OCE1001 FINAL EXAM

Of the following statements about the tilt of Earth's axis, which one is true? Select only one answer.

An increase in Earth's tilt would cause colder winters and warmer summers.

Of the following statements about the density of seawater, which is/are true?

An increase in salinity increases seawater density. A decrease in temperature increases seawater density.

Of the following adaptations, which tend(s) to increase an organism's ability to float?

An increase in the ratio of surface area to volume The development of lots of spines The development of intricately shaped body surfaces, such as unusual appendages or rings

What is the total number of marine species that have been catalogued?

250,000

Globally, air descends (sinks toward the surface) at ______________.

30 degrees latitude and 90 degrees latitude (the poles)

Approximately what percentage of the surface of Earth is covered by oceans?

71%

In order for a tropical system to be formally classified as a hurricane or typhoon, the sustained wind speed must exceed....

74 mph

Of the following types of estuaries, which one has the best developed "estuarine circulation pattern"?

A highly stratified estuary

If you were an explorer stranded in the Arctic Ocean, what method(s) could you use for creating fresh drinking water?

Boil seawater; catch and condense the water vapor. Take seawater and freeze and melt it several times to purify it. Catch and melt fresh falling snow. Heat sea ice that formed a long time ago.

Of the following statements about turbidity currents, which is/are true?

Turbidity currents move sediment down the continental shelf and the continental slope to be deposited on the continental rise. Turbidity currents are highly erosive and carve submarine canyons. The material carried by turbidity currents is what builds deep-sea fans. Turbidity currents are episodic events (they don't occur all the time but only every so often, like a flash flood).

Of the following features or conditions, which is/are related to emerging shorelines?

U.S. West Coast Lowering of sea level Tectonic uplift Marine terraces

Of the following events, which is/are capable of generating waves?

Uplift or downdropping of the ocean floor An underwater landslide A storm moving over the ocean surface A rock falling into a still pond Human activities, such as a ship traveling across the ocean

The atmospheric circulation cell in the equatorial South Pacific created by the movement of air between high- and low-pressure regions is called the __________.

Walker cell

What is one of the first indications that an El Niño event may be occurring?

Warm water from near Australia migrates toward South America.

Which U.S. coast would most likely experience the LEAST amount of shoreline retreat related to a 1-meter rise in sea level?

West Coast

Of the following surface currents, which one(s) flow generally from west to east?

West Wind Drift North Pacific Current Equatorial Counter Current

Of the following statements about global sea level, which is/are true?

When seawater warms, it thermally expands and occupies more volume, so global sea level rises. Sea level has risen about 120 meters (400 feet) in the past 18,000 years. Sea level is affected by the amount of ice in polar ice caps on land. When seawater cools, it contracts and occupies less volume, so global sea level is lowered.

In which of the following environments would you expect to find lithogenous sediment?

a muddy lagoon a sandy beach at the base of the continental slope

The continental margin of the U.S. Atlantic coast is ____________ continental margin, and the continental margin off the west coast of South America is _____________ continental margin.

a passive; a convergent-active

Where is the salinity of ocean surface waters HIGHEST?

about 25 degrees north or south of the equator

Coral reefs need all of the following conditions EXCEPT _____________.

abundance of turbidity

Which of the following is the most fine-grained sediment?

abyssal clay

A small, rounded, submerged volcanic hill who's summit is less than 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) above the sea floor is called __________________.

abyssal hill

Sediments deposited by the process of suspension settling produce the main sediment found on ___________. Select only one answer.

abyssal plains

Adaptations of deep-sea hydrothermal vent biocommunities (such as high metabolic rates and rapid reproduction) exist because _____________.

active hydrothermal vents are short-lived phenomena

The naturalist Charles Darwin, who is credited with developing the theory of evolution by natural selection, suggested that the changes organisms display through time were the result of _____________.

adaptations to different environmental conditions

The amount of incoming radiation that is reflected back into space is termed the?

albedo

Where would you expect to find well-developed continental shelves?

along passive continental margins

What is the primary food source for organisms in deep-sea hydrothermal vent biocommunities?

bacteria-like microbes that chemosynthesize

A nektonic organism must _____________.

be a strong swimmer

Because of seawater's high salinity, most marine fish have the following adaptations EXCEPT for ________.

being hypertonic

Based on the scientific method, science supports the explanation of the natural world that _____________.

best explains all available observations

Based on the World Health Organization's definition of marine pollution, which of the following is/are considered to be a form of marine pollution?

biodegradable food items dumped overboard from a cruise ship sound from cargo ships traversing the ocean warmer-than-normal water created by outflow from a coastal power plant raw sewage released onto the floor of the deep ocean

Of the following, which are components of Earth's climate system?

Atmosphere hydrosphere (including the oceans) Geosphere Biosphere Cryosphere

Which of the following is considered a neritic lithogenous deposit?

Beach deposit

Of the following statements about beach replenishment, which is/are true?

Beach replenishment is also known as beach nourishment. Beach replenishment is expensive because of the huge volume of sand that is necessary to replenish a beach. Beach nourishment involves dumping sand on the beach to replace lost sand.

Of the following statements about Ekman spiral and Ekman transport, which is/are true?

Connecting the arrows of water movement from the surface into deeper waters shows the spiral pattern. Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere. Because of the Coriolis effect, surface waters move at an angle to the wind direction. Within the Ekman spiral, deeper water can move in a direction exactly opposite of the wind direction. The two factors that affect the Ekman spiral are the wind direction and the Coriolis effect.

What is the source of the majority of human-caused marine oil pollution?

Consumers who use oil

Each hydrogen atom shares its single electron with electrons in the oxygen atom. Which type of bond is this?

covalent bond

Chemical bonds that form when two atoms share electrons are called?

covalent bonds

What physical property determines the order of Earth's layers?

density

What process is primarily responsible for the formation of the continental rise along the East Coast of the United States?

deposition of sediment by turbidity currents as deep-sea fans

Bathymetry involves the measurement of the ___________.

depth of the ocean floor below sea level

Dead and decaying organic matter, including waste products, is called _________.

detritus

Which of the following marine organisms lives in cold, polar waters?

diatoms

All of the following features are associated with emerging shorelines EXCEPT _________.

drowned beaches

Submerging shorelines commonly exhibit _________.

drowned river valleys

Runoff flowing into coastal waters can produce all of the following EXCEPT ___________.

dry offshore winds

Of the following currents, which ones are parts of the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre?

Benguela Current Brazil Current South Equatorial Current West Wind Drift

Which of the following statements about benthic life is FALSE?

Benthic life includes organisms that live suspended within the water column.

A very important way to increase the settling rate of fine particles in the open ocean is via:

fecal pellets

Unlike humans, whales can minimize the debilitating effects of deep diving because they _____________.

have collapsible lungs

The Red Sea has ____________ water because of large amounts of ______________.

hypersaline; evaporation

Based on the concept of isostatic adjustment, which of the following would result in the uplift of Earth's surface?

lithosphere that was heated by hot asthenosphere lithosphere that was thickened by mountain building lithosphere that was made to be less dense

The GPS system is a tool used for determining surface __________________.

location

The reason that a lunar day is _______ a solar day is that _______.

longer than; the Moon is also moving in its orbit around Earth

The vertical movement of crust to accommodate additional weight or removal of weight is called _____________.

isostatic adjustment

All of the following events can produce a global (eustatic) rise in sea level EXCEPT _________.

isostatic rebound of the land following glacial melting

Of the following statements about Earth's crust, which is/are true?

Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust. Continental crust is made of rock that is relatively light in color.

Which of the following statements about biogenous oozes is FALSE?

Biogenous oozes are created by underwater eruptions, which cover the sea floor with fine ash particles.

Oozes are what type of sediment based on the classification system by sediment origin?

Biogenous sediments

Of the following events, which occurred during the Age of Discovery in Europe?

Ferdinand Magellan's crew completed the first circumnavigation of the globe. Christopher Columbus made several trips across the Atlantic and discovered a "new world."

Which of the following statements about El Niño events is FALSE?

Fishing along Peru and Ecuador is much better.

Of the following statements about marine fisheries, which is/are true?

Fishing practices have removed 90% of large marine predatory fish species. A recent study indicates that if fishing practices continue, marine fish stocks will be depleted by 2048. In U.S. waters, 80% of commercial marine fish stocks are fully exploited or overfished.

