Oceanography- 6 | Geography for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


 
OCEANOGRAPHY 6 
FACTORS AFFECTING MOVMENT OF OCEAN WATER : 
1. Temperature  
2. Salinity 
3. Density 
4. Force of sun and moon 
5. Winds 
MOVEMENTS OF OCEAN WATER 
The horizontal and vertical motions are common in ocean water 
bodies. 
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT: 
The horizontal motion refers to the ocean currents and waves. 
 
VERTICAL  MOVEMENT 
The vertical motion refers to tides (Due to attraction of the sun and 
the moon) 
The upwelling of cold water from the subsurface and the sinking of 
surface water are also forms of vertical motion of ocean water. 
WAVES 
Waves travel because wind pushes the water body in its course while 
gravity pulls the crests of the waves downward. 
Wind causes waves to travel in the ocean and the energy is released 
on shorelines 
Waves are actually the energy, not the water as such, which move 
across the ocean surface.   
- As a wave approaches the beach, it slows down. This is due to the 
friction occurring between the dynamic water and the sea floor  
Page 2


 
OCEANOGRAPHY 6 
FACTORS AFFECTING MOVMENT OF OCEAN WATER : 
1. Temperature  
2. Salinity 
3. Density 
4. Force of sun and moon 
5. Winds 
MOVEMENTS OF OCEAN WATER 
The horizontal and vertical motions are common in ocean water 
bodies. 
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT: 
The horizontal motion refers to the ocean currents and waves. 
 
VERTICAL  MOVEMENT 
The vertical motion refers to tides (Due to attraction of the sun and 
the moon) 
The upwelling of cold water from the subsurface and the sinking of 
surface water are also forms of vertical motion of ocean water. 
WAVES 
Waves travel because wind pushes the water body in its course while 
gravity pulls the crests of the waves downward. 
Wind causes waves to travel in the ocean and the energy is released 
on shorelines 
Waves are actually the energy, not the water as such, which move 
across the ocean surface.   
- As a wave approaches the beach, it slows down. This is due to the 
friction occurring between the dynamic water and the sea floor  
 
- When the depth of water is less than the wavelength of the wave, the 
wave breaks. 
- Waves continue to grow larger as the move and absorb energy from 
the wind 
CHARACTERISTICS OF WAVES 
 
 
- Wave crest and trough: The highest and lowest points of a wave are 
called the crest and trough respectively  
Wave height: It is the vertical distance from the bottom of a truck to 
the top of a crest of a wave  
Wavelength: It is the horizontal distance between two successive crest  
Wave period: It is the time interval between two successive wave crest 
and trough as that pass a fixed point  
Wave speed: It is the rate at which the Waves move to the water and is 
measured in knots.  
Wave frequency: It is the number of waves passing a given point 
during a one second time interval 
Page 3


 
OCEANOGRAPHY 6 
FACTORS AFFECTING MOVMENT OF OCEAN WATER : 
1. Temperature  
2. Salinity 
3. Density 
4. Force of sun and moon 
5. Winds 
MOVEMENTS OF OCEAN WATER 
The horizontal and vertical motions are common in ocean water 
bodies. 
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT: 
The horizontal motion refers to the ocean currents and waves. 
 
VERTICAL  MOVEMENT 
The vertical motion refers to tides (Due to attraction of the sun and 
the moon) 
The upwelling of cold water from the subsurface and the sinking of 
surface water are also forms of vertical motion of ocean water. 
WAVES 
Waves travel because wind pushes the water body in its course while 
gravity pulls the crests of the waves downward. 
Wind causes waves to travel in the ocean and the energy is released 
on shorelines 
Waves are actually the energy, not the water as such, which move 
across the ocean surface.   
- As a wave approaches the beach, it slows down. This is due to the 
friction occurring between the dynamic water and the sea floor  
 
- When the depth of water is less than the wavelength of the wave, the 
wave breaks. 
- Waves continue to grow larger as the move and absorb energy from 
the wind 
CHARACTERISTICS OF WAVES 
 
 
- Wave crest and trough: The highest and lowest points of a wave are 
called the crest and trough respectively  
Wave height: It is the vertical distance from the bottom of a truck to 
the top of a crest of a wave  
Wavelength: It is the horizontal distance between two successive crest  
Wave period: It is the time interval between two successive wave crest 
and trough as that pass a fixed point  
Wave speed: It is the rate at which the Waves move to the water and is 
measured in knots.  
Wave frequency: It is the number of waves passing a given point 
during a one second time interval