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Study Guide in SSE 102 Physical Geography Module No. 7

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 7

HYDROSPHERE
MODULE OVERVIEW

This module discusses the hydrosphere as Earth’s layer with emphasis ocean currents
and its impact on trade.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. discuss the hydrosphere as Earth’s layer,

2. identify the oceans of the world;
3. explain the ocean currents; and
4. discuss the impact of ocean currents on trade.

LEARNING CONTENTS (title of the subsection)

Hydrosphere of the Earth

The hydrosphere is the mantle of water which covers the lower parts of the surface
of the globe. The hydrosphere covers 71 per cent of the surface of the globe.

The hydrosphere is formed of oceans, seas, gulfs, lakes, etc.. The great stretch of
open water is known as Ocean, the smaller areas less than ocean are the seas. The open
stretch of water surrounded on three sides by land is the bay while the gulf is surrounded
by land almost on all sides. The lakes are the stretches of water surrounded by land.

The Oceans

There are five oceans in the world. These are: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean,
the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean and the South Ocean. Of these, the Pacific is the
largest ocean having an area of 60, 060, 700 square miles (155, 557, 000 sq. km.). The
average depth of the Pacific is the highest being about 13, 215 feet (4, 028 meters). The
Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean having an area of 29, 637, 900 square miles
(76, 762, 000 sq. km.) although its place is third in respect of average depth of 12, 880 feet
(3, 926 meters). There are many semi-circles seas in the Atlantic having indented coastline.
The Indian Ocean is about 26, 469, 900 square miles (68, 566, 000 sq. km.) in area and its
average depth is 13, 002 feet (3, 963 meters). The Arctic Ocean or the North Ocean
surrounds the North Pole. The southern part of this ocean is surrounded nearly all over by
North America and Eurasia. The North Ocean is 5, 427, 000 square miles (14, 056, 000 sq.
km.) in area and the average depth is 3, 953 feet (1, 205 meters). The South Ocean is 7,
848, 300 square miles (20, 327, 000 sq. km.) with average depth from 13, 100 to 16, 4000
feet (4, 000 to 5, 000 meters).

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Ocean Currents

Ocean currents are the movement of water in a regular and fixed course from one
part of the ocean to another gives rise to ocean currents.

Causes of the Ocean Currents

The causes of the flow of the ocean currents are mentioned and discussed below:

1. Wind Movement. The strong and regular wind blows over the surface of the
ocean to a particular direction. So the wind system is the major cause of the ocean
currents. In the belts of the Trade Winds, ocean currents flow from the east to the west
while in the westerly wind belts they flow from the west to the east.

2. Difference of Temperature. The temperature of the surface water of the ocean is

different in different latitudes. Strong heat in the equatorial and tropical regions causes the
water to become warmer which in turn results in the expansion of the water in volume and
thereby the water becomes lighter and the density also decreases. But in upper and mid-
latitude regions, the water is heavy due to less heat. The hot and light water in the
equatorial regions flows pole ward as warm surface currents while the colder water from the
poles creeps as under currents to fill the vacuum.

3. Difference of Salinity. Density of water depends on the salinity. Water becomes

lighter with the decrease of salinity while the water becomes heavier with the increase of
salinity. Light water flows as surface currents while the heavy water flows as under current.

4. Difference of Evaporation. Much evaporation occurs in the hot regions of the

ocean resulting in the decrease of water level. Comparatively cold water from the
neighbouring less hot areas of the ocean move towards more hot areas to maintain
equilibrium in the ocean water.

5. Variation in Depth. The shallow ocean water becomes hot and light very quickly
that causes up-rise of the warm water resulting in a downward flow of the cold water current
to occupy the place of the warm water. As a result, of the upward and downward movement
of the ocean water as currents are created.

6. Rotation of the Earth. The earth rotates from west to east. As a result, the ocean
currents are deflected to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern
hemisphere.

7. Location of the Landmass. Landmasses deflect the flow of ocean currents

resulting in the formation of a new course. For example, it is due to the Cape of Saint Rock
in the east of Brazil that the South Equatorial current in the Atlantic Ocean is divided into
two branches. One is flowing through the north coast of South America and the other
through south-east coast.

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Various Ocean Currents

The ocean water does not remain stationary in one place. The water of all the
oceans and seas are flowing either as surface or under current. Hence, the ocean currents
are divided into three on the basis of the location of the oceans. These are:

(a) The Atlantic Ocean Currents;

(b) The Pacific Ocean Currents; and
(c) The Indian Ocean Currents.