Of the following statements about gills, which is/are true?

Gills are found on most marine animals (excluding air-breathing marine mammals). Gills are fibrous respiratory organs used to extract oxygen from seawater.

Of the following statements about the greenhouse effect and global warming, which is/are true?

Global warming will likely result in more intense tropical storms. Global warming will likely result in more prolonged droughts. Global warming will likely result in a rise in sea level due to melting glaciers and thermal expansion of warm ocean waters. Global warming will likely result in more rainfall.

Of the following statements about subtropical gyres, which is/are true?

Globally, there are five subtropical gyres. The centers of all subtropical gyres are associated with high atmospheric pressure. The western boundary current of all subtropical gyres is intensified (it is fast, narrow, and deep). The rotation of each subtropical gyre causes a "hill" of water to pile up within it. There are four main surface currents in each subtropical gyre.

Of the following statements about gray whales, which is/are true?

Gray whales are one of only a few species ever to be removed from endangered status. Gray whales spend most of their time in coastal waters. Gray whales undertake the longest migration of any mammal. Gray whales typically feed on bottom-dwelling organisms, such as crustaceans and clams. Gray whales used to be known as "devilfish" for their aggressive behavior toward whalers.

Of the following statements about the migration of gray whales, which one is true?

Gray whales leave their feeding areas in September.

Of the following statements about benthic organisms, which is/are true?

Great abundances of benthic organisms are found beneath surface waters with high primary productivity. Many benthic organisms spend the first part of their lives in the pelagic environment. The vast majority of benthic species live on the continental shelf.

Of the following statements about groins, which is/are true?

Groins can be singular or many. Groins can be constructed out of large blocky rocky material (rip-rap) or of sturdy wood pilings.

Which of the following terms describes a rapid change in salinity with depth?

Halocline

Of the following conditions, which help(s) form a well-developed delta?

High sediment load A large-volume river Low rates of erosion Small wave energy High rates of deposition

Of the following characteristics or features, which is/are associated with depositional shores?

High sediment supply A location near a large delta A large sand spit The formation of barrier islands Bay-mouth bars

Of the following conditions, which result in the accumulation of sand on the berm, thereby making the berm wider?

Higher beach infiltration rates Light wave activity (small waves) A beach dominated by swash

Why does the mid-ocean ridge have a zigzag appearance?

It accommodates spreading of a linear ridge system on a spherical Earth.

Which of the following statements about Mediterranean Intermediate Water is FALSE?

It is composed of low-salinity water.

A layer of rapid change of ocean density with depth is called a ___________.

Pycnocline

Of the following phases of the Moon, which one is associated with the smallest tidal range?

Quarter moon

Which of the following organisms are responsible for the creation of siliceous ooze?

Radiolarians Diatoms

Of the following groups of organisms, which is/are considered zooplankton?

Radiolarians Krill Copepods Jellyfish

Of the following statements about the muscle tissue of cruisers and lungers, which is/are true?

Red muscle tissue supports high metabolic rates and is good for endurance. White muscle tissue is designed for quick bursts of speed. Cruisers have a mix of red and white muscle tissue. Lungers have mostly white muscle tissue.

Which of the following human-made structures or natural features does NOT interfere with the natural flow of sand on the beach?

Spits

Of the following statements about surface water temperature above biogenous sea floor deposits, which is/are true?

Siliceous ooze on the sea floor indicates cool surface water above. Calcareous ooze on the sea floor indicates warm surface water above.

What is the average pH of typical seawater?

Slightly alkaline pH between 7.5 and 8

The West Wind Drift (Antarctic Circumpolar Current) is a part of which of the following subtropical gyres?

South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre South Pacific Subtropical Gyre Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre

Of the following statements about the characteristics of the deep-ocean floor, which is/are true?

Species diversity in the deep ocean can rival that of tropical rain forests. Deep-ocean communities exist in the bathyal, abyssal, and hadal zones. Only about 1% to 3% of the food produced in the euphotic zone reaches the deep-ocean floor. Even in tropical latitudes, water temperatures in the deep ocean are near freezing.

Of the following statements about ocean waves, which one(s) describe wave period?

The time it takes for one full wavelength to pass a given point The inverse of wave frequency

Which of the following would best describe the principal goal of science? Select only one answer.

to explain the causes and effects of observable natural phenomena

The only way for siliceous ooze to be preserved in the ocean is ___________.

to have it accumulate faster than it dissolves

The Coriolis effect causes objects moving in the northern hemisphere to veer off course...

to the right or clockwise when viewed from above

A tropical cyclone in the Western Pacific ocean with sustained winds of greater than 74 mph is called a?

typhoon

The subdivisions of the geologic time scale _____________.

were initially based on fossil evidence, extinctions, and boundaries of sedimentary rock units.

Waters of the continental shelf are generally _______.

within the epipelagic zone within the neritic province highly productive waters

Hurricanes are associated with __________ atmospheric pressure and spin ______________ in the Northern Hemisphere.

low; counterclockwise

Rising warm air is associated with regions of ________ atmospheric pressure caused by thermal ________.

low; expansion

Kelp belongs to which of the following types of organisms?

macroscopic algae

Lithogenous sediments are ___________.

made of material derived from pre-existing rock material

As a tool, the modern evidence from paleomagnetism has helped support plate tectonics by showing that ________________.

magnetic sea floor "stripes" are symmetric with respect to the mid-ocean ridge

Of the following sediments, which one(s) is/are considered hydrogenous?

manganese nodules coatings of metal sulfides near black smokers

Organisms that can tolerate only a narrow range of salinity conditions are said to be ___________.

stenohaline

Which ecosystem produces the largest percentage of the world's marine fishery?

non-tropical shelves

Global engineering (geoengineering) proposals to reduce Earth's greenhouse effect include

reducing the amount of sunlight reaching Earth. removing human-caused greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and disposing of them somewhere else.

Along the U.S. West Coast, longshore transport generally moves ______, and along the U.S. East Coast, longshore transport generally moves ______.

south; south

Which of the following whales do NOT have baleen?

sperm whales

Ninety percent of people who die in hurricanes are killed by _____________.

storm surge

Legend holds that the "horse latitudes" derived their name from sailors who, in desperation, abandoned horses overboard because the sailors were ______________.

stuck at the boundary between the trades and the westerlies.

What best describes the tectonic setting of the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest?

subduction zone

The majority of ocean trenches are associated with ___________.

subduction zones and associated faults very deep ocean water depths volcanic arcs and active continental margins narrow or no continental shelves the Pacific Ring of Fire

A fjord is a type of estuary that was created by _______.

submergence of a glacially carved valley

What honor did the IPCC and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore Jr. share in 2007?

the Nobel Peace Prize

Based on the World Heath Organization's definition of marine pollution, all of the following would be considered pollution (provided that the item results in harmful effects) EXCEPT ________.

"natural pollution," such as piles of dead seaweed at the beach

Under ideal conditions for the West Coast of the United States, the time interval between a high tide and the very next high tide would be __________.

12 hours, 25 minutes

Except for Trophic Level 1, on average about _____% of the mass that is taken in at one trophic level is passed on to the next.

10

During the past 100 years, worldwide tide records indicate that there has been a rise in global sea level of between ______________.

10 and 25 centimeters (4 and 10 inches)

The pressure in deep-ocean trenches is typically ________ times that at the ocean's surface.

1000

Hydrothermal vent biocommunities have as much as _______________ biomass as compared to the normal deep-ocean floor.

1000 times more

How much wider is the Atlantic Ocean today than when Christopher Columbus sailed? Assume that the Atlantic Ocean is getting wider at a rate of 3 centimeters per year (about 1 inch). (Round off the dates to the nearest century to make the calculation simpler.)

15 meters (about 49 feet)

During which year were deep-sea hydrothermal vent biocommunities first discovered on the ocean floor?

1977

If ocean crust forms at a rate of 10 centimeters per year, how much ocean crust can be created in 20 million years? Select only one answer.

2000 kilometers

The tilt of Earth's axis of rotation with respect to the ecliptic is ______________.

23.5 degrees

The Tropic of Capricorn is located at what latitude?

23.5° S

On the deep-ocean floor, studies suggest that organisms the size of humans would have their soft tissue devoured in about _____________.

