What is drift in ocean current?
Atlantic drift is the broad, northward flow of surface waters that replaces the sinking waters in the N. Atlantic polar seas. The current is unique in that it transports warm waters to latitudes higher than in any other ocean, thereby producing the moderate climate of Europe and western Scandinavia.
What are the 3 types of ocean currents?
Oceanic currents are driven by three main factors:
- The rise and fall of the tides. Tides create a current in the oceans, which are strongest near the shore, and in bays and estuaries along the coast.
- Wind. Winds drive currents that are at or near the ocean’s surface.
- Thermohaline circulation.
Why is ocean water always saline?
Salt in the sea, or ocean salinity, is mainly caused by rain washing mineral ions from the land into water. Carbon dioxide in the air dissolves into rainwater, making it slightly acidic. Around 3.5% of the weight of seawater comes from dissolved salts. …
Why is saline water not suitable for drinking?
Why can’t people drink sea water? Seawater is toxic to humans because your body is unable to get rid of the salt that comes from seawater. Your body’s kidneys normally remove excess salt by producing urine, but the body needs freshwater to dilute the salt in your body for the kidneys to work properly.
What is the average salinity of ocean water?
Sea water salinity is expressed as a ratio of salt (in grams) to liter of water. In sea water there is typically close to 35 grams of dissolved salts in each liter. It is written as 35 ‰ The normal range of ocean salinity ranges between 33-37 grams per liter (33‰ – 37‰).
Is the entire ocean salt water?
Oceans cover about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and about 97 percent of all water on and in the Earth is saline—there’s a lot of salty water on our planet. Salt in the ocean comes from rocks on land. Here’s how it works: From precipitation to the land to the rivers to the sea….
Why is rain not salty?
But over time, as rain fell to the Earth and ran over the land, breaking up rocks and transporting their minerals to the ocean, the ocean has become saltier. Rain replenishes freshwater in rivers and streams, so they don’t taste salty.
Can a fish explode?
They don’t explode because they have cell walls. They don’t explode because they have kidneys to get rid of excess water.
How long can a freshwater fish survive in saltwater?
A few species are able to live in brackish as well as fresh water and might live a while. But in general terms, a fresh water fish won’t live more than a few minutes in salt water.
Do saltwater fish explode in freshwater?
The opposite is true for saltwater fish. As well as getting water through osmosis, saltwater fish need to purposefully drink water in order to get enough into their systems. They can’t just allow the water to diffuse freely through their gills; the saltwater fish would shrivel up and the freshwater fish would explode!
Can a fish get drunk?
Yes. Very small ones can easily be drunk by mistake or even on purpose. This might happen when drinking water from a running stream for example. If the question means can fish get drunk from alcohol, then it is very likely that some alcoholic content in their water would affect them.