Oceanography #2
How many atmospheric cells are present in each hemisphere? a. 3 b. 4 c. 6 d. 8
a
The Ocean is becoming more acidic as it absorbs additional _________from the atmosphere. a. carbon dioxide b. ozone c. oxygen d. pollution
a
The refractive index of seawater: a. is greater than freshwater. b. is less than freshwater. c. is equal to freshwater. d. decreases with increasing salinity.
a
What causes a decrease in oxygen levels beyond the sunlit layer? a. The respiration from marine animals and bacteria b. The by-products of photosynthesis c. There are fewer animals present d. Decreased saturation because of cooler water
a
What enhances the ocean's buffering capacity? a. The amount of dissolved inorganic carbon present b. The amount of acid already present in the ocean c. The amount of dissolved organic compounds d. The amount of calcium
a
What is the source of high carbon dioxide levels at middle depths in the ocean? a. The decay of the remains of organisms b. It diffuses from the atmosphere c. Chemical reactions d. Plant respiration
a
What kind of sediments are igneous rocks associated with? a. Terrigenous b. Biogenous c. Hydrogenous d. Cosmogenous
a
What statement is true of biogenous and terrigenous sediments? a. Biogenous sediments comprise a larger area than terrigenous sediments. b. Biogenous sediments cover more volume than terrigenous sediments. c. Terrigenous sediments make up a larger area than biogenous sediments. d. Terrigenous and biogenous sediments are equal in area and volume.
a
What visible light wave is almost completely absorbed and converted to heat within the first few meters of the ocean? a. Red light waves b. Yellow light waves c. Green light waves d. Blue light waves
a
What was the primary way sediment was transported to North America (east coast) continental margin during the last ice age? a. Rivers carry the sediment right to the shelf edge. b. Strong currents carry the sediment to the contential shelf edge. c. Wind blows sediment from the continent to the shelf edge d. Glaciers
a
Which essential gas is often in an unusable form in the ocean and atmosphere? a. Nitrogen b. Oxygen c. Carbon dioxide d. Methane
a
Why does the heat budget vary with latitude? a. The angle of the sun at varying latitudes b. The proximity to magnetic poles c. Atmospheric circulation currents disperse solar radiation d. The axis of the Earth
a
Why is the sofar layer efficient for sound travel? a. Refraction causes the sound energy to remain within the layer. b. The density of the sofar layer traps the sound energy. c. Sound energy bends away from layers of lower sound velocity. d. Temperatures and salinity conditions are homogeneous.
a
____ connect(s) atoms by sharing the energy of paired electrons. a. Covalent bonds b. Hydrogen bonds c. Cohesion d. Adhesion
a
An area is found to have a high rate of erosion. What kind of sediment is likely to be in the surrounding waters? a. Well-sorted sediments b. Poorly-sorted sediments c. One size of sediment d. Course grained sediments
b
As pure water approaches its freezing point, the density decreases. Why does this happen? a. The water compresses into ice. b. The hydrogen bonds become rigid, allowing it to expand slightly. c. The hydrogen bonds break as the molecules compress. d. Ice takes up a smaller surface area than liquid water.
b
Horse latitudes at sea correspond to ____ on land. a. tropical rainforests b. great deserts c. glaciers d. mountain ranges
b
How do seasons affect the surface winds? a. During the northern summer, the surface winds shift to the south. b. During the northern winter, the surface winds shift to the south. c. During the northern winter, the surface winds shift to the north. d. Surface winds are not affected by seasons
b
How does the absorption of light provide heat energy in the ocean? a. The addition of light increases the heat capacity of molecules. b. The light makes water molecules vibrate and then the electromagnetic energy is converted to heat energy. c. The light energy is absorbed by photosynthetic organisms which convert it to heat energy. d. Tiny suspended particles absorb heat and transfer it to the ocean.
