What is the primary factor driving the movement of surface ocean currents globally?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Surface ocean currents are primarily driven by planetary wind systems like trade winds and westerlies acting continuously on surface waters, coupled with the deflection caused by the Earth's rotation through the Coriolis effect. Thermohaline circulation, though important for deep ocean currents, relies on density differences governed by temperature and salinity rather than direct wind drag. Tidal forces generated by celestial bodies exert minor influences compared to atmospheric circulation patterns. Physical oceanography questions consistently emphasize the drivers of marine gyres.