Ocean Currents

In this assignment you will analyze how ocean currents move heat around the globe and ultimately how they affect global weather. You will explore the effects of water temperature and winds on the movement of water.

This follows chapter 7 of the Catastrophic Events book.

Part 1: Investigating the Effect of Temperature on Ocean Currents

Procedure:

  1. Pour room temperature water into the clear tub until it is 6 cm deep - let it settle on your table.

  2. Fill one glass beaker with 200 mL of ice water and the other glass beaker with 200 mL of boiling water - carefully carry them by their rims to your table.

  3. Carefully and gently place the glass beakers on either end of the tub.

  4. The teacher will place a few potassium permanganate crystals next to your cold beaker.

  5. Without disturbing the tub, observe what happens in the tub.

  6. In your journal, draw a labeled diagram of what you see.

  7. In your journal, answer these questions (from Catastrophic Events book).

    1. How does temperature affect the way water moves?

    2. Which is more dense, hot water or cold water?

    3. What evidence supports your answer about which is more dense?

    4. What will happen to air above the different ends of your tub?

  8. Read "Surface Currents" on p. 89 of the Catastrophic Events book.

  9. Wash beakers and tubs with soap and water, then dry and replace materials in bin.

Part 2: Bath Toys and Surface Currents

Focus Question: How did rubber bath toys lost overboard in the Pacific travel to beaches many miles away?

You will read a true story about bath toys that fell off a container ship and washed up on beaches around the world. Using a world map, you will identify, locate, and record the dates and places where the toys were found. Finally, you write a hypothesis about how the rubber toys made their way to the various locations identified.

Procedure:

  1. Read the Science from Bath Toys story (click here for an advanced version).

  2. With your group, observe the world map as you re-read the Bath Toys story.

  3. Identify the locations mentioned in the story, and write these locations and dates on your map.

  4. Discuss with your group, and come up with (and write in your journal) an answer for this question: "How did rubber bath toys lost overboard in the Pacific travel to beaches many miles away?"

  5. Optional Extension: Use the Ocean Surface Currents Model to predict where an object will go then drop it in the model and see what path it takes (use the tutorial in the upper-left corner for help with the model).

Note: this lesson is from Oregon Sea Grant.

Alternate Part 2: Investigating Surface Currents

Procedure:

  1. Observe the teacher using the experimental apparatus.

  2. Follow steps 1-8 on p. 88-90 of the Catastrophic Events book.

  3. In your journal, answer reflection questions 1 A-C on p. 91 of the Catastrophic Events book.

  4. Read "El Nino" on p. 92-95 of the Catastrophic Events book.

Part 3: Plastics and Marine Debris

Mindy Gelder will give a presentation on plastics.

Also, please view this slideshow from NOAA: Marine Debris PowerPoint.

Part 3: Marine Debris Art

Sarah Tucker will present some of her marine debris art, made from plastics washed up on Olympic Peninsula beaches.