Question

The surface ocean gyres:

a) have the strongest currents on their eastern sides.
b) are primarily the result of wind patterns.
c) have water moving in the same direction from the sea surface to the bottom.
d) are confined on all sides by the continents

Answer 1

The surface ocean gyres are primarily the result of wind patterns. Not all gyres have the same currents on their eastern and western sides due to the Coriolis effect.

Step-by-step explanation:

The surface ocean gyres are primarily the result of wind patterns. Wind patterns play a crucial role in driving the ocean currents that create gyres. These winds, called trade winds and westerlies, push the surface waters of the ocean, causing the water to move in circular patterns and form gyres.

However, not all gyres have the same currents on their eastern and western sides. For example, in the Northern Hemisphere, the currents on the eastern side of a gyre tend to be stronger than those on the western side. This is due to the Coriolis effect, which causes the water to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in stronger currents on the eastern side.