Oceanography Exam 1

At ___________ plate boundaries, tectonic plates collide. a. convergent b. divergent c. transform d. hot spot e. continental shelf

a. convergent

Fast-moving divergent plate boundaries are commonly found in the __________ Ocean. a. Atlantic b. Pacific c. Southern d. Indian e. Antarctic

b. Pacific

Glaciers expand and thicken when ____________. a. annual snowmelt is greater than annual snowfall b. annual snowmelt equals annual snowfall c. annual snowmelt is less than annual snowfall

c. annual snowmelt is less than annual snowfall

Seamounts extending to the northeast from the Hawaii Island chain formed _____________. a. at a convergent plate boundary b. at a divergent plate boundary c. at a hot spot d. along an oceanic ridge system e. as a consequence of earthquake activity

c. at a hot spot

The type of satellite that orbits Earth at the same rate and in the same direction as the planet rotates is _________. a. polar-orbiting b. infrared c. geostationary

c. geostationary

The energy that drives tectonic plate movement comes from _____________. a. gravitational attraction of the Moon b. solar energy c. heat from Earth's interior d. Earth's gravitational attraction e. Earth's magnetic field

c. heat from Earth's interior

The coast of ____________ is tectonically active. a. Rhode Island b. New Jersey c. South Carolina d. California e. Florida

d. California

The most recent supercontinent was _______________. a. Pangea b. Rodinia c. Laurasia d. Panthalassa

a. Pangea

A city ___________ the definition of an ecosystem. a. fulfills b. fails to meet

a. fulfills

The type of rock formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava is _________. a. igneous b. sedimentary c. metamorphic d. limestone e. sandstone

a. igneous

Increasing the salinity of ocean water ____________ its density. a. increases b. decreases c. has no effect on

a. increases

The continents float in the upper mantle due to a form of buoyancy known as ______________. a. isostacy b. Coriolis Effect c. friction d. gravity e. None of the above is correct.

a. isostacy

New oceanic crust forms at ____________ plate boundaries. a. convergent b. divergent c. transform d. hot spot e. subduction

b. divergent

The volcanic island of Iceland formed at a hot spot located on a(n) _____________. a. convergent plate boundary b. divergent plate boundary c. transform plate boundary d. coral atoll e. ocean trench

b. divergent plate boundary

Which one of the following is an example of a biogeochemical cycle? a. Water cycle b. Rock cycle c. Oxygen cycle d. Carbon cycle e. All of the above are correct.

e. All of the above are correct

Oceanic crust is primarily made up of __________ whereas continental crust is primarily made up of __________. a. basalt ... granite b. granite ... obsidian c. granite ... minerals d. minerals ... quartz e. basalt ... quartz

a. basalt ... granite

Satellite remote sensing of the ocean can monitor _________. a. sea-surface temperatures (SST) b. ocean-surface elevation c. marine biological production d. distribution of chlorophyll e. All of the above are correct.

e. all of the above are correct

The Ring of Fire __________. a. surrounds the Pacific plate b. is marked by volcanism c. includes active areas of convergence d. is marked by earthquakes e. All of the above are correct.

e. all of the above are correct

Water in the atmosphere is __________. a. mostly confined to the lowest 1000 m of the atmosphere b. never more than about 4% of air by volume c. responsible for Earth's water cycle d. responsible for keeping Earth sufficiently warm to allow life as we know it to exist e. All of the above are correct.

e. all of the above are correct

The hydrosphere includes __________. a. water in the atmosphere b. saltwater in the ocean c. fresh water in the lakes, rivers, and streams d. water in the cryosphere and biosphere e. All of the above are correct.

e. all of the above is correct

The average spreading rates for fast spreading divergent plate boundaries is about ___________ per yr. a. 100-200 mm b. 55 mm c. 20-40 m d. 3 m e. 20 mm

a. 100-200 mm

In Greenland, glacial ice accumulates up to _________m thick. a. 3000 b. 300 c. 30 d. 3

a. 3000

Which one of the following statements about the world ocean is not true? a. Most land is in the Southern Hemisphere whereas ocean dominates the Northern Hemisphere. b. The Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans border the Southern Ocean. c. The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents. d. The Antarctic is a continent surrounded by ocean. e. The Pacific is the largest ocean.

