module11REVIEW

In this module, we have learned that the circulation of surface ocean currents and deep ocean currents is driven by the unequal heating of Earth, air currents, Coriolis forces, and differences in salt concentrations. These currents help to transport heat to different regions of the world and therefore help determine the climates around the globe. The disruption of these currents—due to the ENSO, and potentially because of glacier melting—can have major impacts on these climates. In the next module, we will examine how differences in climate help to determine the plants and animals that live in different parts of the world.

Module 11 AP® Review Questions

121

Question 1

1. Which of the following does NOT drive ocean currents?

  1. Salinity

  2. Prevailing winds

  3. Gravity

  4. Temperature

  5. Precipitation

Question 2

2. High productivity and nutrient availability in the ocean occurs in areas with

  1. gyres.

  2. upwelling.

  3. warm waters.

  4. El Niño.

  5. prevailing westerlies.

Question 3

3. Climate change could potentially disrupt which one of the following phenomena?

  1. El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

  2. Thermohaline circulation

  3. Rotation of Southern Hemisphere gyres

  4. Upwelling off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand

  5. The polar current along Antarctica

Question 4

4. Which of the following is NOT true of an El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event?

  1. It causes increased upwelling on the coast of South America.

  2. It causes wetter conditions in the southern United States.

  3. It can last from several weeks to several years.

  4. It includes a reversal in tropical ocean currents.

  5. It often begins near Christmas.

Question 5

5. Gyres do all of the following EXCEPT

  1. redistribute heat in the ocean.

  2. result from the Coriolis effect.

  3. rotate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.

  4. redistribute nutrients from the deep ocean.

  5. affect the temperatures of coastal areas.