Book 6, Question 118
Why Do Currents Move Like Rivers in the Sea?
An ocean current is like a river with no banks. It's a huge stream of water that flows through the sea. Wind pushes the surface, Earth's spin bends the path, and warm and cold water help drive the flow.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Big surface currents are pushed by global winds, which get their energy from the sun.
- The warm Gulf Stream carries about 150 times more water than the Amazon River.
- The Gulf Stream flows north along the coast of North America and then east into the Atlantic.
- Upwelling currents bring cold, food-rich water from the bottom up to the surface, which helps fish thrive.
- Deep currents caused by differences in temperature and saltiness move much more slowly than surface currents.
- Together, ocean currents form a giant 'conveyor belt' that helps shape the climate in many places.
Sources: NOAA, NOAA Ocean Service, U.S. Geological Survey, NASA
Questions kids ask
What makes surface currents move?
Winds powered by the sun push them along.