The Atlantic Ocean Currents

The continents of Europe and Africa are in the east of Atlantic while North America
and South America are in the west. The equator has divided the Atlantic Ocean into north
and south part. So, the currents can be divided into two parts: a) South Atlantic Ocean
Currents; and b) North Atlantic Ocean Currents.

A. South Atlantic Ocean Currents

1. The Antarctic Current. The cold waters from the Antarctic move under the
influence of the strong westerly wind from west to east. This is known as the Antarctic
current and it enters into the Atlantic by the south of South America.

2. Benguela Current. The branch of the Antarctic current being deflected nears the
Cape of Good Hope turns to the north and flows by the west side of South Africa. This
current is known as the Benguela current. The current is cold since it comes from the cold
current. It turns westward under the influence of the south-east trade winds and joins the
South Equatorial current.

3. South Equatorial Current. The South Equatorial Current originates from the
extended part of the Benguela current. This current marches towards north-west up to the
equator being influenced by the rotation of the earth and the south-east trade winds. This
current is known as the South Equatorial Current as it flows to the south of the equator.
This is warm current.

4. Brazil Current. The branch of South Equatorial current, known as Brazil current,
which flows through the east coast of Brazil to the south-west. The current is warm since it
originates from the warm current and flows through the tropical region, crossing the Tropic
of Capricorn, the current turns eastward gradually under the influence of westerly wind and
meets the Antarctic current.

5. Falkland Current. A branch of the Antarctic current on entering the Atlantic

Ocean turns north and flows northward along the coast of Falkland Island and Argentina.
This is known as Falkland Current and it is a cold current.

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B. North Atlantic Ocean Currents

1. North Equatorial Current. The warm currents flowing from east to west along the
north of the equator under the influence of the rotation of the earth and the northeast trade
winds is known as the North Equatorial Current. This is warm current. After crossing the
Mid-Atlantic, the northern branch of the South Equatorial current meets the North Equatorial
current. The North Equatorial current is divided into two branches. The first branch flows
into the Gulf Stream taking a turn to the north. The second branch flows first into the
Caribbean Sea and then into the Gulf of Mexico.

2. The Equatorial Counter Current. Between the North and South Equatorial
currents, there is a weak current flowing from west to east is known as the Equatorial
Counter Current. This is a warm current.

3. The Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream, practically, has originated from the extended
part of South and North Equatorial currents. This mixed current enters into the Carribean
Sea and is divided into two branches being obstructed by the islands. One of the branches
enters into the Gulf of Mexico. The rush of water from the Mississippi river of the United
States of America enhances the speed of this current and flows through the narrow strait of
Florida to North Atlantic. It is known as the Gulf Stream since it has originated in the Gulf of
Mexico. The extent of the Gulf Stream varies from 64 to 80 kilometres at the entrance of
Florida Strait, the depth is 914 metres, the average speed is 8 kilometres per hour and the
temperature is 30° Celsius. The colour of the current is deep blue.

At the Mid-Atlantic, the depth and the temperature of the current comes down while
the width gets increased and this current flows here at a speed of 2.5 kilometres per hour.
While flowing north-east along the east coast of the United States of America, the Gulf
Stream is divided into three branches at the mid of the North Atlantic due to the influence of
the westerlies such as: a) North Atlantic Stream; b) West Greenland Current; and c)
Canaries Current.

(a) North Atlantic Stream. The first branch of the Gulf Stream being called North
Atlantic Stream flows along the coast of West Europe, the British Islands and Norway into
the North Sea as a warm current.

(b) West Greenland Current. The warm West Greenland current, the second
branch of Gulf Stream curving northward proceeds along the south of Iceland and
Greenland and then flows through Davis Strait between Greenland and Baffin Island to the
north.

(c) Canaries Current. The third branch of Gulf Stream known as the Canaries
current turning southward flows along Portugal and the west coast of West Africa. The
current is divided into two branches. The first branch curving south-west under the
influence of Trade Wind flows into North Equatorial Current. This is a cold current.

4. Guinea Current. The Guinea current, the second branch of Canaries Current,
flows along the coast of Guinea of West Africa to the south up to the Equator. Then joining
the Equatorial Counter Current, it flows into the Bay of Guinea. This is a cold current. The
flow of different currents and cross currents along the sides of North Atlantic Ocean has

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caused in the centre of the ocean an area of stagnant sea often full of drifted branches of
plants, grass, sea-weeds etc. and is called the Sargasso.

