geology chapter 15

____________ make up a majority of the ocean floor worldwide. A. Abyssal plains C. Continental shelves B. Continental rises D. Continental slopes

abyssal plains

Major oceanic surface currents travel ____________. A. parallel to the prevailing wind direction in the region B. in direct opposition to prevailing winds as a result of the Coriolis effect C. at an angle to prevailing winds as a result of the Coriolis effect D. at an angle to prevailing winds as a result of the Doppler effect

at an angle to prevailing winds as a result of the coriolis effect

The form and topography (depth profile) of the ocean floor is termed ____________. A. orogeny C. allocthony B. bathymetry D. aquitopography

bathymetry

Estuaries most commonly have salinity that is ____________. A. identical to normal marine salinity B. identical to fresh water C. hypersaline (greater than normal marine salinity) D. brackish (between freshwater and marine salinity)

brackish

The shallowest portion of the ocean is found along the margins of continents in regions termed ____________. A. abyssal plains C. continental shelves B. continental rises D. continental slopes

continental shelves

Of the choices below, which portions of the sea floor are most steeply tilted? A. abyssal plains C. continental shelves B. continental rises D. continental slopes

continental slopes

Most of the igneous rocks within oceanic abyssal plains are ____________. A. exposed at the surface of the sea floor B. covered by sand and gravel introduced by rivers at deltas C. covered by clay and the skeletal remains of microplankton D. covered by limestones made up of the fragments of large invertebrate shells

covered by clay and the skeletal remains of microplankton

As waves approach shore in shallow water their speed ____________. A. increases B. decreases

decreases

The density of seawater increases with ____________. A. increasing temperature and increasing salinity B. decreasing temperature and increasing salinity C. increasing temperature and decreasing salinity D. decreasing temperature and decreasing salinity

decreasing temperature and increasing salinity

As compared to freshwater, saline ocean water is ____________ and therefore provides ____________ support to floating objects. A. less dense; more buoyant C. denser; more buoyant B. less dense; less buoyant D. denser; less buoyant

denser; more buoyant

. A bathymetric map of the ocean would utilize contours to connect points of equal ____________. A. surface salinity C. temperature at the sea floor B. surface temperature D. depth of the sea floor below sea level

depth of the sea floor below sea level

Rip currents flow ____________. A. directly toward the shoreline B. directly away from the shoreline C. parallel to the shoreline

directly away from the shoreline

If currents are largely directed toward shore, the area is likely to experience ____________. A. upwelling B. downwelling

downwelling

When the sea level rises, the ocean may invade a river valley, producing a nearshore body of water of mixed and variable salinity termed a(n) ____________. A. atoll C. estuary B. lagoon D. jetty

estuary

As compared to continental interiors, surface temperatures in coastal regions ____________. A. are warmer throughout the year B. are colder throughout the year C. experience a more extreme range throughout the year D. experience a less extreme range throughout the year

experience a less extreme range throughout the year

The strongest winds within a hurricane are found in the ____________. A. outermost rain bands C. eye wall B. eye D. relatively dry areas between bands

eye wall

Every shoreline experiences a tidal reach (difference in elevation between high and low tide) of about 3 m. A. true B. false

false

When high tide occurs at any single shoreline, that means it is also high tide at all other coasts throughout the world. A. true B. false

false

Flooded valleys that were excavated by glaciers are termed ____________. A. deltas C. fjords B. tombolos D. fords

fjords

Wave refraction causes longshore currents to travel ____________. A. directly onshore B. from embayments toward headlands C. directly offshore D. from headlands toward embayments

from headlands toward embayments

Tidal reach will be greatest locally during a ____________. A. full or last quarter moon C. full or new moon B. full or first quarter moon D. first quarter or last quarter moon

full or new moon

Because of wave refraction, erosion along an irregular coastline is ____________. A. even along the length of the coast B. greatest in headlands (points of land projected out toward the sea) C. greatest in bays

greatest in headlands (points if land projected our toward the sea)

. The deepest segments of the ocean floor are found ____________. A. along mid-ocean ridges B. in the geographic centers of abyssal plains C. in trenches associated with passive margins D. in trenches associated with subduction zones

in trenches associated with subduction zones

Sand groins ____________. A. have solved the problem of beach drift B. increase erosion rates in the region upcurrent from the groin C. increase erosion rates in the region downcurrent from the groin D. increase depositional rates in the region downcurrent from the groin

increase erosion rates in the region downcurrent from the groin

Which trench includes the world's deepest sea floor (more than 11 km below sea level)? A. Peru-Chile Trench C. Mariana Trench B. Puerto Rican Trench D. Kamchatka Trench

mariana trench

The most prominent force inducing tides on Earth is the ____________. A. Sun's gravitational pull B. Moon's gravitational pull C. electromagnetic attraction between Earth and the Sun D. gravitational attraction between ocean waters and the continents on Earth

moons gravitational pull

At the equatorial ocean basins, sea surface temperatures may reach 30°C or greater; at the sea floor 5 km below, the temperature is ____________. A. slightly warmer (33°C) C. cool (10-15°C) B. about room temperature (25°C) D. near freezing (2-4°C)

near freezing (2-4°)

A wave will disturb the water to a depth equal to ____________. A. its wavelength C. the bottom of the sea floor B. its surface amplitude D. one-half of its wavelength

one-half of its wavelength

Longshore currents flow ____________. A. directly toward the shoreline B. directly away from the shoreline C. parallel to the shoreline

parallel to the shoreline

Which type of continental coastline features a much broader continental shelf? A. passive continental margins B. active continental margins

passive continental margins

Wave crests ____________. A. refract so as to impact the shore in a nearly parallel manner B. refract so as to impact the shore nearly perpendicular to the shoreline C. reflect directly backward from the angle at which they approached the shoreline D. are reflected off the shoreline, but never refract

refract so as to the impact of the shore in a nearly parallel manner

Due to the Coriolis effect, surface currents in the oceans are always pulled to the ____________ in the northern hemisphere as compared to the prevailing wind direction. A. north B. east C. right D. left

right

The magnitude of tidal effect (lateral extent of the intertidal zone between low and high tides) is affected by ____________. A. the slope of the coastline C. Both A and B are correct. B. the position of the Sun D. None of the above is correct

- the slope of the coastline - the position of the sun

Global circulation of ocean water is influenced by ____________. A. surface winds B. coastal upwelling and downwelling C. sinking of cold and saline water D. All of the above.

-surface winds -coastal upwelling and downwelling -sinking of cold and saline water

What percentage of seawater, on average, consists of dissolved salt ions? A. 1.5% C. 5.5% B. 3.5% D. 6.5%

3.5%

Tidal reach is affected by ____________. A. the slope of the coastline C. Both A and B are correct. B. the position of the Sun D. None of the above is correct.

the position of the sun

A coastline is more likely to consist of a tidal flat than a beach if ____________. A. the shore is protected from strong waves B. the shore is exposed to strong waves C. the shore is in a warm climate D. the shoreline runs east-west rather than north-south

the shore is protected from strong waves

. Approximately what percentage of Earth's surface is covered with water? A. 30% C. 70% B. 50% D. 85%

70%

Compared to continental lithosphere, oceanic lithosphere is ____________. A. thicker B. thinner C. approximately the same thickness

thinner

Rogue waves arise from constructive interference of multiple convergent waves; these waves occasionally can be more than 100 feet high. A. true B. false an 100 feet high

true