Ocean Circulation Lab Report 

 

Introduction 

Scientists use buoys to measure ocean conditions in specific locations over time. There are a variety of different buoys deployed in the ocean; some are attached to the ocean floor, while others drift freely in open waters. All ocean buoys, regardless of type, report some physical characteristic of the ocean or the atmosphere for later analysis. In this virtual lab activity, you will use buoys to track a bottle as it travels on ocean currents worldwide. 

Problem:  

How can data from buoys be used to analyze ocean currents? 

Hypothesis:  

Predict which ocean current each bottle traveled in using the tracking data in the Data and Observations section and the world map of major ocean currents pictured below.   

For example: 

I predict bottle 1 is from North West and South West, bottle 2 is from South West and South East, and bottle 3 is from North West and North East 

 

Materials:  

This lab will be done through a virtual lab scenario.  Tracking data is provided through this online format. 

Procedures: 

View the introduction animation. Move to the next section, “Which ocean current carried my bottle?” 

Select bottle 1 to review its tracking data. The tracking data is also shown under Data and Observations in this lab report.  

In the “Analyzing Ocean Buoy data” section, plot the tracking data for bottle 1 on the world map to determine the ocean current the bottle traveled in. 

Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the other two bottles.  

Complete the Questions and Conclusion section of the lab report.  

Data and Observations:  

Students select a bottle, and a series of dates, longitude and latitude data will appear. The data will appear from close to where the bottle was launched to where the bottle was retrieved. 

Bottle #1 

 

Date 

Latitude 

Longitude 

4/25/2010 

8 S 

5 W 

5/2/2010 

10 S 

20 W 

5/9/2010 

10 S 

40 W 

5/16/2010 

5 S 

43 W 

5/23/2010 

0 

45 W 

5/23/2010 

0 

45 W 

6/6/2010 

8 N 

70 W 

6/13/2010 

10 N 

85 W 

6/20/2010 

15 N 

88 W 

6/27/2010 

25 N 

90 W 

7/4/2010 

28 N 

90 W 

7/11/2010 

25 N 

88 W 

7/18/2010 

20 N 

85 W 

7/25/2010 

25 N 

81 W 

8/1/2010 

30 N 

80 W 

Bottle #2 

Date 

Latitude 

Longitude 

3/22/2010 

43 S 

45 W 

3/29/2010 

46 S 

35 W 

4/5/2010 

45 S 

30 W 

4/12/2010 

35 S 

20 W 

4/19/2010 

35 S 

0 

4/26/2010 

35 S 

10 E 

5/3/2010 

32 S 

15 E 

5/10/2010 

30 S 

10 E 

5/17/2010 

28 S 

5 E 

5/24/2010 

25 S 

0 

5/31/2010 

20 S 

5 W 

6/7/2010 

20 S 

30 W 

6/14/2010 

20 S 

35 W 

6/21/2010 

25 S 

40 W 

6/28/2010 

30 S 

45 W 

 

Bottle#3 

Date 

Latitude 

Longitude 

4/17/2010 

45 N 

135 W 

4/24/2010 

55 N 

136 W 

5/1/2010 

60 N 

137 W 

5/8/2010 

58 N 

140 W 

5/15/2010 

50 N 

170 W 

5/22/2010 

58 N 

175 W 

5/29/2010 

60 N 

178 E 

6/5/2010 

55 N 

175 E 

6/12/2010 

48 N 

145 E 

6/19/2010 

48 N 

178 W 

6/26/2010 

45 N 

170 W 

7/3/2010 

45 N 

140 W 

7/10/2010 

45 N 

135 W 

7/17/2010 

40 N 

120 W 

7/24/2010 

30 N 

115 W 

Questions and Conclusion: 

Refer to your plotted points on the map for each of the bottles. What are the names of the major surface currents each bottle could have followed? 


Based on your knowledge of ocean currents, where did each bottle originate?  


Is it possible the bottles could have followed different currents? If so, what were the other possible coordinates and currents for each bottle?  

What kinds of factors could hinder the forward progress of a message in a bottle in an ocean current? What factors could aid the movement? 

In the lesson, you learned about a debris convergence zone, or “garbage patch,” that can form in the center of the Pacific Ocean. How is the formation of this patch related to ocean currents? Where else in the world’s oceans are garbage patches likely to form? 

Hundreds of millions of years ago, all the continents on Earth were connected to form a giant “supercontinent” called Pangaea. How might ocean currents have differed during the time of Pangaea compared to today? Explain your answer. 

How did your predictions match the tracking data for each bottle? 

How could you further test your conclusion on each bottle’s origination? How could you confirm the bottle’s starting point?  

answer these questions as if you were a student completing a project