Which of the following factors influence ocean currents ? 1. Rotation of the Earth. 2. Air pressure and wind. 3. Ocean water density. 4. Revolution of the Earth. . Select the correct answer, using the code given below :

Ocean currents are driven by a combination of primary and secondary forces. The rotation of the Earth creates the Coriolis force, which deflects the direction of currents to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere [t1, t4]. Air pressure and wind are critical drivers; frictional force from prevailing winds drags surface water, while atmospheric pressure belts influence circulation patterns [c1, c2]. Ocean water density, controlled by temperature and salinity, drives deep-ocean thermohaline circulation, often referred to as the global conveyor belt [c5, t2]. While the Sun's heating (related to Earth's revolution and tilt) initiates movement, the revolution of the Earth itself is not a direct physical force influencing the flow of currents in the same manner as rotation, wind, or density. Therefore, factors 1, 2, and 3 are the primary influences.

Sources

1. [1] https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_currents/04currents1.html
2. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 32: Ocean Movements Ocean Currents And Tides > Influence Of Wind (Atmospheric Circulation) > p. 487
3. [3] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 13: Movements of Ocean Water > Major Ocean Currents > p. 111
4. [4] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 33: Ocean temperature and salinity > Thermohaline Circulation > p. 514
5. [5] https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/ocean-currents-and-climate/