b
The sediments that occur on the slope, rise, and deep ocean floor and originate in the ocean are called: a. neritic sediments b. pelagic sediments c. terrigenous sediments d. well-sorted sediments
b
What caused the greatest loss of life and property during Hurricane Katrina? a. Winds b. Storm surge c. Rainfall d. The high pressure
b
What causes the solar heating of Earth to have seasonal variations? a. The length of the Earth's rotation b. The tilt of the Earth's axis from the sun c. The Coriolis Effect d. The shape of the Earth's rotation around the sun
b
What characterizes deep ocean sediments? a. The sediments are well-sorted due to high energy fluctuations b. The sediments are well-sorted due to low energy fluctuations c. The sediments are poorly sorted due to high energy fluctuations d. The sediments are poorly sorted due to low energy fluctuations
b
What determines the availability of energy in a tropical cyclone? a. Evaporation rates b. The storm needs to stay over warm waters c. Condensation d. Latent heat of vaporization
b
What explains why the ocean's sedimentary "memory" or record does not start with the ocean's formation? a. Samples cannot be attained in deep water. b. Ocean sediment records are destroyed by subduction. c. No sediments deposit when new ocean basins form d. Sediments are buried deep and are eventually metamorphosed
b
What is a main source of terrigenous sediments? a. Volcanic eruptions b. Rivers c. Dust and ash d. Cosmic dust
b
What is a solute? a. A substance, usually a liquid, which dissolves other substances b. A substance that dissolves into another substance c. A mixture of two or more substances d. A polar molecule
b
What is often found in the middle of manganese nodules? a. Microtektites b. Shark teeth or bone fragments c. Living bacteria d. Sand grains
b
What is the Forchhammer's principle? a. The saturation level of seawater b. The constant proportion of solids in seawater c. The components of seawater from weathering surface rocks d. The measure of the total mass of halogen ions
b
What is the approximate mixing time of the ocean? a. 160 years b. 1,600 years c. 16,000 years d. 1.6 million years
b
What is the colligative property of osmotic pressure? a. The pressure exerted on biological membranes from the atmosphere b. The pressure exerted on biological membranes from salinity differences outside the cells c. The pressure exerted on biological membranes during temperature changes of water d. The pressure exerted on biological membranes when surrounding waters phase change
b
What is the main reason for the stratification in the north polar waters? a. Temperature b. Salinity c. Depth d. Pressure
b
What is the name for a zone that decreases in temperature with depth? a. Pycnocline b. Thermocline c. Halocline d. Mixed layer
b
What is the term for a pattern of wind circulation that changes with season? a. Land breeze b. Monsoon c. Doldrums d. Atmospheric cell
b
What is the term for ocean components not accounted for by the weathering of continents? a. Conservative constituents b. Excess volatiles c. Nonconservative constituents d. Trace elements
b
What is the typical depth of light penetration in the open ocean? a. 40 meters b. 100 meters c. 330 meters d. 600 meters
b
What is thermal inertia? a. The increase of heat energy b. The propensity for a substance to resist temperature changes c. The properties that moderate changes in temperature d. The amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by 1° Celsius
b
What is true of heat capacity? a. It is the measure of an object's response to an input of heat. b. It is the measure of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram by 1° Celsius. c. It is the measure of energy produced by random vibrations of atoms or molecules. d. It is a consistent amount across various substances.
b
What occurs when air is subjected to less pressure? a. The air becomes compressed. b. The air expands c. The air rises in temperature. d. The water vapor is able to condense.
b
Which is an example of an authigenic sediment? a. Quartz sand b. Manganese nodules c. Volcanic dust d. Diatomaceous earth
b
Which is not an example of a tropical cyclone? a. Hurricane b. Nor'easter c. Willi-willi d. Typhoon
b
Which item is not considered to have a basic pH? a. Seawater b. Black coffee c. Household ammonia d. Baking soda
b
Why are east-west variation patterns more pronounced in the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere? a. There is a wide range of temperatures that occur in the Northern Hemisphere. b. There is an almost equal ration of land and water in the Northern Hemisphere. c. There is a high pressure system that always forms over land in the Northern Hemisphere. d. The Coriolis Effect influences the wind pattern more in these regions.
