In general, the direction of circulation of ocean surface currents is
A) clockwise in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
B) counterclockwise in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
C) clockwise in the Atlantic Ocean and counterclockwise in the Pacific Ocean.
D) counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
E) clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The direction of ocean surface currents is mainly affected by the Coriolis effect, which causes them to turn to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. As a result, ocean surface currents generally flow clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, the best choice is E (clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere).

In General, the Direction of Circulation of Ocean Surface Currents