Ocean Current Demo
Procedure
 Fill a shallow pan with water.
 Sprinkle pepper on the surface of the water.
 Blow across the surface of the water through a drinking straw to
produce a clockwise current. Draw your results.
 Blow through the straw to make a counterclockwise current. Try to
make two currents. Draw your results.
 Add some rocks to make “continents” and see how that changes
your currents. Draw your results.
Analysis
1.
Draw a diagram of the currents. Draw the straw’s positions, and
use arrows to show air and water direction.
2.
Draw a diagram of your continents and how the currents changed.
3.
How do you think this activity relates to what happens in the
oceans currents?
Ocean Currents
Ocean Currents pg. 205
• Current - a horizontal movement of water in a welldefined pattern
• Two categories
– Surface currents - caused by wind and occurs at or near
the ocean’s surface
– Deep currents –streamline movement of ocean water far
below the surface caused by density differences
Factors that affect Surface Currents pg. 205
1. Air currents – wind
transfers kinetic energy

As the air “drags” along
the surface it transfers it’s
kinetic energy

Global wind belts affect
the movement
2. Continental Barriers – the currents get
deflected and divided
–
What would happen to these currents if the
continents didn’t deflect them???
3. Earth’s rotation – the Coriolis effect the
apparent curving of the path of a moving
object
Deep Currents pg. 206
• Form when cold, dense water of the polar regions
sinks and flows beneath warmer ocean water.
• Antarctic Bottom Water – densest water in the world
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_8mw-1HYFg
Upwelling pg. 207
• This is the movement of deep, cold, and
nutrient-rich water to the surface
• Why would this be important?
– California’s fishery depends on this
– Provides food for animals near the surface
– Keeps the water at a decent temperature