Regents Earth Science

John Dewey High School

Mr. Klimetz

Surface Ocean Currents

Reading the Earth Science Reference Tables XXI

Answer the following questions based on your interpretation of the Surface Ocean Currents chart of the Reference Tables (page 4) as well as your class notes.

1.   I am a cool water surface ocean current that flows southward along the west coast of

North America in the eastern Pacific. My name is

a.  the Gulf Stream

b.  the Koroshio Current

c.  the Labrador Current

d.  the California Current

2.   The Antarctic Circumpolar Current possesses which of the following characteristics?

a.  Warm temperature, eastward flow, at 50degN latitude

b.  Cool temperature, westward flow, at 50degS latitude

c.  Cool temperature, eastward flow, at 50degS latitude

d.  Warm temperature, eastward flow, at 50degS latitude

3.   Surface ocean currents in the northern hemisphere possess which of the following in

common?

a.  Cool temperature

b.  Westward flow

c.  Clockwise circulation

d.  Northerly flow

4.   Which of the following surface ocean currents comprise a circulatory pair?

a.  Agulhas Current – North Equatorial Current

c.  Benguela Current – Brazil Current

c.  Guinea Current – Koroshio Current

d.  North Pacific Current – North Atlantic Current

5.   The direction of flow of the East Australia Current is principally

a.  North

b.  South

c.  East

d.  West

6.   The Peru Current adjacent to western coast of South America possesses which of the

following characteristics?

a.  Warm temperature, northerly flow, located in the southern hemisphere

b.  Cool temperature, northerly flow, located in the southern hemisphere

c.  Warm temperature, southerly flow, located in the northern hemisphere

d.  Cool temperature, northerly flow, located in the northern hemisphere

7.  Which surface ocean current can be found at the intersection of the Prime Meridian and

the Equator?

a.  Gulf Stream

b.  Guinea Current

c.  West Wind Drift

d.  Labrador Current

8.   Which warm surface ocean current is the most likely source of the heat energy which

fuels hurricanes as they cross the Central Atlantic Ocean and into the Caribbean Sea

(between North and South America)?

a.  Canaries Current

b.  Agulhas Current

c.  Alaska Current

d.  North Equatorial Current

9.   The cool surface ocean current that is located at the intersection of 165degW

     longitude and 55degN latitude is the

a.  Labrador Current

b.  North Pacific Current

c.  Antarctic Circumpolar Current

d.  Oyashio Current

10. Which surface ocean currents would carry a ship from eastern North America to

     western Europe?

a.  North Equatorial and Canaries

b.  Gulf Stream and Labrador

c.  Gulf Stream and North Atlantic

d.  California and North Equatorial