24 hours

In deep water, a wave with a wavelength of 60 meters and a wave height of 6 meters will have orbital motion down to a depth of ___________.

30 meters

The average salinity of the world ocean is closest to which of the following?

35 parts per thousand

In the open ocean, average seawater salinity is ___________.

35‰

The concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide is currently ______ parts per million and is increasing by about 2 parts per million each year.

395

A high tide is at 3:00 p.m. on a particular day. On the very next day, a high tide would most likely be expected at __________.

3:50 p.m.

The oceans are believed to have formed about _____________.

4 billion years ago

If human-caused emissions remain at or near their current rate of increase, atmospheric carbon dioxide is expected to be about _____ parts per million sometime between 2050 and 2100,

500

The amount of heat that must be added to 1 gram of a substance at its boiling temperature to break the intermolecular bonds and complete the change from a liquid to a gas is termed the latent heat of vaporization. For water, the amount of energy that must be added is?

540 calories

How many calories of heat energy must be removed per gram of pure water at 0°C to form ice?

80 calories

Ekman transport is an average path of motion that, under ideal conditions, is at ________ to the wind's direction.

90 degrees

What percentage of marine species live in or on the ocean floor?

98%

Of the following offshore ocean conditions, which one(s) would likely produce spilling breakers?

A gently sloping sandy bottom A gently sloping rocky bottom

Of the following statements about tides in a simple tidal bulge model, which is/are true?

A lunar or solar eclipse can occur only when the Moon is in syzygy. Neap tides result from destructive interference between the solar and lunar tidal bulges. Spring tides result from constructive interference between the solar and lunar tidal bulges. Tides are greatest when the Moon is at perigee and Earth is at perihelion.

Of the following statements about nemataths and volcanic arcs, which is/are true?

A nematath is created by a hotspot. A volcanic arc is associated with a convergent plate boundary. In a nematath, the age of the volcanoes progressively decreases as you move closer to the volcanic source. In a volcanic arc, any of the volcanoes can be active at any time. Nemataths and volcanic arcs are both the result of volcanic activity.

Of the following statements about tidal patterns and tidal charts, which is/are true?

A semidiurnal tidal pattern has two low tides every tidal day. The tidal range is the difference in height between a high tide and a low tide. A tidal day is 24 hours and 50 minutes long. A mixed tidal pattern has two lows of unequal height and two highs of unequal height every tidal day.

Of the following adaptations, which apply to life in intertidal environments?

A thick exterior or exoskeleton helps protect creatures from being crushed. Some organisms can survive for long periods of time out of water. Many intertidal organisms have adaptations to cope with strong wave activity. A thick exterior or exoskeleton helps prevent creatures from drying out.

What is a tidal bore?

A true tidal wave caused by an incoming high tide that moves up certain rivers

Of the following characteristics, which apply to a planktonic organism that photosynthesizes?

A type of autotrophic organism Classified as phytoplankton Living within the euphotic zone

Of the following waves, which one has the deepest wave base? Select only one answer.

A wave with a 2-meter wave height and a wavelength of 1000 meters

If a tsunami were generated near the Hawaiian Islands, how long would it take for the tsunami to travel the 3500 kilometers of open ocean to the West Coast of the United States?

About five hours

A substance that releases a hydrogen ion in solution and has a pH of < 7.0 is called a?

Acid

What does the iron hypothesis state?

Adding iron can stimulate productivity in the ocean.

Of the following statements about the pH of seawater, which is/are true?

Additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is getting into the ocean, overwhelming the natural carbonate buffering system. The pH of seawater averages about 8.1 and ranges from about 8.0 to 8.3. In a natural state, the carbonate buffering system protects the ocean from getting too acidic or too alkaline.

What types of oozes are developed from the shells of foraminifera, pteropods, and coccolithophores?

Calcerous oozes

Of the following adaptations, which allow(s) a marine organism to blend into the environment and avoid visual detection?

Camouflage Transparent body tissue Disruptive coloration Countershading

Which of the following statements about symbiosis is FALSE?

Cannibalism is a type of symbiosis in which one party gets eaten.

Which of the following are examples of consumers that exist in marine ecosystems?

Carnivores Bacteriovores Omnivores Herbivores

Of the following statements about feeding strategies, which is/are true?

Carnivorous feeding involves organisms directly capturing and eating other animals. Carnivorous feeding involves either passive or active predation. Deposit feeders include worms that ingest sediment that is coated with organic matter. Suspension feeding involves filtering plankton from seawater. Suspension feeding is the same thing as filter feeding.

Of the following statements about corals, which is/are true?

Certain cold-water coral species have been recently discovered living below sunlit surface waters. Most corals go through a planktonic stage of life. Most individual coral species are about the size of an ant. Corals catch small food particles with stinging cells similar to those that jellyfish have.

Which of the following is an example of a coastal plain estuary?

Chesapeake Bay

Which of the following is the most abundant component by weight for deep-ocean sediments?

Clay

To which of the following groups does the "Portuguese man-of-war" (Physalia) belong?

Cnidarians

Of the following statements about the characteristics of coastal waters, which is/are true?

Coastal waters typically have high biologic productivities. Coastal waters have high biologic diversity. A very large percentage of the oceans' biomass is located in coastal waters. Coastal waters are more affected than the open ocean by river runoff and tidal currents.

Of the following statements about coastal wetlands, which is/are true?

Coastal wetlands are good at cleansing polluted water of agricultural runoff, toxins, and other pollutants. Mangrove swamps are a type of coastal wetland that can protect shorelines from erosion. Scientists estimate that globally, 50% of all coastal wetlands have disappeared in the past century. Coastal wetlands often serve as important nursery areas for many species of fish.

Which of the following statements about coastal wetlands is FALSE?

Coastal wetlands have very low productivities.

Which of the following are microscopic, single-celled floating algae that accumulate to form biogenous sediment?

Coccolithophores Diatoms

Most chalk is made from ___________.

Coccoliths

_____is the property of water that causes water molecules to "stick" to one another

Cohesion

It might seem a bit unusual that the richest concentration of marine life is (1) in the very margins of the oceans, where conditions are the least stable; and (2) in colder water, which seems less conducive to a good life. What factor(s) provide an explanation of these observations?

Cold water holds more dissolved carbon dioxide than warm water, and nutrient availability is greater in the margins of the oceans.

Which of the following is the main reason that Earth has a magnetic field? Select only one answer.

Convection in the liquid iron-nickel outer core generates a magnetic field.

Of the following statements, which one best describes copepods?

Copepods are microscopic shrimplike animals that are a vital link in many marine food webs.

The deflection of any free moving object from its initial course which is caused by the eastward rotation of the earth is called the?

Coriolis effect

In the marine environment, the least abundant sediment type (based upon its source) is a?

Cosmogenous sediment

Of the following statements about deep-ocean currents, which is/are true?

Deep-ocean currents contain water that is high in oxygen. Deep-ocean circulation is often referred to as thermohaline flow. The volume of water involved in the downward movement of deep-ocean currents is equal to the flow of 100 Amazon-sized rivers. Deep-ocean currents are important regulators of global climate. Deep-ocean currents are initiated by downwelling of cold, dense water near Antarctica and in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Which of the following statements concerning density stratification is FALSE?

Density stratification has caused our Earth to be homogeneous throughout.

Of the following statements about density stratification, which is/are true?

Density stratification has caused the highest-density material to be found at Earth's core. Density stratification has caused Earth's internal structure to be layered. Outgassing is a direct result of density stratification. The origin of Earth's oceans and atmosphere are a result of density stratification.

The process of purifying seawater by removing most of its dissolved substances is called ___________.

Desalination

Of the following types of organisms, which are examples of microscopic algae?

Dinoflagellates Diatoms Coccolithophores

Where does most of the sand involved in longshore transport in beach compartments eventually end up?

Down submarine canyons

What is the primary reason that Earth has seasons?

Earth's rotational axis is tilted.

Which of the following techniques can be used to measure the salinity of seawater?

Evaporate the water sample, and weigh the amount of solids that precipitate out. Pass electrical current through the water.

Of the following statements about the Mediterranean Sea, which is/are true?

