Global Highways: Jet Streams Ocean Currents Quiz

If solar radiation hits Earth unevenly, then temperature gradients form. If temperature gradients form, then pressure differences occur. If pressure differences occur, then fluids like air and water move to balance energy, creating currents and winds.

If jet streams are driven by temperature differences between the cold polar air and warm tropical air, then they must exist where these air masses meet. If the weather-producing air masses are contained in the lowest layer, then the jet stream occurs at the top of the troposphere.

If the Earth rotates on its axis, then moving objects appear to deflect. If an object moves in the Northern Hemisphere, then the rotation causes a deflection to the right of its path. Therefore, surface currents curve clockwise.

If deep ocean currents move below the reach of surface winds, then wind cannot be the primary driver. If density is determined by temperature and salinity, then "thermohaline circulation" drives deep water movement. Therefore, the statement is false.

If wind speed is determined by the pressure gradient force, and if pressure is driven by temperature differences, then a larger temperature gap creates a steeper pressure gradient. If the gradient is steeper, then the wind must move faster to compensate.

If wind pushes surface water away from a coastline, then a "hole" or deficit is created. If water must be conserved, then deeper water must rise to fill that space. If this water comes from the deep, then it brings nutrients to the surface.

If density is defined as mass per unit volume, then adding salt increases mass (salinity). If heating water causes molecules to expand, then volume increases and density decreases (temperature). Therefore, temperature and salinity are the primary density drivers.

If the Gulf Stream originates in the Gulf of Mexico, then it carries heat energy. If this warm water travels toward the North Atlantic, then it releases heat into the atmosphere. If the atmosphere warms, then Western Europe experiences a milder climate than its latitude suggests.

If the Earth rotates toward the East, and if the Coriolis effect acts on poleward-moving air, then the resulting wind is deflected to the right. If air moves from the subtropics toward the pole, then this deflection creates a consistent West-to-East flow.

If surface currents and deep currents are interconnected globally, then they form a continuous loop. If this loop moves heat and salt around the entire planet, then it acts like a giant conveyor belt. Therefore, it refers to global thermohaline circulation.

If temperature differences create high-pressure gradients in the upper troposphere, then air must rush quickly through these narrow zones. If these winds reach high speeds in a concentrated path, then they are identified as a jet stream.

If Earth is a rotating sphere, then different latitudes move at different linear speeds. If an object moves between these latitudes, then its path appears curved to an observer on Earth. This specific physical phenomenon is defined as the Coriolis Effect.

If salinity is the amount of dissolved salt in water, then adding salt increases the mass of the water. If the volume stays relatively similar while mass increases, then density must increase. Therefore, high salinity makes water more dense, not less.

If the atmosphere and the ocean are in contact at the surface, then friction occurs. If global winds (like trade winds) blow consistently across the water, then they drag the top layer of water with them. Therefore, surface currents follow global wind patterns.

If the tropics receive more solar energy than the poles, then there is an energy imbalance. If water has a high heat capacity, then it can absorb this energy. If currents move from the equator to the poles, then they transport that heat to cooler regions.

If trade winds weaken, then the warm water usually pushed to the West remains in the central/eastern Pacific. If the water temperature changes, then the air pressure and wind patterns must also shift. This deviation from the norm is the definition of an El Niño event.

If the jet stream acts as a boundary between cold polar air and warm tropical air, then it follows the edge of the air masses. If a cold polar air mass pushes south, then the jet stream must also dip south to stay on the boundary of that cold air.

If deep water is not in contact with the atmosphere, then wind friction cannot move it. If water at the poles becomes cold and salty, then it sinks. If it sinks, then it creates a slow-moving flow based on differences in mass and volume, which is density.

If jet streams are high-altitude winds, then they are in the upper atmosphere. If they separate air masses, then they curve (meander) based on pressure ridges. If they are driven by rotation, then they generally flow West to East.

If surface currents are pushed by winds and deflected by the Coriolis effect, then they eventually hit landmasses. If they hit landmasses and are redirected, then they form large, closed-loop circulating systems called gyres.