Warm Up: Quiz Yourself- True or False

1) Weather and Climate are the same thing.

2) As Latitude increases, the intensity of solar energy decreases

3) The lower the elevation, the warmer the climate

4) Bodies of water and topography have no effect on weather and climate

DO NOW: Quiz Yourself- True or False

1) Weather and Climate are the same thing. FALSE

2) As Latitude increases, the intensity of solar energy decreases. TRUE

3) The lower the elevation, the warmer the climate. TRUE

4) Bodies of water and topography have no effect on weather and climate. FALSE

Ocean Currents

What is a current?

• An Ocean Current is a directed, continuous movement of ocean water generated by various forces.

• Currents are caused by various factors:– Temperature– Different salinity levels– Winds can impact a lot of factors (climate and global

economic trade)– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-N_7cgwHmQ

Gulf Stream & other Atlantic Currents

North Atlantic Gyre

Gulf Stream Map for Notes

Africa

EuropeNorth America

Charlotte

A Heat Map of the Ocean Currents

How temperature impacts ocean currents

• Heat moves from areas of more heat energy to areas with less heat energy (Think about convection currents).

• For currents, this means hotter water moves to areas where colder water is, and cold water moves to areas of warm water

• This means warm currents move from the Equator towards Polar regions (they go north and south)

• Ocean water has formed layers according to density (especially because of temperature and salinity)• Low-density water occurs near the

surface• Higher-density water occurs deep down

How does density affect the ocean?

Bill Nye Ocean Currents Clip

• Answer the question (#9) in your notes about the video:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_8mw-1HYFg&feature=related

• Surface current = movements of water that flow horizontally in the upper part of the ocean’s surface–Develop from friction between the

ocean and the wind that blows across its surface – global winds!

• An increase in seawater density can be caused by a decrease in temperature or an increase in salinity• Can also result from increased salinity

of ocean water due to evaporation

Subsurface Ocean Currents

a. The warmest layer of the ocean is the mixed layer/ surface zone where water is mixed by waves and currents. b. The thermocline is the zone below the surface where rapid temperature change occurs. c. The coldest layer is the deep zone with temperatures of around 5 degrees Celsius.

Draw the temperature line and label the Temperature Zones

The Gulf Stream is known as a long-distance surface current that carries warm water from the southern tip of Florida along the eastern coast of the US.

Currents in the Northern Hemisphere move clockwise (currents correspond to the wind circulation in each hemisphere), while currents in the Southern Hemisphere move counterclockwise. This is because of the Coriolis Effect.

The Coriolis effect (the apparent shift in fluids or objects due to the rotation of the Earth) explains ocean current patterns curving in each hemisphere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKGa0_nl-cc&feature=related

Density Currents Video

• Answer the questions in your notes (#16, #17 and #18)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuOX23yXhZ8&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3niR_-Kv4SMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdgUyLTUYkg

The movement of deep ocean currents to the surface is called upwelling. This occurs when deep cold currents are forced upward by the ocean floor bringing nutrient rich foodstuffs to the surface. This produces rich fishing grounds in areas where upwelling occurs. (Ex. Peru, Chile)

Pacific Trash Vortex Video

• Answer the questions on your note sheet

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc6LvdsyJ4U&feature=fvwrel

Article READING: Rubber Duckies Journey

Reading Comprehension:

1)Where did the shipping container fall into the ocean, and where are 3 places that the rubber ducks have gone or come ashore?

2)Has the rubber ducks journey been a quick one or has their trip been really slow? How do you know?

3)After 20 years have all of the rubber ducks come ashore? Why or why not?

4)What problems have the rubber ducks helped everyone to see?

5)Looking at the map on the board, where else might the rubber ducks end up?

Where would your message go?

Here’s your assignment for the rest of class:1. Pretend you are writing a “message in a bottle”2. First decide: Where do you want your message to end up (which

country)?3. Next decide: Where will you have to go to make sure your bottle

arrives in the proper country? (If there are more than one current associated with your trip, take note of that).

4. What to write: 1. Your message will need to be at least one paragraph and must be

addressed to someone in a different country. 2. Include where you are and how your message ended up in its location. 3. Include an explanation of ocean currents and what causes them. 4. Include a map of the bottle’s route. *You may use any classroom resources that you need in order to complete

this task. message in a bottle

Message In a Bottle

1. How does temperature affect density?2. What are ocean currents?3. What causes ocean currents to occur?4. What is the Coriolis Effect?

EXIT TICKET

• Sun heats the water• Warm water rises and moves North or South • Cold water moves up to replace warm water• Sun heats the water

Summary – Write this down!

Surface currents affect weather!!!

We’ll get into Climate later, but should Charlotte be a desert?