Evaporation in the arid eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea causes an inward surface flow at the Strait of Gibraltar. The Mediterranean Sea is actually a number of smaller seas connected by narrow necks of water into one larger sea. The warm, salty, and dense Mediterranean Intermediate Water flows out as a subsurface flow over the Gibraltar Sill and into the Atlantic Ocean. Thick salt deposits on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea suggest that it completely dried up about 6 million years ago. The Mediterranean Sea is one of the few inland seas in the world that is underlain by oceanic crust.

The area of high atmospheric pressure and little surface wind is known as______. This area received this name because Spanish ships became stuck in these areas with little wind and, as food and water ran out for their livestock, the voyages were forced to throw animals overboard.

Horse latitudes

Of the following statements about ocean waves, which one(s) describe wave steepness?

If wave steepness ever exceeds a 1:7 ratio, then the wave breaks. Wave steepness is defined as wave height divided by wavelength.

Of the following statements about the physical characteristics of coastal oceans, which is/are true?

In low-latitude areas where there is no mixing, surface water temperatures can be very high. Because of onshore wind and coastal runoff, geostrophic currents along western North America flow northward. In high-latitude areas, the coastal ocean is isothermal (has a uniformly low temperature from surface to deeper waters). In middle-latitude coastal oceans where evaporation is high, a halocline can develop.

Of the following statements about oceanic productivity, which is/are true?

In middle-latitude oceans, the fall bloom is limited by the lack of sunlight. In middle-latitude oceans, the spring bloom is limited by the lack of nutrients. In tropical oceans, productivity is limited year-round by the lack of nutrients.

Of the following statements about oceanic productivity in polar regions, which is/are true?

In polar oceans, there is incredibly high productivity in the summertime. In polar oceans, nutrient concentrations are usually adequate and do NOT limit productivity. In polar oceans, productivity is limited by the lack of sunlight in the winter.

Of the following statements about benthic communities along sediment-covered shores, which is/are true?

In some instances, large numbers of organisms can be found buried in sandy shores. Coarse sandy beaches usually have the same tidal zonations as rocky shores. Beaches composed of finer sediment have more gentle slopes and show less distinct intertidal zonation as compared to coarser beaches.

Of the following conditions, which is/are related to strong El Niño events?

Increased abundance of hurricanes in the eastern Pacific Ocean Higher sea levels in the eastern Pacific Ocean associated with warmer water Increase in sea surface temperatures and destruction of coral reefs in the eastern Pacific Ocean

What is the IPCC?

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Of the following statements about the location of the barycenter of the Earth-Moon system, which is/are true?

It is located at the center of mass of the Earth-Moon system. It is located at a point beneath Earth's surface within the mantle.

Of the following, which one is believed to be the MOST important function of schooling?

It offers protection from predators

What accounts for all the unique properties of water?

Its unique geometry causes the water molecule to have a resulting electrical polarity.

On what date does the summer solstice occur in the northern hemisphere?

June 21

Of the following statements about kelp and kelp forests, which is/are true?

Kelp in kelp forests is held to the bottom by a strong anchor called a holdfast. The giant brown bladder kelp Macrocystis can grow up to 0.6 meter (2 feet) a day, making it the fastest-growing alga in the world.

All of the following statements about kelp forests are true, EXCEPT:

Kelp is the main source of food for most whales.

Which of the following is the correct order for the taxonomic classification of living things? Select only one answer.

Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species

All of the following are examples of sediment-transporting media EXCEPT ___________.

Levitation

Which of the following sediment types are the most abundant in terms of volume in the ocean?

Lithogenous sediments

Which of the following shows the correct order of benthic environments, going from shallow water to deep ocean depths?

Littoral, sublittoral, bathyal, abyssal, and hadal

Based on a working definition of life, which of the following is NOT a characteristic of living organisms?

Living organisms must be large enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Of the following statements about longshore transport (longshore drift), which is/are true?

Longshore transport can change direction depending on which direction the waves approach the beach. Longshore transport moves sediment upcoast or downcoast along the beach. Longshore transport moves sediment in a zigzag path.

Which of these phenomena causes the least structural damage and loss of life during the passage of a tropical cyclone?

Low atmospheric pressure

Of the following physical properties of the atmosphere, which is/are true?

Low pressure at the surface is associated with rising air (movement away from the surface). Air always moves from high-pressure regions toward low-pressure regions. Warm air holds more water vapor than cool air. The air temperature is warmer near Earth's surface than in the upper part of the troposphere.

This type of hydrogenous sediment is found in the deep ocean basin in areas with extremely low sedimentation rate and often contain concentrations of metals such as copper nickel and cobalt which may make them economically extractable in the future.

Manganese nodules

Which of the following statements about manganese nodules is FALSE?

Manganese nodules are a type of foraminifer.

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic exhibited by marine mammals?

Marine mammals have gills

Of the following statements about the characteristics of marine mammals, which is/are true?

Marine mammals have hair (or fur) during at least some stage of their development. Marine mammals bear live young. Marine mammals are warm-blooded. Marine mammals evolved from land species. Marine mammals must surface to breathe air.

Of the following statements, which is/are included in the World Hearth Organization's definition of marine pollution?

Marine pollution is human-made. Marine pollution results or is likely to result in harmful effects to marine life. Marine pollution can be a substance or a form of energy.

Which of the following statements about meiofauna is FALSE?

Meiofauna are found only in the supratidal (spray) zone.

What tidal pattern occurs along the West Coast of the United States?

Mixed

Of the following statements related to the formation of a density-stratified Earth, which is/are true?

Molten material will sink if it is more dense than the surrounding material. Earth is layered based on density, with the highest-density material located at the deepest depths beneath Earth's surface. Molten material will rise if it is less dense than the surrounding material.

Which of the following kingdoms of organisms lack nuclei?

Monera

Of the following statements about schooling, which is/are true?

More than half of all fish species are known to join schools during at least a portion of their lives. Schooling reduces the percentage of ocean volume in which a cruising predator might find one of their kind. Schools can move and appear as one large and dangerous fish, thus preventing a predator from attacking.

What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?

Nitrogen

Of the following statements about organisms in rocky intertidal zones, which is/are true?

Mussel beds are a common feature of the middle tide zone. The low tide zone holds the greatest number of soft-bodied organisms and marine algae. The spray zone is where organisms with shells are mostly found.

Of the following adult-stage organisms, which is/are classified as benthos?

Mussels Crabs that crawl across the sea floor Barnacles Sponges Marine snails Sea anemones

Which of the following statements about the positions of the Earth-Moon-Sun system during a solar eclipse is FALSE?

Neap tide conditions are experienced.

Of the following zones, which one is defined as the portion of the shore that extends from the low-tide shoreline to the low-tide breaker line?

Nearshore

What happens when two continental plates converge?

Neither subducts; instead, a mountain range forms.

Continental shelf sediments are termed?

Neritic sediments

Of the following gyres, which one(s) flow in a counterclockwise direction?

Northern Hemisphere Subpolar Gyres South Pacific Subtropical Gyre South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre

Of the following statements about ocean crust, which is/are true?

Ocean crust is created at the mid-ocean ridge. Ocean crust is destroyed at deep sea trenches.

Of the following statements about ocean waves, which is/are true?

Ocean waves can be classified by the way in which they form. Ocean waves can be classified by the depth of water in which they move. Ocean waves can be described by their period, wavelength, and height.

Of the following statements about the iron hypothesis, which is/are true?

Oceanographer John Martin proposed fertilizing the ocean with iron to increase its productivity. Adding iron to the ocean removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps reduce global warming. Adding iron to the ocean might cause an ecological disaster in the ocean. Adding iron to the ocean increased phytoplankton productivity up to 30 times.

Of the following groups, which one is highly skilled in the ability to use echolocation for navigation and communication?

Odontoceti

Of the following statements about marine mammals in suborder Odontoceti, which is/are true?

Odontoceti form long-lived social groups. Odontoceti have large brains relative to their body size. Odontoceti have prominent teeth and good vision. Odontoceti have the ability to use echolocation. Odontoceti lack vocal cords.

Of the following statements about forces and tidal bulges, which is/are true?

On the side of Earth facing away from the Sun, a tidal bulge will form due to an excess of centripetal force. On the side of Earth closest to the Moon, a tidal bulge will form as a result of an excess of gravitational force. Tidal bulges are produced on both sides of Earth from the Moon and the Sun.

