Asked by Eduardo Villanueva

Which of the following form the pattern of surface currents on Earth?

A.
high and low tides

B.
the Moon's gravitational pull and Earth's tilt on its axis

C.
the Sun's gravitational pull and Earth's rotation

D.
global winds and the Coriolis effect

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
D. global winds and the Coriolis effect

Explanation: Surface ocean currents are driven mainly by friction from prevailing global winds (trade winds, westerlies) and are deflected by the Coriolis effect from Earth's rotation, producing large gyres and current patterns. Tides (Moon/Sun gravity) and tidal currents are a different mechanism.