a. Most of the land is in the Southern Hemisphere whereas ocean dominates the Northern Hemisphere

A food web is __________. a. a complex food chain b. a singular succession of organisms that eat only organisms at the next higher trophic level c. has no decomposers within its system

a. a complex food chain

Most tectonic activity takes place ___________. a. along plate boundaries b. near the middle of plates c. only at the edges of continents d. only at the boundaries between ocean and continents e. near the middle of continents

a. along plate boundaries

The oceanic crust is youngest ___________. a. at the oceanic ridge system b. at subduction zones c. at the edges of the ocean basins d. in submarine canyons e. in oceanic trenches

a. at the ocean ridge system

Photosynthesis involves the following reaction: a. carbon dioxide + water --> carbohydrate + oxygen b. carbohydrate + oxygen --> carbon dioxide + water c. carbon dioxide + oxygen --> carbohydrate + water d. nitrate + oxygen --> carbohydrate + carbon dioxide e. methane + oxygen --> carbohydrate + water

a. carbon dioxide + water --> carbohydrate + oxygen

At ____________, plate material is incorporated into the mantle and recycled. a. convergent plate boundaries b. divergent plate boundaries c. transform plate boundaries d. hot spot plate boundaries e. volcanoes

a. convergent plate boundaries

Oceanic ridge systems are associated with ____________. a. convergent plate boundaries b. divergent plate boundaries c. transform plate boundaries d. beaches e. subduction zones

a. convergent plate boundaries

The ocean, atmosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere interact with the geosphere via Earth's __________. a. crust b. mantle c. core d. asthenosphere e. magnetosphere

a. crust

The geosphere is partitioned internally into the _________. a. crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core b. ocean basin, trenches, continents, and mountains c. continents, continental shelf, continental slope, and continental rise d. shelf, slope, rise, ocean abyss, oceanic ridge, and volcanic islands e. spreading centers, subduction zones, and transform faults

a. crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

Cold ocean water is _________ warm ocean water. a. denser than b. less dense than c. just as dense as

a. denser than

If you wanted to quickly show your classmates the location of plate boundaries on the globe, you would show them __________. a. the distribution of earthquakes over a few years b. locations of hot spot volcanoes c. locations of continental margins d. locations of submarine canyons e. All of the above are correct.

a. the distribution of earthquakes over a few years

Which one of the following types of electromagnetic radiation has the shortest wavelength? a. Ultraviolet b. Visible light c. Microwaves d. Infrared e. Radio waves

a. ultraviolet

The ocean and atmosphere are coupled such that winds drive ocean currents to a depth of about _______m. a. 10 b. 100 c. 1000 d. 4000 e. 8000

b. 100

The troposphere extends, on average, about __________km above Earth's surface. a. 5 b. 11 c. 18

b. 11 km

In the atmosphere up to an altitude of about 80km, oxygen (O2) makes up about __________% and nitrogen (N2) comprises about ___________% of the gases by volume. a. 10 ... 60 b. 21 ... 78 c. 25 ... 75 d. 15 ... 50 e. 50 ... 50

b. 21 ... 78

Magnetic anomalies are locked into basaltic rock found on the ocean floor when the rock falls below the ___________. a. freezing point b. Curie point c. 5000°C d. All the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct.

b. Curie point

The Himalayan Mountains formed when the ____________ plate converged with the ____________ plate. a. Atlantic ... Pacific b. Indian ... Eurasian c. Indian ... African d. African ... Australian e. Eurasian ... Indian

b. Indian ... Eurasian

Deep ocean circulation is driven primarily by __________. a. surface winds b. differences in water density c. heating of the ocean d. ice melting in the ocean e. astronomical tides

b. differences in water density

The electromagnetic spectrum describes _________. a. a form of energy and a means to transfer energy b. all wavelengths of energy from shortest to longest c. electric power generation d. All of the above are correct.