What is one of the ways to tell the difference between a dolphin and a porpoise?

Only dolphins have a falcate-shaped dorsal fin.

What is one of the best ways to tell the difference between a seal and a sea lion?

Only sea lions have large front flippers and an earflap.

Which of the following statements about orthogonals is FALSE?

Orthogonals are the same thing as the wave crests

Of the following situations involving orthogonals, which one involves the highest energy? Select only one answer.

Orthogonals that become more closely spaced as they approach the shore

Of the following statements about lunar phases, which is/are true?

Over the few days of a waxing gibbous moon, the tidal range increases. Over the few days of a waxing crescent moon, the tidal range decreases.

In which ocean do most tsunami occur?

Pacific Ocean

Which ocean is the deepest on Earth?

Pacific Ocean

The study of the ocean's past is called?

Paleoceanography

Of the following nutrients, which is/are used in photosynthetic primary productivity by phytoplankton?

Phosphates Iron Nitrates Silica

Of the following groupings, which one is the most inclusive (contains the greatest number of species)?

Phylum

Why do the majority of the ocean's organisms live within the ocean's surface waters?

Phytoplankton need to be in the sunlit zone, and they are the base of the entire food web.

Which type of marine organism comprises the greatest percentage of marine biomass?

Plankton

Of the following statements about plankton, which is/are true?

Plankton are very abundant and comprise most of Earth's biomass. Plankton drift with ocean currents. Plankton also include certain types of bacteria. Plankton can move up and down in the water column.

The average length of time an element spends in the ocean

Residence time

Of the following characteristics or features, which is/are associated with erosional shores?

Rocky coasts Tectonic activity Wave-cut benches and marine terraces A coastline with lots of rugged headlands

In the open ocean, tidal currents follow which of the following patterns?

Rotary

Which longshore drift management technique was implemented at Santa Monica, California, before the breakwater was destroyed?

Sand was dredged from behind (inshore of) the breakwater.

Which of the following features are associated with erosional shores?

Sea cliffs and sea stacks

____ is a frozen mass of seawater that forms in high latitude oceans

Sea ice

Of the following statements about seawater salinity, which is/are true?

Seawater salinity averages 3.5%. The two most common dissolved components in seawater are sodium and chloride. Seawater salinity averages 35‰.

Which of the following statements about swell is FALSE?

Swell must have large wave height.

Imagine that you are caught in a rip current in the ocean. What is the best thing to do to avoid drowning?

Swim sideways to the current before attempting to come ashore.

_____is an objects response to an input (or removal) of heat.

Temperature

Microscopic shells that create biogenous sediment on the sea floor are called ___________.

Tests

Which of the following ideas about the development of life on Earth make scientific sense?

The "prebiotic soup" of the primitive oceans provided a likely environment for life to develop. Early organisms likely evolved into more complex organisms. Primitive life likely existed without the need for oxygen. As life developed on Earth, it began to significantly change Earth's environment.

Which of the following currents does NOT belong with the others as part of the same gyre?

The Agulhas Current

How does the Coriolis effect cause the atmosphere to move around high and low pressures in the Northern Hemisphere?

The Coriolis effect causes air to move counterclockwise around low pressure. The Coriolis effect causes air to move clockwise around high pressure.

Which of the following statements about the Coriolis effect is FALSE?

The Coriolis effect tends to increase or decrease the speed of moving objects.

Which of the following statements about the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) is FALSE?

The DSDP drilled to the center of Earth and confirmed that the outer core is composed of liquid iron-nickel material.

Of the following statements about ocean ownership and the Law of the Sea, which is/are true?

The Law of the Sea Treaty, which establishes the rights of nations in ocean ownership, was ratified by the required 60th nation in 1993. If the continental shelf (defined geologically) exceeds the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), countries are allowed to extend their ownership to 350 nautical miles from shore. Coastal nations own the resources of the area 200 nautical miles from their shoreline, which is called the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Forty-two percent of the world's oceans are under the control of coastal nations.

Of the following statements about the asthenosphere, which is/are true?

The asthenosphere is very hot and contains areas of partially molten rock. The asthenosphere is a plastic layer that extends from the base of the lithosphere to a depth of about 700 kilometers (430 miles).

Of the following statements about coastal regions and landforms, which is/are true?

The beach face is the wet, sloping surface in the foreshore area. The berm is affected by storm waves but is typically dry and relatively flat. The area of a beach above the shoreline is often called the recreational beach. The berm is located in the backshore area. Most of the beach face is exposed during the lowest tides and covered during the highest tides.

What is wave refraction?

The bending of waves as they approach a coastline

Of the following statements about coral reefs, which is/are true?

The biomass of coral reefs is composed mostly of algae. Most coral reefs exist in nutrient-poor waters, so corals have symbiotic algae in their tissues that provide them with food. Reef corals need warm, tropical waters.

Which of the following statements about the physical characteristics of waves is FALSE?

The depth at which orbital motion ceases is called the still water level.

Of the following statements about the force of gravity between two bodies, which is/are true?

The force of gravity between two bodies increases with an increase in mass. The force of gravity between two bodies decreases as distance increases. The force of gravity between two bodies is most affected by a change in distance.

Of the following statements about the monthly tidal cycle, which is/are true?

The full moon and the new moon affect the tides about the same. Neap tides occur twice a month. Spring tides occur twice a month. The full moon is associated with spring tide conditions.

Why do scientists use proxy data to reconstruct past climates?

The further back in time we go, actual measurements become less complete and more unreliable.

Of the following statements about Earth's hypsographic curve (figure shown below), which is/are true?

The hypsographic curve shows the percentage of Earth's surface area that is covered by ocean waters. The hypsographic curve shows that the average depth of the ocean is about four times the average height of the continents. The hypsographic curve shows that a majority of the exposed land is below 1 kilometer in elevation. The hypsographic curve shows that a majority of the ocean floor is below 4 kilometers deep.

Why does the sea floor have a striped pattern of magnetic anomalies that is symmetric with respect to the mid-ocean ridge?

The igneous rock of the ocean floor preserves Earth's existing magnetic field as the rock cools. The ocean floor is spreading apart, and new sea floor is forming. The polarity of Earth's magnetic field experiences reversals.

Of the following statements about the internal structure of Earth, which is/are true?

The lithosphere of Earth is made of both mantle and crust. Earth's internal layers can be described by their composition or by their physical properties.

Of the following statements about the contribution of the Sun and the Moon to Earth's tides, which is/are true?

The lunar tidal bulges are about twice the size of the solar tidal bulges. The Moon exerts over twice the gravitational pull of the Sun on Earth's tides because of its proximity to Earth. The Sun's contribution to the tides is less than that of the Moon.

Of the following statements about Earth's magnetic field, which is/are true?

The magnetic field is oriented vertical relative to Earth's surface at the north magnetic pole. The magnetic field is oriented vertical relative to Earth's surface at the south magnetic pole. The magnetic field is oriented horizontal (parallel) to Earth's surface at the magnetic equator. Earth's magnetic field has varying dips around the world that range from vertical to horizontal, depending on latitude. The locations of Earth's magnetic poles have moved through time and have even reversed in polarity.

Of the following statements about bioluminescence in deep-water nekton, which is/are true?

The majority of deep-water nekton can bioluminesce. Deep-water nekton can use bioluminescent light to stake out territory by constantly patrolling an area. Deep-water nekton can use a flash of bioluminescent light to temporarily blind a predator and escape. Deep-water nekton can use bioluminescent light to attract and lure prey. Deep-water nekton can use bioluminescent light to communicate with or attract a mate.

How is it that the floor of the ocean is so much younger than the ocean itself?

The ocean floor keeps regenerating itself.

What happens to the ocean water over a seamount on the ocean floor when measured from a satellite?

The ocean water rises up to form a mound based on the mass of the seamount.

What happens when an oceanic and a continental plate converge?

The oceanic plate will be subducted.

Of the following statements about the age of the ocean crust, which one is true? Select only one answer.

The oldest ocean crust is about 200 million years old and is located near an ocean trench.

Which of the following conditions allows for calcareous ooze to be found beneath the CCD? Select only one answer.

The ooze accumulates above the CCD and then is covered before being transported to deeper depths by sea floor spreading.

Only 14% of Earth's species live in the ocean. Which is the most logical explanation of why there are so few marine species?

