In the Northern Hemisphere, how do major ocean currents generally flow?

In the Northern Hemisphere, major ocean currents generally flow in a clockwise direction around the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans due to the Coriolis effect, which is a result of the rotation of the Earth. This effect causes moving fluids, such as air and water, to be deflected; in the Northern Hemisphere, this deflection is to the right of the motion. As a result, large gyres, or circular current systems, form in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

These gyres consist of strong currents that circulate around high-pressure systems. For instance, in the North Atlantic, the Gulf Stream is a significant current that flows northward along the eastern coast of the United States, then it curves eastward toward Europe. Similarly, in the North Pacific, the North Pacific Current flows eastward, influenced by the clockwise pattern of the gyre formed by the North Equatorial Current, California Current, and Alaska Current.

The options suggesting counterclockwise flow, east-west flow, or random movement do not align with the established patterns of ocean currents in these regions. Counterclockwise flow typically occurs in the Southern Hemisphere, while currents do not commonly move in a straight line or randomly without following the influence of established oceanic gyres and wind patterns