(MOW) Moving Water Module Overview

Image reads Module Review Oceanography

Introduction

Moving Water Module Overview

This unit will focus on developing an understanding of surface currents, wave characteristics, and the forces that cause tides in the World Ocean.

Essential Questions

The following essential questions will be addressed in the module:

  • What are the different types of waves? How are they generated?
  • How does the moon and the sun contribute to the patterns of the tides?
  • Explain how waves, tides, and sea level influence the physical structure of the shore.

Key Terms

Pay attention to the following key terms as you go through the module:

  • Surface currents - Currents on the surface of the ocean moved primarily by wind
  • Deep water currents - Currents found in 90% of the ocean that are driven by temperature, salinity, and gravity
  • Upwellings - Water from the deep sea travels up to the surface carrying nutrients to the ocean surface
  • Density currents - Currents driven by gravity as density differences in the ocean leads to pressure differences
  • Westerlies - Prevailing winds between 30 and 60 degrees latitude blowing from high pressure areas toward the poles
  • Trade Winds - Easterly surface winds found in the tropics near the Earth's equator
  • Gulf Stream - Ocean current named by Benjamin Franklin found in the Atlantic carries warm water from the Gulf Coast along the eastern seaboard of North America
  • Wavelength - Distance between repeating units of a wave (crest or trough) given a frequency
  • Frequency - Distance between repeating units of a wave (crest or trough) given a frequency
  • Tsunami -  series of waves that is created when a large body of water is rapidly displaced
  • Capillary - Small waves caused by strong winds that makes the water "choppy" or slightly rough
  • Chop - Small waves that occur at the interface between substances air and water
  • Swell - Long surface waves typically caused by tropical storms
  • Seiche - Standing waves that oscillates from a few minutes to a few hours as a result of seismic or atmospheric disturbances
  • Tide - A periodic variation in the surface level of the ocean caused by the gravitational attraction of the moon and sun
  • Semi-diurnal - Waves that occur every 12 hours or twice a day

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