The relatively uniform conditions of the open ocean create an easier life for marine organisms than terrestrial organisms.

Of the following statements about the trade winds, which is/are true?

The trade winds generally blow from the east to the west. The trade winds are strong and steady winds, hence the name. The trade winds are found between about 5 and 30 degrees north or south latitude.

Of the following statements about tsunami, which is/are true?

The tsunami warning system uses seismic waves and deep-ocean pressure sensors to detect tsunami. Tsunami are undetectable by ships in the open ocean. Tsunami have a very long wavelength, so they travel at very high speeds (equivalent to the speed of a jet airplane). At the coast, a tsunami looks like a suddenly occurring high or low tide, which is why they are misnamed "tidal waves."

Which of the following is NOT a physical change that a wave experiences as the wave reaches shallow water?

The wavelength increases.

Of the following physical changes that occur to waves as they move into shallow water, which is/are true?

The waves touch bottom. Wave height increases. Wavelength decreases. Wave steepness increases.

Of the following factors, which is/are used to classify marine organisms as plankton, nekton, or benthos?

Their mobility (how they move) Where they live (their habitat)

Of the following statements about mapping the ocean floor, which is/are true?

There are large areas of the sea floor that remain unmapped by sonar. Only 5% of the ocean floor has been mapped as accurately as the Moon. The ocean's great depth and opaque character have hindered mapping efforts. Radar altimeters on satellites have collected data on sea surface elevations that help produce maps of the sea floor.

Which of the following statements about tidal power plants is FALSE?

There are no existing tidal power plants anywhere in the world.

Of the following statements about the tides, which is/are true?

There are two tidal bulges on Earth caused by the Moon: one facing the Moon, and the other facing away from the Moon. The tides are caused by an imbalance between the centripetal force and the gravitational force of the Moon and the Sun. Although we observe the tides coming in and going out, in reality, Earth is rotating into and out of various tidal bulges, which produces changing tides. Both Earth and the Moon orbit around their common center of mass, called the barycenter.

Of the following statements about seawater properties in high and low latitudes, which is/are true?

There is a thermocline in low latitudes. There is a halocline in low latitudes. There is a halocline in high latitudes. There is a pycnocline in low latitudes.

What do all plate boundaries have in common? Select only one answer.

They are all associated with zones of earthquakes.

Which of the following statements about submarine canyons is FALSE?

They are found only off mountainous coasts.

Of the following statements about sea floor magnetic anomalies, which is/are true?

They are oriented parallel to the mid-ocean ridge.

Planetary atmospheric processes include many feedback loops. What are feedback loops?

They are processes that modify an end result.

Which of the following statements about fracture zones is FALSE?

They are transform plate boundaries.

Of the following characteristics, which is/are true of marine mammals of order Sirenia?

They have sparse hairs that are concentrated around the mouth but cover their bodies. They have a paddle-like tail and rounded front flippers. Sirenians include manatees, which have nails on their front flippers. They are the only vegetarian marine mammals. They live in shallow water and move slowly, which can often endanger them to being run over by boats.

Which of the following statements concerning graded bedding deposits is FALSE?

They result from successive lava flows.

Of the following statements about the doldrums, which is/are true?

This is also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The doldrums are an area of low atmospheric pressure. There is usually little wind but a lot of rain associated with the doldrums. The doldrums are found as a global belt along the equator. The doldrums are the boundary between the northeast trade winds and the southeast trade winds.

What would tides be like on Earth if the Moon did not exist?

Tides would occur, but the tidal range would be reduced.

Of the following statements about temperature of water and its effect on marine life, which is/are true?

Warm-water species tend to be individually smaller and reproduce earlier than cold-water species. Warm-water species comprise a greater number of species and reproduce more frequently than cold-water species. Warm-water species constitute a much smaller biomass than cold-water species.

Of the following statements about photosynthesis, which one is true?

Water and carbon dioxide are converted to sugar and oxygen gas.

Of the following statements about the density of freshwater and the formation of ice, which is/are true?

Water at 2ºC is less dense than it is at 4ºC. Ice is less dense than liquid water, which is why ice floats. Water's maximum density is at 4ºC. As the temperature of water decreases from 4ºC to 0ºC, its density decreases.

Based on the equations for determining the speed of shallow-water waves, which one of the following variables is necessary to determine the speed of shallow-water waves? Select only one answer.

Water depth

Of the following properties of water, which is/are caused by the unusual geometry of water molecules?

Water molecules form hydrogen bonds. Water has cohesion and surface tension. Water molecules have polarity. Snowflakes form six-sided crystals. Water has the ability to dissolve just about anything.

Of the following statements about the transfer of heat on Earth, which is/are true?

Water vapor in the air carries latent heat with it, which is released in other areas. Air currents move warmer air from the tropics to higher latitudes. Ocean currents move warm water from the tropics to higher latitudes.

In science, which one of the following would be considered an observation? Select only one answer.

Waves are seen to approach the beach at an angle.

Which of the following statements about the movement of waves in a wave train is FALSE?

Waves pick up speed as they move out of the "sea" area where they are generated.

What was the main reason scientists objected to Alfred Wegener's idea of continental drift?

Wegener's proposed mechanism for movement was thought to violate the laws of physics.

What is the name of the scale that is used to classify particles based upon their grain size?

Wentworth scale of grain size

Of the following statements about water's latent heat and changes in state, which is/are true?

When water evaporates, its latent heat of evaporation absorbs heat. In the vapor state, there are no weak (hydrogen) bonds between water molecules. In the solid state, all water molecules are connected by weak (hydrogen) bonds. When water vapor condenses and forms a liquid, its latent heat of condensation releases heat to the environment; this is what powers hurricanes. Latent heat allows water to transfer energy from one place to another.

Of the following locations, where would upwelling be expected to occur?

Where there is a sharp bend in a coastline In areas of offshore winds In areas of diverging surface currents, such as along the equator Where there is a shallowly submerged sea floor obstruction, such as a tablemount

Horizontally moving air that moves from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure is called?

Wind

In relation to ocean circulation, a gyre is __________.

a large, circular-moving loop of surface water

Which of the following feature(s) is/are associated with a mid-ocean ridge?

a central rift valley basalt volcanism and pillow lavas hydrothermal vents volcanoes

Of the following, which is the best description of a sea floor hydrothermal vent?

a chimney that emits a column of hot, cloudy water formed from the precipitation of metal-rich minerals

The density of seawater increases with ________ in temperature and ________ in salinity.

a decrease; an increase

Of the following types of estuaries, which one has a relatively shallow mouth but is often narrow, long, and extremely deep? Select only one answer.

a drowned glacial valley called a fjord

In a typical coastal region, the berm is _________.

a dry, nearly level or gently sloping platform

Which of the following best describes a continental borderland?

a series of islands, shallow banks, and deep basins

Which of the following is associated with a subduction zone?

a volcanic arc

Of the following items, which is/are associated with a passive continental margin?

a wide continental shelf turbidity currents, which are initiated here and flow down submarine canyons

Of the following environments, which support(s) chemosynthesis?

along subduction zones where methane from decomposition of organic material in folded sedimentary rocks trickles from the sea floor in areas where high-salinity waters percolate from the sea floor along the mid-ocean ridge associated with black smokers at hydrocarbon seeps that emit methane

Where are most modern-day calcareous oozes found in the ocean?

along the mid-ocean ridge beneath warm surface waters

Water that is flowing out of a bay as a result of a change in the tides is called _________.

an ebb current

Where is the Ring of Fire located?

around the margins of the Pacific Ocean

In general, where would the youngest ocean floor be found?

at the mid-ocean ridge

Most processes that affect the ocean's salinity occur ___________.

at the ocean surface

Which of the following factors limits photosynthesis in tropical waters?

availability of nutrients

The Baltic Sea has ____________ because of ______________.

brackish water; large amounts of runoff

As a group, deep-water nekton are known to exhibit all of the following adaptations EXCEPT _____________.

bright, colorful patterns

The faster the rate of spreading at the mid-ocean ridge or rise, the ________ the underwater volcanic mountain range.

broader (wider)

How is most sediment transported from the continental shelf out to the continental rise?

by turbidity currents

Beneath the calcite compensation depth (CCD), ___________.

