Ocean Currents and Global Heat
Explain thermohaline circulation (the global conveyor belt) as driven by temperature and salinity differences that cause dense water to sink; describe how the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) transfers heat from the tropics toward Europe; explain that oceans absorb more than 90% of excess heat and ~25% of CO2 from human emissions; explore what would happen to Northern European climates if circulation weakened
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Can your child explain why the UK has mild winters compared to parts of Canada at similar latitudes — what does ocean circulation have to do with it, and what might change if that circulation slows down?
Explain thermohaline circulation (the global conveyor belt) as driven by temperature and salinity differences that cause dense water to sink; describe how the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) transfers heat from the tropics toward Europe; explain that oceans absorb more than 90% of excess heat and ~25% of CO2 from human emissions; explore what would happen to Northern European climates if circulation weakened
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“Can your child explain why the UK has mild winters compared to parts of Canada at similar latitudes — what does ocean circulation have to do with it, and what might change if that circulation slows down?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Ocean Life
- Age range
- Ages 11–12