b. all wavelengths of energy from shortest to longest

Most earthquakes take place __________. a. near the centers of major lithospheric plates b. along or near plate boundaries c. near the Hawaiian Islands d. along the east coast of South America e. along the east coast of the U.S.

b. along or near plate boundaries

The biosphere is dominated on both land and ocean by _____________. a. humans b. bacteria and single-celled plants and animals c. chlorophyll producing plants and animals d. mammals e. carnivores

b. bacteria and single-celled plants and animals

Which of the following is not characteristic of submarine canyons? a. Are eroded by turbidity currents b. Cut into abyssal plains c. Cut into solid rock d. Transport sediment to the ocean bottom e. Often natural extensions of existing rivers

b. cut into abyssal plains

On average, within the troposphere, the air temperature __________ with increasing altitude. a. decreases b. increases c. does not change

b. decreases

The Earth system consists of major interacting subsystems of ___________. a. air, ice, ocean, and humans b. geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere c. physics, biology, geology, and chemistry d. geography, marine biology, astronomy, and human ecology e. rain, earthquakes, and photosynthesis

b. geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere

Most of the fresh water in the hydrosphere is contained in the __________. a. atmosphere (water vapor, clouds, and precipitation) b. glacial ice (Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets) c. land surface (lakes and rivers) d. ground (soil moisture and groundwater) e. biosphere (plants and animals)

b. glacial ice (Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets)

The deepest earthquakes on Earth usually originate ________________. a. on the oceanic ridge system b. in subduction zones c. along transform faults d. at hot spots e. in the plastic-like region of the asthenosphere

b. in subduction zones

The lithosphere ____________. a. consists of crust only b. is a rigid layer composed of both the crust and the upper portion of the mantle c. is a layer consisting of mantle material only d. is the lowest layer of the atmosphere e. is liquid

b. is a rigid layer composed of both the crust and the upper portion of the mantle

Hot spots are associated with ___________. a. earthquakes b. mantle plumes c. deep-sea trenches d. dead zones

b. mantle plumes

Explosive volcanic mountains, such as Mount St. Helens of the Cascade mountain range, occur at a(n) ___________ plate boundary. a. oceanic-oceanic b. oceanic-continental c. transform d. continental-continental e. divergent

b. oceanic-continental

Deep ocean sediments are thickest where the underlying crust is ___________. a. youngest b. oldest c. granitic d. metamorphic e. absent

b. oldest

Weathering aids erosion by _________. a. causing sediments to clump together into larger particles b. reducing rock to smaller sizes so they are more readily transported by running water or wind c. converting rock to magma d. None of the above is correct.

b. reducing rock to smaller sizes so they are more readily transported by running water or wind.

Oceanic crust _________. a. cools as it moves away from ridges b. thickens away from ridges c. increases in age towards ridges d. plunges into the mantle as it approaches the ridges e. is mostly granite

b. thickens away from ridges

The only region where both winds and ocean currents flow unimpeded around the world is the __________ Ocean a. Pacific b. Atlantic c. Southern d. Arctic e. Indian

c. Southern

The Wilson cycle summarizes the stages in the life cycle of ___________. a. an earthquake b. a hydrothermal vent c. an ocean basin d. a volcanic eruption

c. an ocean basin

Mountains commonly form along __________ plate boundaries. a. divergent b. transform c. convergent d. strike-slip e. unifying

c. convergent

Like the Hawaiian Islands, the Galapagos Islands formed along a ___________. a. divergent plate boundary b. convergent plate boundary c. hotspot d. volcano e. None of the above is correct.

