"Hey there! Did you know that the ocean is constantly moving — even when the surface looks calm? Huge rivers of water flow through the ocean, called currents. They carry warm and cold water all around the planet! Here in Florida, we have one of the most powerful ocean currents in the world flowing right past our coast. Let me show you how it all works!"
What Are Ocean Currents?
Ocean currents are large-scale, continuous movements of ocean water. Think of them like rivers flowing through the sea. They are driven by wind, differences in water temperature and salinity (saltiness), and the rotation of the Earth. Surface currents are driven mostly by wind and affect the upper few hundred meters of the ocean. Deep-water currents — called thermohaline circulation — are driven by differences in water density caused by temperature and salinity changes. Together, these currents form a global system sometimes called the 'ocean conveyor belt' that moves heat, nutrients, and marine life around the entire planet.