b
Why are some tropical waters unable to sustain life? a. There is an addition of pollutants in many of these areas. b. There is a low level of dissolved oxygen due to temperature. c. There is a greater amount of carbon dioxide. d. There are more conservative components in these waters.
b
Why are there multiple atmospheric cells as air moves from the equator to the poles instead of one single cell? a. There are variations in the solar radiation. b. There are intermediate precipitation events which break up the air into circulation cells. c. There are variations in the speed of wind. d. The Coriolis effect breaks the air mass into atmospheric cells.
b
Why does sound travel rapidly though the lower well-mixed surface layer? a. Temperature and pressure are homogeneous b. Temperature and salinity are homogeneous c. It produces high refraction areas d. Density is heterogeneous
b
A deep ocean ooze was discovered near Antarctica. What type is it likely to be? a. Radiolarian ooze b. Calcareous ooze c. Diatom ooze d. Foraminfera ooze
c
How do salinometers measure salinity? a. It measures the number of salt molecules in a set mass of seawater. b. It calculates the salinity based on the density of the seawater. c. It measures the electrical conductivity of seawater samples. d. It calculates the salinity by measuring the chlorinity.
c
How is sound transmitted through a medium? a. By rapid vibrations of molecules b. By rapid temperature changes in a medium c. By rapid pressure changes in a medium d. By rapid random movements
c
If a sediment is white in color, it is likely to be: a. undergoing oxidation. b. terrigenous in origin. c. biological in origin. d. a nodular sediment.
c
The level of ____ increases with depth which is a factor in the calcium carbonate compensation depth. a. Nitrogen b. Oxygen c. Carbon Dioxide d. Ammonia
c
The west coast of South America is known for its seasonal upwelling. What kind of sediment is likely to be abundant based on this information? a. Terrigenous b. Hydrogenous c. Biogenous d. Cosmogenous
c
What affects the residence time of an element? a. Its saturation level b. Its chemical equilibrium in water c. Its chemical activity in water d. The principle of constant proportions
c
What effect does temperature and pressure have on the speed of sound when entering seawater? a. The speed of sound increases as temperature and pressure decreases. b. The speed of sound increases with temperature increases, but decreases with pressure. c. The speed of sound decreases as temperature and pressure decrease. d. The speed of sound is impacted by pressure but not temperature.
c
What happens to pH levels in regions where there is more carbon dioxide present? a. Carbon dioxide does not heavily impact pH levels. b. The pH levels increase in these regions. c. The pH levels decrease in these regions. d. The seawater is able to buffer enough that there is no change.
c
What is a storm surge? a. Severe flooding due to rapid rainfall b. Higher than normal tides c. Movement of water due to the low atmospheric pressure creates a dome of water d. Movement of water due to the high atmospheric pressure creates a dome of water
c
What is not a factor in the amount of light penetrating the ocean? a. The angle at which the light approaches the Earth b. The surface turbulence of the ocean c. The amount of light absorbed by clouds d. The presence of ice or foam on the surface
c
What is not considered a disruption to the normal sorting of the neritic sediments? a. Glaciation b. Turbidity currents c. Wave action d. Sea level changes
c
What is one reason diatomaceous earth is economically valued? a. It can be used as a fossil fuel alternative. b. It can be used for various filtration systems. c. It can be broken up for gravel and used as building materials. d. It demonstrates the presence of "marine snow."
c
What is the average pH of the ocean? a. 7.0 b. 7.5 c. 8.0 d. 8.5
c
What is the calcium carbonate compensation depth? a. The depth at which calcium carbonate begins to precipitate into a solid. b. The depth at which a calcareous ooze can start forming. c. The depth at which calcium carbonate starts to dissolve. d. The depth at which seawater becomes less acidic.
