Oceanography 109 Exam 2
Air descends (sinks) at
30 degrees latitude
In the open ocean, average seawater salinity is___.
35%o
If the earth did not rotate, how many atmospheric cells would there be?
4
On average, where does the meterological equator on Earth lie?
5° North
What is the average pH of seawater?
7.5 - 8.5 (Alkaline)
Ekman transport is an average path of motion which under ideal conditions, is at ____ degrees to the winds direction.
90
The density of seawater increases with __ in temperature and ___ in salinity.
A decrease, an increase
Is seawater acidic or basic? What is the average pH?
Basic, ~7.8
Where do you find the Westerlies?
Between 30° - 60° S and N
Where do you find the Trade Winds?
Between 30°S - 30°N
Overall, the gas that contributes to the greatest amount of greenhouse warming on Earth is
Carbon Dioxide
Which gas (by volume) is most abundant in the total oceans?
Carbon Dioxide
What is the most common negatively charged ion in seawater?
Chloride
A region of permanent low atmospheric pressure is located in the:
Equatorial regions
Which of the following INCREASES the salinity of seawater?
Evaporation of seawater
T/F: Although humans know how to extract salt from seawater, it is very rarely extracted in significant amounts.
False
Geostrophic currents are caused by the balance between the Coriolis Effect and
Gravity
The poles are regions of
High atmospheric pressure
Of the following water masses, which of the following would have the lowest density?
High temperature, low salinity.
The maximum deflection of the Coriolis effect
Increases with latitude and decreases with speed
Most of the energy radiated from the Earth's surface is in the form of
Infrared Radiation
Geostrophic currents
Involve a balance between the Coriolis force and gravity
Which of the following ions is not a major constituent of seawater?
Iodine
Which of the following is a western-boundary current?
Kuroshio
The equator receives the greatest amount of incoming solar radiation during the year and is therefor an area of
Low atmospheric pressure and high precipritation
Where doWhat is the source of a tropical cyclones energy?
Low pressure zones pump large amounts of energy from the sea surface
What does the term "Euphotic" mean?
Means "well lit" in Greek
Which of the following is an important ocean nutrient?
Nitrate
Which gas (by volume) is most abundant in surface seawater?
Nitrogen
Which gas (by volume) is most abundant in the atmosphere?
Nitrogen
What causes seasons?
Presence of land and water at near equal amounts @ mid latitudes in N. Hemisphere
A layer of rapid change of ocean density with depth is called a:
Pycnocline
What is a pycnocline?
Rapid change of density with depth
What is a halocline?
Rapid change of salinity with depth
What is a thermocline?
Rapid change of temperature with depth
Briefly describe what "The Principle of Constant Proportion" refers to:
Regardless of salinity, the ratios between the amounts of major ions in open ocean water are constant.
Air on the Earth tends to
Rise at the Equator and fall at 30° N latitude
Which of the following statements on ocean salinity is not correct?
Salinities will be higher in areas of strong, warm, winds.
Areas of high atmospheric pressure (at Earth's surface) generally experience what kind of conditions?
Sinking air, with dry, clear weather
What is the most common positively charged ion in seawater?
Sodium
What does the term "Anoxic" mean?
Stripped or dissolved oxygen
Surface ocean currents are caused by ____, while deep currents are the result of _____.
Surface wind belts, density differences
The power for tropical cyclonic storms comes from
The condensation of moist, warm air.
How many atmospheric circulation cells exist in each hemisphere on earth?
Three
T/F: The Coriolis Effect causes moving objects to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere
True
A moving mass that was traveling northwards in the norther hemisphere would be apparently deflected to the
West
Ocean surface currents are strongest on which margin of an ocean?
West
The Earth's strongest ocean currents are
Western boundary currents
The greatest intensity of incoming solar radiation occurs in which part of the visible spectrum?
Yellow
Do hurricanes occur in both the N and S hemisphere?
Yes
A gyre is
a large, circular moving loop of surface water
Circulation around a Low pressure system in the N. Hemisphere is termed
anticyclonic
Circulation around a high pressure system, in the S. Hemisphere is termed
anticyclonic
Circulation around a high pressure system, in the N. Hemisphere is termed
cyclonic
Circulation around allow high pressure system, in the S. Hemisphere is termed
cyclonic
Rising warm air is associated with regions of ___ atmospheric pressure caused by thermal _____.
low, compression
The principle of constant proportion:
states that the ratio of major ions does not change with salinity
Which of the following methods is NOT used to accurately determine the salinity of seawater:
taste
Oceanic surface currents are principally caused by the
wind
The salinity of open surface waters is HIGHEST at
~25 degrees of latitude, north or south of the Equator
Where in the open oceans would you find the highest surface salinities?
~25° N and S latitudes
