Ocean Waves and Currents

Surface ocean currents are generated mostly by

• the Coriolis effect
• water density
• tides
• wind

The Gulf Stream current makes the waters of North Atlantic

• cooler
• warmer
• more dense
• less nutrient rich

Besides the Moon, the daily tides around the world are MOST affected by the

• wind
• rain
• Sun
• Coriolis effect

How do warm-water currents affect the coastal areas along which they flow?

• Cool the coast
• Warm the coast
• Cause snow to fall
• Cause higher tides

Which of the following can be caused by El Nino~?

• Flash floods
• Mudslides
• Droughts
• All of the above

The vertical distance between the highest and lowest points of a wave is called

• wavelength
• wave height
• crest
• trough

In what direction does an undertow flow?

• same direction as the wave
• right angles to the wave
• parallel to the wave
• opposite direction as the wave

What name is given to large, destructive waves caused by underwater earthquakes and volcanoes?

• Spring tide
• Longshore current
• Tsunami
• Swell

When you are playing in the ocean, you must watch out for ____, a spot where the longshore current carries water back into the ocean.

• swell
• rip tide
• neap tide
• trough

Spring tides and neap tides occur in patterns governed by the

• phases of the moon
• seasons (fall, winter, etc.)
• surface currents
• deep sea currents