Earth and Space Sciences Regents, January 2026, question 32
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What the figure shows
The How Ocean Currents Work Model shows (1) the Sun heating water in the tropics, (2) warm water moving north and gradually cooling, and (3) water near Greenland mixing with cold Arctic water and sinking, then flowing south as cold water. The graph Seawater Density and Temperature for Different Salinities shows density in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3) against temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) for salinities of 0 (freshwater), 10, 20, 30, 35 (normal ocean water) and 40 parts per thousand (ppt). The other context figures are the map of Greenland ice thickness, the graph of change in Greenland ice mass from 1971 to 2022, and a model of the percent of sunlight reflected by various surfaces. The four answer choices are diagrams with a north-to-south ocean cross section, a cloud over Greenland, a black arrow for cold water and a white arrow for warm water. Choice 1 reads: melting increases and rainfall decreases; more freshwater increases salinity and increases density; warm water can't move north and sinks. Choice 2 reads: melting decreases and rainfall increases; less freshwater decreases salinity and decreases density; warm water can't move north and sinks. Choice 3 reads: melting decreases and rainfall decreases; less freshwater increases salinity and increases density; warm water rises and moves north. Choice 4 reads: melting increases and rainfall increases; more freshwater decreases salinity and decreases density; warm water rises but can't move north.
How to think about it
Work through the chain one step at a time. First decide from the ice mass graph whether Greenland is gaining or losing ice overall, and what that suggests about melting. Then use the salinity graph: at one temperature, compare the density of water with more salt and with less salt. Finally ask what that density change does to the sinking step in the ocean currents model.
Based on the model and the graph, which model below correctly summarizes changes to an Earth system off the coast of Greenland? 1 Melting decreases and rainfall increases. Greenland 1 Melting increases and rainfall decreases. 3 Warm water can’t move north and sinks. 2 More freshwater increases salinity and increases density. Ocean surface Greenland 1 Melting decreases and rainfall decreases. 3 Warm water rises and moves north. 2 Less freshwater increases salinity and increases density. Ocean surface Greenland 2 Less freshwater decreases salinity and decreases density. Ocean surface 1 Melting increases and rainfall increases. 3 Warm water rises but can’t move north. 2 More freshwater decreases salinity and decreases density. Ocean surface Greenland Cold water Warm water Key North South North South North South North South 3 Warm water can’t move north and sinks.