calcium carbonate dissolves in seawater

The depth in the marine environment below which little if any calcium carbonate accumulates is termed the...

calcium compensation depth

This unit of measurement is defined as the amount of heat (or energy) needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C.

calorie

What is the greenhouse gas whose concentrations are affected by human activities that contributes the greatest amount of greenhouse warming?

carbon dioxide

Of the following organisms, which is/are common in the middle tide zone along rocky shores?

carnivorous sea stars sea anemones goose-necked barnacles hermit crabs

Of the following fins, which one is most commonly used in propelling fish rapidly forward?

caudal fin

Western intensification is ________.

caused by the rotational center of a gyre being located to the west of the ocean basin's geographic center, thus causing more water to flow within a narrower "channel"

Of the following natural factors, which have caused past climate changes on Earth?

changes in solar energy variations in Earth's orbit volcanic eruptions the movement of Earth's tectonic plates

Which of the following particles are the finest (smallest)?

clay

The Peru Current is a _______ current that flows _______.

cold; north

The California Current is a ________ current that flows ________.

cold; south

Populations of microscopic marine organisms in ocean surface waters closely match their abundance in sediments on the ocean floor, even though it takes 10 to 50 years for an individual particle to sink to deep-ocean depths. What accounts for this pattern?

concentration of the particles in fecal pellets.

In 2007, the IPCC published its fourth assessment report, which _______________.

confirmed what many scientists had long suspected: Human-caused climate change is already altering Earth

Where would you NOT expect to find significant volcanic activity?

continental collision zone

If you could walk out away from shore across the sea floor on a passive continental margin, what is the order of provinces you would cross?

continental shelf, slope, and then the rise

The steep transition zone between the outer edge of the continental shelf and the deep-ocean basin is called the ____________________.

continental slope

An ocean trench is associated with which type of plate boundary?

convergent

Of the following techniques, which is the most commonly used for determining the concentration of pollutants that negatively affect the living resources of the ocean? Select only one answer.

death of more than 50% of a sample population following exposure to a known pollutant

In middle-latitude waters, nutrients __________ during the spring because _____________________.

decrease; they are getting used up by phytoplankton

Thermohaline flow is a term that describes ________.

deep-ocean current movement

Of the following environments, in which one(s) would lithogenous sediment be found?

deep-ocean trenches continental slopes continental rises abyssal plains continental shelves

A tidal pattern with one high tide and one low tide per lunar day is called a ________ tidal pattern.

diurnal

The East Pacific Rise is associated with which type of plate boundary?

divergent

Plate boundaries where new oceanic crust is being added are called _____________.

divergent boundaries

Which of the following is not an atmospheric circulation cell?

doldrums Hadley cell, Ferrel cell, polar cell

Late one night as you are flipping channels on TV, you come across the Alfred Hitchcock thriller The Birds. You know that this movie showing unusual bird behavior was inspired by an actual event involving birds that pecked people because the birds were affected by ________________.

domoic acid

Destructive interference between the solar and lunar tidal bulges occurs __________.

during neap tide

Syzygy occurs __________.

during spring tides

Gray whales undertake the longest known migration of any mammal. Migration of these whales away from their feeding grounds may be an adaptation that was developed _____________.

during times of lower sea level

Your job is to locate the world's plate boundaries. To do this, you may use only one map. The best map to choose for this job is a map that shows the worldwide locations of ___________________.

earthquakes

Of the following locations, which is/are exceptions to the general rule that productivity is steady and low in tropical regions?

equatorial upwelling coastal upwelling coral reefs

What process(es) is/are involved in the formation of continental shelves?

erosion by waves deposition by waves large fluctuations in sea level major climate changes, such as ice ages

Which of the following is not a process that decreases seawater salinity?

evaporation

Which of the following INCREASES the salinity of seawater?

evaporation of seawater

What causes the potentially lethal bleaching of coral reefs?

expulsion of algae

Circular orbital motion in waves becomes negligible (dies out) at depths greater than ____________.

half the wave's wavelength

Surface winds in the tropics generally blow _______________.

from the east toward the equator

_____are dense chemical compounds composed of water and natural gas which resembles an ice-like solid

gas hydrates

In sediments, what does the Wentworth scale describe?

grain size

Chlorophyll is ______ in color; a group of marine organisms that contains chlorophyll are called _____________.

green; phytoplankton

Overall, the Atlantic Ocean basin is ________, and the Pacific Ocean basin is ________.

growing; shrinking

Fish that exhibit a "cruiser" lifestyle _____________.

have muscle fiber with a high concentration of myoglobin

The environmental factor that is most consistently associated with coral bleaching episodes involves _____________.

high sea surface temperatures

There is no pycnocline in _______ latitude regions because _____________.

high-; the water column is uniformly cold and dense

Which type of bond holds adjacent water molecules together?

hydrogen bond

A geostrophic current is one that (ideally) flows _______.

in a circular path around the central "hill" of a gyre

Of the following locations, where would you expect to find the HIGHEST annual oceanic productivity? Select only one answer.

in middle-latitude waters along a continental margin

Of the following, which ocean changes are predicted to result from global warming?

increased transmission distance of sound in the sea lower amounts of dissolved oxygen in seawater increase in ocean stratification and the development of a stronger thermocline migration of marine organisms into deeper waters and toward the poles

In middle-latitude waters, productivity of marine algae ___________ during the spring because _______________________.

increases; the amount of sunlight is increasing

All of the following are alternatives to hard stabilization EXCEPT ______.

increasing the rate of glacial ice cap melting so that there is a rise in eustatic sea level

Of the following factors, all increase the amount of energy in waves EXCEPT __________.

increasing water vapor content in the air

The ocean is divided into three density zones which of the following is not one of the zones?

intermediate zone Mixed surface water, Deep zone, Pycnocline

The ocean's biological pump reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that enters the ocean by "pumping" it ______________.

into deep-sea waters and especially sea floor sediments

Bioremediation ________.

is a method of oil cleanup that uses microbes to break down oil

The oxygen minimum layer (OML) ___________.

is a zone of low dissolved oxygen concentration

The movement of sand parallel to the shoreline ______.

is all the above (all the responses are true)

All of the following adult-stage organisms are considered benthos EXCEPT _________.

jellyfish

All of the following adult-stage organisms are considered nektonic organisms EXCEPT _________.

jellyfish

The type of hard stabilization that protects a harbor or bay entrance and is almost always found in pairs is called a _________.

jetty

As the air cools at night, the land temperature falls to a temperature lower than the adjacent water. this causes a horizontal flow of air from the land to the sea which is termed a?

land breeze

In marine food webs, individual members of a feeding population are generally _________ in size and ______ numerous than their prey.

larger; less

Minamata disease is caused by eating fish contaminated with ________.

mercury

Organisms that are plankton in their juvenile stage but become nekton or benthos in their adult stage are called ___________.

meroplankton

Mussel beds are commonly found in the _________ subzone of the intertidal zone.

middle tide

With rising sea level, barrier islands tend to _______.

migrate landward

In middle-latitude waters during the winter, the supply of sunlight is ___________, and the supply of nutrients is _____________.

minimized; maximized

Years after the oil spill from the Exxon Valdez, ecologic recovery has largely taken place because ________.

most substances that comprise oil are naturally biodegradable

Of the following ocean locations, where would the level of nutrients be highest?

near continents

The cosmological model for the formation of the Sun and the rest of our solar system is called the ___________________.

nebular hypothesis

The Hawaiian Islands are associated with which type of plate boundary?

none of the above (The Hawaiian Islands are not associated with any plate boundary.)

