waste produced by people in delaware has been dumped into the atlantic ocean, where it is distributed by surface ocean currents. which coastal area is most likely to become polluted by this waste

To determine which coastal area is most likely to become polluted by waste dumped into the Atlantic Ocean from Delaware, we need to consider ocean currents. Surface ocean currents are driven by a combination of factors, including wind patterns, the Earth's rotation, and the shape of coastlines.

One crucial surface current system in the Atlantic Ocean is the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream is a powerful current that flows along the East Coast of North America, carrying warm water from the Gulf of Mexico towards the North Atlantic. It typically flows northward and then eastward beyond Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, before bending northeastward.

Based on the information given, the waste produced by people in Delaware would likely be carried by surface ocean currents towards the northeast. This means that the coastal areas located northeast of Delaware, along the East Coast of the United States, are most likely to be affected by this waste.

Therefore, coastal areas such as New Jersey, New York, and New England (including Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, etc.) would be the most likely to become polluted by the waste dumped into the Atlantic Ocean from Delaware via surface ocean currents. This assumption relies on the presumption that the waste is carried by prevailing ocean currents without additional factors that could alter the distribution pattern. Monitoring and study of specific ocean currents and their impact on coastal areas would provide more precise information on potential pollution.