What direction do the currents flow along the equator?

What direction do the currents flow along the equator?

Wind or water that travels toward the poles from the equator is deflected to the east, while wind or water that travels toward the equator from the poles gets bent to the west. The Coriolis effect bends the direction of surface currents to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere.

How wind currents move near the equator?

Cooler air from the surrounding areass of the equator comes towards the equator to fill the place of warm air which rises up due to sun’s heating. Hence, wind currents are generated due to uneven heating.

Do winds turn to their left or right north of the equator?

If the Earth did not rotate on its axis, the atmosphere would only circulate between the poles and the equator in a simple back-and-forth pattern. Because the Earth rotates on its axis, circulating air is deflected toward the right in the Northern Hemisphere and toward the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Do winds and currents flow faster at the equator?

Winds and currents flow faster at the equator than at the poles. One reason equatorial currents are faster is that they are warmer. Another reason is that the speed of the Earth’s rotation is much faster at the equator. Both rivers and surface currents are long, moving bodies of water.

How do winds give direction to the ocean currents?

The water starts flowing in the same direction as the wind. The winds pull surface water with them, creating currents. As these currents flow westward, the Coriolis effect—a force that results from the rotation of the Earth—deflects them. The currents then bend to the right, heading north.

How direction of the wind affects the climate?

Wind carries moisture into an atmosphere, as well as hot or cold air into a climate which affects weather patterns. Therefore, a change in wind results in a change of weather. A major factor that determines wind direction is air pressure. Additionally, heat and pressure cause the wind to shift direction.

In what direction do global winds and currents flow south of the equator quizlet?

Currents flow clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. The Sun’s rays are most intensely directed at the equator and not at the poles. Because of this, the poles are cooler than the equator. Without unequal heating, wind and global convection currents wouldn’t be created.

Why are global winds located at the equator?

Global Winds We’ll start at Earth’s equator, where solar radiation is the highest year around. Air near the equator is warmed and rises because it is less dense (mass/unit volume) than the air around it as shown in Figure 21 below. Figure 21. Air near the equator is heated and rises as indicated by the red arrows.

Where does the Atlantic South Equatorial Current go?

In the Figure below, the Atlantic South Equatorial Current travels westward along the equator until it reaches South America. At Brazil, some of it goes north and some goes south. Because of Coriolis effect, the water goes right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere.

How to check your understanding of global surface currents?

Answer the following questions to check your understanding of the information contained in the interactive global surface currents map. Look at the direction of the surface currents in the oceans and at the direction of the wind. What evidence do you find that wind influences the direction of the surface currents in the oceans?

How does the Coriolis effect affect surface currents?

Wind or water that travels toward the poles from the equator is deflected to the east, while wind or water that travels toward the equator from the poles gets bent to the west. The Coriolis effect bends the direction of surface currents to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere.