Oceans | Rising and falling
Rising and falling
Currents are large streams of water flowing through the ocean. Currents occur in all bodies of salt water and can be caused by wind, salinity, heat content, the characteristics of the ocean's bottom, and Earth's rotation. Currents in the top layer of the ocean are called surface currentsThe horizontal and vertical circulation of ocean waters. and these are mainly caused by steady winds. Surface currents flow clockwise north of the equator and counterclockwise (in the opposite direction) south of the equator. The Gulf Stream runs along the east coast of the United States and is one of the strongest and warmest currents known. In some places it may travel more than 60 miles in a day. The currents carry the Sun's heat from warmer regions to cooler areas, bringing mild weather to places that would otherwise be much cooler.
Currents also flow up and...
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