Which explains how ocean currents affect global climates?(1 point)
Responses
Water absorbs a lot of thermal energy and releases it over time and distance.
Water absorbs a lot of thermal energy and releases it over time and distance.
Water absorbs a lot of thermal energy and releases it all at once.
Water absorbs a lot of thermal energy and releases it all at once.
Water absorbs little thermal energy and releases it all at once.
Water absorbs little thermal energy and releases it all at once.
Water absorbs little thermal energy and releases it over time and distance.
Water absorbs a lot of thermal energy and releases it over time and distance.
Which is correct about warm currents?(1 point)
Responses
They make landmasses warmer.
They make landmasses warmer.
They are denser than cold currents.
They are denser than cold currents.
They move from the poles to the equator.
They move from the poles to the equator.
They are surface currents.
The correct response is:
Water absorbs a lot of thermal energy and releases it over time and distance.
The correct response is:
Water absorbs a lot of thermal energy and releases it over time and distance.
Ocean currents play a significant role in distributing heat around the Earth, thereby affecting global climates. Water has a high heat capacity, meaning it can absorb and store a large amount of thermal energy. As the sun heats the surface of the ocean, this thermal energy is transferred to the water.
Ocean currents then carry this warm water from the equator towards the poles, and vice versa, through a process called thermohaline circulation. This movement of warm and cold water helps to regulate the Earth's temperature by distributing heat from regions of surplus to regions of deficit.
For example, the Gulf Stream carries warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic, which influences the climate of Western Europe by bringing warmth to the region. On the other hand, cold ocean currents, such as the California Current, can cool the coastal regions they flow along.
Therefore, the ability of water to absorb a lot of thermal energy and release it over time and distance is the correct explanation for how ocean currents affect global climates.