Question 8 • W Geography_A_IC
Answer:
Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information:The world’s oceans influence climate in two different ways: through water temperatures and through currents. Ocean water heats and cools more slowly than land temperatures. Thus, the ocean keeps coastal temperatures mild and consistent, with less of a temperature range than that of inland regions. Ocean currents, such as the Gulf Stream, also affect climate. They move warm and cold water around the world’s oceans, from the tropics to the polar regions. Like ocean currents, wind currents help to move heat around the world. They pick up warm or cool air as they blow over the oceans and transfer it to other areas. Winds from hot areas, such as the tropics, are warm and increase the temperatures of other regions. Winds from cold areas, such as the poles, are cooler and decrease temperatures in the regions they move through.