c. hotspot

The average size of animals in the ocean is the size of a(n) ___________. a. robin b. elephant c. mosquito d. adult human

c. mosquito

An advantage of sensors onboard a geostationary satellite over a polar-orbiting satellite is it __________. a. has greater resolution of objects on Earth's surface b. can "see" to the bottom of the ocean c. observes the same broad area of Earth continually d. can measure sea-surface temperatures (SST)

c. observes the same broad area of Earth continually

What is the immediate origin of most of the water that circulates in the global water cycle? a. Biosphere b. Geosphere c. Ocean d. Atmosphere e. Ice sheets

c. ocean

The distillation process __________. a. transforms water vapor to a solid, bypassing the liquid phase b. transforms water vapor to liquid water c. purifies water through phase changes d. is the transition from liquid to water vapor e. None of the above is correct

c. purifies water through phase changes

Movement along the San Andreas Fault causes earthquakes at a __________ fault. a. normal b. reverse c. strike-slip d. thrust

c. strike-slip

Earth resembles a "blue marble" when viewed from space primarily due to the presence of ____________ on its surface. a. the atmosphere b. vegetation c. the ocean d. deserts e. ice sheets

c. the ocean

At ____________ plate boundaries, tectonic plates slide laterally past each other. a. convergent b. divergent c. transform d. hot spot e. None of the above is correct.

c. transform

A bathymetric chart is a __________. a. graphical model used by ocean scientists b. map of sea floor elevation c. map of variations in seawater depth d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct.

d. All of the above are correct

Ecosystems consist of ____________. a. producers (plants) b. consumers (animals) c. decomposers (bacteria and fungi) d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct.

d. All of the above are correct

Some of the earliest evidence in support of the theory of plate tectonics included similarities in the _________ observed on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean. a. fossils b. continental margins c. bedrock and mountains d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct.

d. All of the above are correct

The stratosphere ___________. a. is located above the troposphere b. contains the largest concentration of ozone c. extends to 50 km d. All of the above are correct.

d. All of the above are correct

Which of the following atmosphere gases is (are) essential for life on Earth? a. Water vapor b. Ozone c. Carbon dioxide d. All of the above are correct.

d. All of the above are correct

Which one of the following statements is not true of the rock cycle? a. Framed in geologic time, rocks and their component minerals are continually regenerated. b. Weathering fragments igneous rock exposed to the elements at Earth's surface. c. Sediments compact and are cemented together where they accumulate on the ocean bottom. d. Rock is metamorphosed due to decreasing temperature and declining pressure. e. Metamorphic rock may eventually melt into magma.

d. Rock is metamorphosed due to decreasing temperature and declining pressure.

A statement of a fundamental law or relationship describes ____________. a. a numerical model b. a physical model c. a graphical model d. a conceptual model e. All of the above are correct.

d. a conceptual model

The components of an ecosystem _____________. a. are exclusively biotic b. do not interact with one another c. are totally independent of one another d. are subject to disturbance by a variety of human activities.

d. are subject to disturbance by a variety of human activities

The lithosphere floats on the __________. a. crust b. outer core c. inner core d. asthenosphere e. ocean like an iceberg

d. asthenosphere

The process whereby food is converted into energy to fuel life processes describes ____________. a. photosynthesis b. distillation c. transpiration d. cellular respiration

d. cellular respiration

The Himalayas were formed at a(n) _______________ plate boundary. a. oceanic-oceanic b. oceanic-continental c. transform d. continental-continental e. divergent

d. continental-continental

Over the course of a year, the net flow of surface water in the global water cycle is from ________ to __________. a. atmosphere ... ocean b. sea ... land c. land ... atmosphere d. continents ... ocean e. None of the above is correct.

d. continents ... ocean

The Earth system consists of all but one of the subsystems listed below: a. hydrosphere b. atmosphere c. geosphere d. exosphere e. biosphere

d. exosphere

The water in the __________ is too salty to drink. a. atmosphere b. ice sheets c. North American Great Lakes d. ocean e. ice bergs

d. ocean

Rocks composing Earth's crust are classified as __________. a. conglomerate, limestone, and pumice b. magma, minerals, and lava c. clay, silt, and gravel d. sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous e. minerals

d. sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous

The continental margin is composed of the following zones? a. Coast, nearshore, and offshore b. Wetland, estuary, and fjord c. Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks d. Shelf, slope, and rise e. Crust, mantle, and core

d. shelf, slope, and rise

The principal source of water vapor in the troposphere is __________. a. glacial ice sheets b. green plants c. lakes and ponds d. the ocean e. soil

