things?

From the warmer one to the colder one

A current comes from the equator. What does it do to the air it passes?

Warms it. Energy transfers from ocean to air

A current comes from a pole. What does it do to the air it passes?

Cools it. Energy transfers from air to ocean

What starts a surface current moving?

Prevailing winds pushing the water.

Why does a current change direction?

It hits a continent and follows the coast.

Can one effect have more than one cause?

Yes

Two cities, same latitude, different temperatures. What explains it?

Warm ocean currents coming from the equator will transfer energy to one of the cities. That energy will be transferred to the air, warming it. Air will transfer energy to cold currents coming from the South or North Pole for the other city. This causes the other city’s temperature to decrease. Both cities have different currents due to prevailing winds. The prevailing winds move the currents, and that will eventually make the currents bounce off the land.