The central portion of an atom containing protons and neutrons is called the:

nucleus

Of the following environments, where would you expect to find large amounts of lithogenous sediment?

on the continental shelf in deep trenches not far offshore

Which of the following gases was absent from Earth's early atmosphere?

oxygen

The greatest tidal range on Earth occurs during the times when the Moon is at ________ and the Sun is at ________.

perigee; perihelion

The nonliving resource that is extracted from the oceans that is of the highest economic value based upon the current extraction technology is....

petroleum

Of the following types of organisms, which one is considered to be LOWEST in a marine food web? Select only one answer.

photosynthetic bacteria

Dinoflagellates are important examples of _____________ that are often associated with ________________.

phytoplankton; red tides

Of the following, which best describes the physical property of the asthenosphere?

plastic

The type of breaker that is best for surfing is called a _________ breaker.

plunging

Which type of marine animal has experienced a habitat decrease because of the dramatic decline in the extent of Arctic sea ice?

polar bear

A _____ is any compound that acts as a magnet; it's positive pole will attract particles with a negative electrical charge while the negative pole will attract particles with a positive electric charge.

polar molecule

Sediments with a mixture of grain sizes are said to be....

poorly sorted

In an atom, the nucleus is composed of _____________ and _____________, and the ____________ orbit very quickly around the nucleus.

protons; neutrons; electrons

Based on how a sea anemone feeds, what should you avoid doing to a sea anemone so that it won't hurt you?

put your tongue into one

Of the following sediments, which one(s) is/are considered biogenous?

radiolarian ooze tests of foraminifers

Siliceous oozes dominate the deep-sea floor at depths greater than 4500 meters and in polar regions. these oozes form from the skeletal remains of organisms such as?

radiolarians or diatoms

The most accurate scientific estimation of Earth's age is based on _____________.

radiometric methods of determining the age of meteorites and moon rocks

In subtropical gyres, western boundary currents have all of the following characteristics EXCEPT being __________.

relatively wide

All of the following are adaptations that organisms in rocky intertidal zones use to avoid predators EXCEPT _____________.

release of large numbers of eggs/sperm into the water during reproduction cycles

All of the following are observed changes that the oceans are experiencing as a result of global climate change EXCEPT _______________.

reversal of Earth's magnetic field

Of the following whales, which one(s) are baleen whales?

right whales blue whales humpback whales gray whales

In general, the sand on most beaches comes from _______.

rivers

Which is the following describes an estuary located at the mouth of a high-volume river where freshwater flows to the ocean over a layer of dense saline water? Select only one answer.

salt wedge estuary

Of the following, which are useful as proxy data for understanding past climate changes?

sea floor sediments annual layers of snow packed in glacial ice fossil pollen tree-growth rings historical documents

Measurement of ocean floor bathymetry from satellites relies on ___________. Select only ONE answer.

sea surface elevation, which varies depending on the shape of the underlying sea floor

A tidal pattern with two nearly equal high tides and two nearly equal low tides per lunar day is called a ________ tidal pattern.

semidiurnal

Ocean depths are routinely determined by ___________.

sending sound through the water and determining the time required for it to return to the ship

Of the following techniques, which one(s) can be used to map the sea floor?

sending sound through water (sonar) recording many depths using a long cable direct visitation of the sea floor using satellites to measure the sea surface

Weather may be defined as....

short-termed, localized characteristics of the atmosphere

Areas of high atmospheric pressure (at Earth's surface) generally experience what kind of conditions?

sinking air, with dry, clear weather

Which of the following groups of organisms are NOT considered to be cetaceans (members of the order Cetacea)?

sirenians

Other than the hydrogen and oxygen atoms themselves, the two most abundant elements (ions) dissolved in seawater are?

sodium and chloride

Of the following adaptations, which is/are used by various pelagic organisms to keep them from sinking?

soft, gelatinous bodies with little if any hard tissue intricate ornamental body projections fatty organs that effectively increase buoyancy swim bladders that use gas to regulate buoyancy

Normally, beaches would have the greatest amount of sand on the berm near the end of _________.

summer

Surface ocean currents are caused by ___________, whereas deep currents are the result of __________.

surface wind belts; density differences

The ocean's deep water is initially formed at the _________ and in _________ regions.

surface; subpolar

Other than the oil spilled intentionally by the Iraqi army during their invasion of Kuwait in 1991, the world's largest oil spill was from ________.

the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico (2010)

Of the following surface currents, which one(s) flow from south to north?

the Gulf Stream Kuroshio Current Peru Current

Which of the following is an example of a western boundary current of a subtropical gyre?

the Kuroshio Current

The "midnight Sun" is a phenomenon observed in Northern Hemisphere polar regions only when the Sun is directly above _______________.

the Tropic of Cancer

The Age of Discovery was the time period in ocean exploration history when _____________.

the Western European world realized the vastness of Earth's water-covered surface

Life on rocky shores of the supratidal (spray) zone is influenced primarily by _____________.

the ability of an organism to avoid drying out

Marine sediments provide valuable clues about which of the following Earth history events?

the ancient geographical locations of ocean basins past catastrophes, such as major extinction events previous ocean circulation patterns the climate on Earth millions of years ago movement of the ocean floor

The warming of Earth's surface and atmosphere is a natural process controlled by the greenhouse effect. It is also being altered by human emissions, a phenomenon that is often referred to as ___________.

the anthropogenic greenhouse load

During periods of very heavy wave activity, _________.

the berm shrinks and the longshore bar grows

The standard laboratory bioassay is used to determine _______.

the concentration of a pollutant in the water

Resultant tidal forces are produced by __________.

the difference between centripetal and gravitational forces

At the equator where two Hadley cells converge, a unique area exists which is characterized characterized by sultry air and variable breezes. this area is called?

the doldrums

Seasons are caused by....

the earth's orbital tilt relative to the plane of it's orbit around the sun

A moving object traveling northward in the Northern Hemisphere is deflected toward ______________.

the east

At the time of the vernal equinox, the Sun is directly overhead at ______________.

the equator

Of the following processes, which INCREASES the salinity of seawater?

the formation of sea ice Evaporation

The term Arctic amplification describes _______________.

the idea that the Arctic will likely experience large and dramatic changes as a result of global warming

A fishery's maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is defined as _____________.

the maximum fishery biomass that can be removed yearly and still be sustained by the fishery ecosystem

Which of the following structures is used by dolphins and porpoises to focus echolocation sounds?

the melon

The fact that ice is less dense than water—which causes ice to float—is due to ___________.

the molecular packing of bulky ice crystals

Which of the following are valid names of boundaries between global wind belts or at the poles?

the polar front the doldrums the polar high the horse latitudes

Of the following characteristics or features, which is/are associated with middle latitude storms, such as those that originate in the North Pacific Ocean between 40 and 60 degrees latitude?

the polar front the prevailing westerlies the jet stream contrasting air masses

The Law of the Sea Treaty provides for all of the following EXCEPT ___________.

the right of any nation to dump plastic trash at sea

Generally, kelp that forms kelp forests is attached to _____________.

the rocky bottom in the subtidal zone

Of the following, which are examples of climate feedback loops?

the role of clouds at different altitudes the presence of fine atmospheric particles called aerosols the shading effect from air pollution heat uptake by the oceans the addition of water vapor into the atmosphere

The dependable surface winds of Earth centered about 15° north and south latitudes are called?

the trade winds

Of the following characteristics or features, which is/are generally related to the formation or movement of hurricanes?

the trade winds water's latent heat of condensation warm air with lots of water vapor warm ocean water

Going from the equator to the North Pole, what are the names of the wind belts you would cross?

the trade winds, the prevailing westerlies, the polar easterlies

Which of the following lines of evidence did Alfred Wegener use to support the concept of drifting continents?

the way the shapes of the continents fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle evidence of glaciers in areas that are now tropical the distribution of species of fossils the pattern of similar mountain belts on different continents

Most ocean waves are caused by ____________.

the wind

What are the main factors that contribute to the documented global rise in sea level?

thermal expansion of ocean water as it warms

The zone in the open ocean that experiences a temperature change with increasing depth is called the....

thermocline

Select the best ending to the following statement: The tides are considered an example of shallow-water waves because the tidal bulges have a wavelength that is on the order of __________.

thousands of kilometers

The San Andreas Fault is associated with which type of plate boundary?

transform

Which of the following features is NOT associated with the crest of the mid-ocean ridge?

trenches

Which of the following tropical islands would likely be the youngest?

tropical island without a fringing reef

Calcareous ooze is associated with ________ surface water conditions, and siliceous ooze is associated with ________ surface water conditions.

warm; cool

The Gulf Stream is a ________ current that flows ________.

warm; north

The East Australian Current is a ________ current that flows ________.

warm; south

The atmospheric component that contributes to the majority of greenhouse warming on earth is:

water vapor

What is the main naturally occurring gas in the atmosphere that contributes the greatest amount of greenhouse warming?

water vapor

Sea ice forms by seawater freezing; icebergs form _____________.

when glacial ice on land falls off into the ocean