d. the ocean

The layer of the atmosphere within which most weather occurs and where the atmosphere interfaces and interacts with other of Earth's subsystems is the _________. a. thermosphere b. stratosphere c. mesosphere d. troposphere e. exosphere

d. troposphere

The lithosphere consists of the ____________. a. mantle and the core b. mantle and the crust c. crust and the core d. upper mantle and the crust

d. upper mantle and the crust

Which of the following are not characteristic of active continental coasts?a. Volcanoes b. Earthquakes c. Deep sea trenches d. Wide continental shelves e. Plate boundaries

d. wide continental shelves

The ocean covers about _______% of the Earth's surface and comprises about ________% of the total volume of water in the entire hydrosphere. a. 30 ... 57 b. 40 ... 67 c. 50 ... 77 d. 60 ... 87 e. 71 ... 97

e. 71 ... 97

Coral atolls ____________. a. were explained by Charles Darwin b. are caused by sinking volcanoes c. consist of a ring of islands surrounding a seawater lagoon d. consist of coral overlying volcanic rock e. All of the above are correct.

e. All of the above are correct

Lithospheric plates ___________ a. float on the asthenosphere b. are moved by convection currents in the mantle c. are generated at spreading centers d. are incorporated into the mantle at subduction zones e. All of the above are correct.

e. All of the above are correct

Which of the following apply to models? a. They're a simulation of a real system. b. They're used to predict the future state of a system. c. They require data for guiding model building, testing, and verification of output. d. They can be graphical, physical, conceptual, or numerical. e. All of the above are correct.

e. All of the above are correct

Which of the following are not characteristic of passive continental coasts? a. No active volcanoes b. No plate boundaries c. No deep sea trenches d. Relatively wide continental shelves e. All of the above are correct.

e. All of the above are correct

Which of the following is true about aerosols? a. They are tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere. b. They are produced during volcanic eruptions. c. They function as nuclei for cloud formation. d. They are produced by fossil fuel combustion. e. All of the above are correct.

e. All of the above are correct

Which of the following statements describes minerals? a. One or more minerals compose a rock. b. Minerals are naturally occurring crystalline solids. c. Minerals are inorganic. d. A mineral has a narrow range of physical and chemical properties. e. All of the above are correct.

e. All of the above are correct

Which one of the following is not one of the five principal ocean basins? a. Pacific b. Atlantic c. Southern d. Arctic e. Mediterranean

e. Mediterranean

Hydrothermal vents and circulation are usually associated with __________. a. oceanic ridge systems b. divergent plate boundaries c. a source of heat d. submarine volcanic activity e. All of the above are correct.

e. all of the above are correct

Features of the ocean basins include ___________. a. coasts, cliffs, beaches, and breakers b. marshes, estuaries, lagoons, and bays c. sand dunes, turbidity currents, and lagoons d. shelves, slopes, rises, and canyons e. flat abyssal plains, ocean ridge systems, deep trenches, and seamounts

e. flat abyssal plains, ocean ridge systems, deep trenches, and seamounts

The ultimate destination of all the water moving on or beneath the land surface is the __________. a. atmosphere b. cryosphere c. geosphere d. biosphere e. ocean

e. ocean

The thinnest layer of the geosphere is the __________. a. outer core b. inner core c. mantle d. continental crust e. ocean crust

e. ocean crust

The largest reservoir of water in the hydrosphere is(are) the ____________. a. atmosphere (water vapor, clouds, and precipitation) b. glacial ice sheets (Greenland and Antarctic) c. land surface (lakes and rivers) d. groundwater e. oceans

e. oceans

Weathering includes all but ____________.a. physical disintegration of solid rock b. chemical decomposition of solid rock c. dissolving of soluble rock in water d. fracturing of rock by water freezing in fractures e. transport of fragmented rock (sediment) by wind, running water, or glacial ice

e. transport of fragmented rock (sediment) by wind, running water, or glacial ice

The deepest regions in the ocean form along __________. a. ocean-ocean convergent plate boundaries b. divergent plate boundaries c. oceanic ridge systems d. ocean-continent plate boundaries e. trenches

e. trenches