Waves, Tides, Currents, and Ocean Resources
The ocean is always moving in three distinct ways: waves ripple its surface, tides raise and lower it, and currents carry water around the globe. Each has a different cause, and together they shape coastlines, weather, and life. Sorting out waves, tides, and currents is a favorite earth science topic.
This lesson covers the three kinds of ocean motion and the resources the ocean provides.
Waves are up-and-down surface movements caused mostly by wind. Tides are the regular rise and fall of sea level caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun. Currents are continuous flows of ocean water in set directions. The ocean also provides resources like food, energy, and minerals.
What causes waves and tides?
Waves are created mostly by wind blowing across the water’s surface, transferring energy that makes the water rise and fall. The water itself mostly stays in place while the energy moves through it. Tides are different: they are the slow, regular rise and fall of the whole sea level, caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon (and, to a lesser degree, the Sun) on Earth’s oceans. Most coasts see two high tides and two low tides each day.
| Motion | Cause |
|---|---|
| Waves | Wind on the surface |
| Tides | Gravity of the Moon and Sun |
| Currents | Wind, temperature, and salinity differences |
What are ocean currents, and what does the ocean provide?
Currents are like rivers within the ocean, continuous streams of water flowing in set directions. They are driven by steady winds and by differences in water temperature and saltiness. Currents move warm and cold water around the planet, which strongly affects climate. The ocean is also a vital source of resources: food such as fish, energy from tides and offshore wind, and minerals dissolved in seawater or on the seafloor.
Watch: A Short Video Lesson
TOPBrain GK walks through this skill clearly in a few minutes. It is a helpful companion to the reading above:
A routine for ocean motion questions
- Match the motion to its cause: waves-wind, tides-gravity, currents-wind and density.
- Remember waves move energy, not the water itself, across the surface.
- Tides are the regular rise and fall caused mainly by the Moon.
- Currents carry water and heat around the globe, affecting climate.
- Recall ocean resources: food, energy, and minerals.
Practice questions
- What mainly causes ocean waves?
- What causes tides?
- How many high tides do most coasts get each day?
- What drives ocean currents?
- Name one resource the ocean provides.
- True or false: currents can affect climate.
Answers:
- Wind blowing across the surface.
- The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun.
- Two.
- Steady winds and differences in temperature and salinity.
- Any of: food (fish), energy, minerals.
- True.
Where this fits
Ocean motion connects to the atmosphere, oceans, and Earth systems, and tides link to the Moon’s pull covered in moon phases, eclipses, and tides. Find all topics on the ASVAB General Science Learning Hub.
Recommended Prep Books
These study guides and practice books help you keep building momentum as you prepare:
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