Oceans

Ocean Currents

1. Currents are the transfer of vast quantities of water from one place to another. The most obvious cause of the currents is the air above the oceans. Winds literally push waters along by catching on to waves ad ripples of the ocean. Another cause of ocean currents is the difference in temperature from the water at the Equator and the water that is further North and South. This causes the water to move in a gyre, or a circular motion, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Another cause for this gyre movement is Coriolis Force, or a deflective force caused by the rotation of the Earth. The last cause for the currents in the ocean is the salinity or the saltiness of the water, causing more dense water to flow in currents.

2. Peru Current on the Coast of Chile: This current causes for the coast of Chile to have the most abundant fish population of anywhere in the world and about 18-20% of the worlds fish catching comes from this area. It also causes for the temperature of Chile to not be over heated, and for their to be some cooler areas.

Gulf Stream on the weather conditions in Newfoundland: Warm surface waters always move into colder latitudes, and then return from polar ares in the form of strong currents such as the Labrador current off the coast of Eastern Canada. This current slips under the Gulf Stream, which is always warmer then the surrounding waters. Because of this difference in temperature from the climate of the landscape and the water the Earth's temperature is able to be regulated. If not for currents like these then the polar reigons of the Earth would get MUCH colder and the tropical environments would get MUCH warmer.

Tides

1. Causes: Tides are influenced by both the gravitational pull of the sun, and more strongly the pull of the moon. When the moon is overhead it pulls the water toward it, causing more water to go to one side of the Earth, or a high tide. As the moon goes around the world in a day, it pulls the water with it. When the sun and the moon pull the water in the same direction it causes for a very high tide, or a SPRING TIDE. When the moon and the sun pull it from both directions then it causes for a low - high tide or a NEAP TIDE.

2. How are Tides Beneficial?

-High tides are used to drive turbines and to produce electricity in some areas of the world.

-Boats are also able to use the changing of the Earth's tide to their advantage and make it more easy for them to travel the world.

- When the tide comes in it brings with a variety of marine life, meaning for good fishing.