Question

the map below shows the ocean currents and prevailing winds that surround south america. image provided courtesy of rick lumpkin, noaa. before the panama canal was built, ships would have to sail around cape horn, the southern tip of south america, to get from the atlantic ocean to the pacific ocean. how did prevailing winds and ocean currents help or work against that voyage from east to west? a. the wind helped the ships, but the current worked against them. b. the wind and the current both helped the ships. c. the current helped the ships, but the wind worked against them. d. the winds and the current both worked against the ships.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the prevailing winds and ocean currents around Cape Horn. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current and prevailing westerly winds (or related winds in the region) at the southern tip of South America generally flow in a direction that would assist a voyage from east to west. So both the wind and the current (like the Antarctic Circumpolar Current) move in a direction that helps ships sailing from the Atlantic (east) to the Pacific (west) around Cape Horn.

Answer:

B. The wind and the current both helped the ships.