4 Geography · 4.1.6 Oceanography

4.1.6.5 Ocean currents: causes and warm and cold currents

Ocean currents are steady flows of water in a set direction, started by solar heating, wind, gravity and the Coriolis force and shaped by differences in water density; warm currents flow from the tropics poleward, cold currents from the poles towards the equator.

  • APPSC Group 1
  • Advanced level
  • 8 min read
  • Full course

Key terms

  • ocean currents
  • solar heating
  • wind
  • gravity
  • Coriolis force
  • density
  • surface currents
  • deep water currents
  • drift
  • knots
  • gyre
  • warm current
  • cold current
  • thermohaline circulation
  • Ekman transport
  • upwelling
  • western intensification

What this note covers

  1. Core factsFoundation
  2. ExplainedStandard
  3. DeeperAdvanced
  4. Mains writingMains writing
  5. Common trapsFoundation
  6. Quick revisionFoundation

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