5. Labrador Current. There are two cold currents from the North Ocean flows along
the east and west of Greenland into the Atlantic Ocean. These two currents join in the north
of Labrador Peninsula and taking the name of the Labrador Currents. It flows along the east
coast of Newfoundland and the United States of America to the south. The Labrador
Current flowing south to New York gets deflected by the warm Gulf Stream. The deep blue
water of the Gulf Stream and the green water of the Labrador flow side by side in the
opposite direction and the border of these two cross currents is called the Cold Wall.

The Impact of Ocean Currents on Trade

1. The ocean water in the mid-tropic and high tropic region freezes in winter.
Naturally the mercantile ships cannot ply in those seas. But the warm current keeps the sea
ports ice free where it enters the sea. This makes possible the free traffic of the commercial
ships in the seas.

2. A ship can sail to a port of destination in a short time in favour of the current but it
takes a lot of money, energy and time if the ship goes against the current.

3. It is safe to sail ships in the passage of the warm currents. Cold currents bring
icebergs. The ships are damaged if hit by an iceberg and sinks into the ocean. This way the
Titanic ship sinks into the Atlantic Ocean.

4. The icebergs that come floating with the cold current are quickly melted and the
loads such as pebbles, sand, mud etc. are deposited on the sea bed creating shoals.
Plenty of fish food is available in these shoal areas, and as such are good for fishing
ground.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Multiple Choice

_____ 1. What percentage of the surface of the earth is covered by the hydrosphere?

a. 30
b. 45
c. 60
d. 70

_____ 2. How salinity does create ocean current?

a. Density of water depends on the salinity

b. Saline water becomes very fast
c. There is a relation between salinity and wind movement
d. Saline water becomes lighter

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Answer question number 3 and 4 according to the table.

Ocean Area (sq. kms.) Average Depth (feet)

Pacific Ocean 155, 557, 000 13, 215
Indian Ocean 68, 566, 000 13, 002
Atlantic Ocean 76, 762, 000 12, 880
South Ocean 20, 327, 000 16, 4000

_____ 3. Which ocean has many semi-circles seas?

a. Pacific
b. Indian
c. Atlantic
d. South

_____ 4. Which one is correct below?

a. The Pacific Ocean is two and a half time bigger than the Indian Ocean.
b . The Pacific Ocean is twice bigger than the Indian Ocean.
c. The Atlantic Ocean is one and a half time bigger than the Indian Ocean.
d. The Atlantic Ocean is twice bigger than the Indian Ocean.

SUMMARY

The hydrosphere is the envelope of water which covers about 71 per cent of the
surface of the earth.

The water area covers 71 per cent and land area covers 29 per cent of the total area
of the surface of the earth.

The wide open mantle of water is called the Ocean. There are five oceans in the
world namely, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the North Ocean
and the South Ocean.

The movement of water from one part of the ocean to another in a regular and fixed
course is known as ocean current. Ocean currents are of three types (1) The Atlantic
Ocean Current, (2) The Pacific Ocean Current, and (3) The Indian Ocean Current.

Warm current generally flow as surface current, while the cold current moves as
under current.

The wind system, the difference of temperature depth, salinity, evaporation, rotation
of the earth and location of land area cause ocean currents. Of these factors, the wind
system plays a vital role to create ocean currents.

The South Atlantic Ocean currents flow towards left (leftward or anti-clockwise). The
Antarctic current, Falkland current, Benguela current, South Equatorial current, and Brazil

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current flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Among all these currents, the Antarctic current,
Falkland and Benguela currents are cold currents and others are warm currents.

The currents of the North Atlantic Ocean are flowing towards right (southward or
clockwise). The North Equatorial Current, the Gulf Stream, North Atlantic Stream, West
Greenland Current, Canaries current, Guinea Current, Labrador Current, and Equatorial
Counter Current are the principal currents of the North Atlantic Ocean. The Labrador,
Canaries, and Guinea currents are cold currents.

There are different currents and cross currents on the sides of North Atlantic Ocean
and in the whirlpool of water in the centre, there is no current resulting in the deposit of
moss and drifting weeds in the stagnant water. This is called the Sargasso Sea.

The seas in the high latitudes are frozen during winter and the mercantile ships
cannot ply. Naturally, the commercial transactions are disturbed in the ports during winter
on the high latitudes. But the seas where warm currents flow do not freeze in winter and
mercantile ships can move freely. There are possibilities for the ships to get damaged by
the icebergs that the cold currents bring.

REFERENCES

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/contents.html

http://164.100.133.129:81/econtent/Uploads/Physical_Geography.pdf

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