c
What is the difference between adhesion and cohesion? a. Adhesion is the tendency of water molecules to stick to each other while cohesion is the tendency of water molecules to stick to other solids. b. Adhesion allows water to create a surface tension while cohesion causes capillary action. c. Adhesion is the tendency of water molecules to stick to solids while cohesion is the property that allows water molecules to stick to each other. d. Adhesion and cohesion are synonymous terms.
c
What is the name given by sailors to the area where Hadley cells converge? a. Horse latitudes b. Intertropical convergence zone c. Doldrums d. Trade winds
c
What is the only substance to have a higher heat capacity than liquid water? a. Acetone b. Gasoline c. Ammonia d. Ice
c
What is the residence time of water vapor in the lower atmosphere? a. 2 days b. 5 days c. 10 days d. 20 days
c
What is the source of most of the dissolved materials found in the ocean? a. Outgassing b. Convection currents c. Dissolving and weathering of crustal rocks d. Biological activities
c
What is the structure of carbon dioxide an example of? a. An element b. An atom c. A compound d. A polar molecule
c
What is the tendency of pausing air masses over land? a. They become low pressure systems when they pause. b. They become high pressure systems when they pause. c. They take on the characteristics of the land below them. d. They finally become uniform in temperature, humidity, and density.
c
What is true of the intertropical convergence zone? a. It coincides with the geographical equator. b. It is the result of the convergence of a Hadley cell and Ferrel cell. c. It is subject to seasonal variations. d. It coincides with areas of strong winds.
c
What kind of information can marine microfossils not provide? a. Temperature variations in the surface and deep water. b. Patterns in ocean circulation c. The orientation of the magnetic poles based on trace metals found within the shells d. Productivity of the marine biosphere and upwelling
c
Where are the more complex atmospheric cells located? a. The equator b. The northern pole c. The mid-latitudes d. The southern pole
c
Where do tropical cyclones come from? a. High pressure systems b. Between air masses c. Within a single warm and humid air mass d. Within a single cool and dry air mass
c
Which are the most persistent surface winds? a. Doldrums b. Westerlies c. Easterlies d. Trades
c
Which does not have an effect on water's density? a. Temperature b. Pressure c. Viscosity d. Salinity
c
Which sediment is categorized under cosmogenous sediments? a. Evaporites b. Ooliths c. Microtektites d. Manganese nodules
c
Which statement is not true of the relationship between latitude and ocean characteristics? a. The temperature in temperate waters is considered to be the most variable. b. Tropical waters are the only regions in which evaporation exceeds precipitation. c. Temperate waters have the largest variation in salinity. d. The polar waters have the lowest average salinity due to the melting of ice.
c
Which water mass is characterized by increasing density with deeper depths? a. Surface zone b. Deep zone c. Pycnocline zone d. Mixed layer
c
Why does the ocean not boil or freeze solid in different regions of the world? a. The latent heat of fusion and vaporization balance the heat energy inputs and outputs. b. Heat is able to be transferred to water vapor. c. Heat is transported by oceanic and atmospheric circulation. d. The thermal inertia of water is low in certain regions.
c
Extratropical cyclones form between which two types of atmospheric cells? a. Two Hadley cells b. A Hadley cell and a Ferrel cell c. A polar cell and a Hadley cell d. A polar cell and a Ferrel cell
d
If a ship is trying to sail from the eastern United States to Europe, what route would be the most efficient to take? a. A southern route to take advantage of the easterlies b. A southern route to take advantage of the westerlies c. A northern route to take advantage of the easterlies d. A northern route to take advantage of the westerlies
d
The ____ has/have a low ratio of volume in comparison to its area in the ocean. a. Continental shelves b. Submarine canyons c. Continental rises d. Deep ocean floor
d
The pycnocline isolates the majority of the world ocean from: a. heating and cooling brought on by solar energy fluctuations. b. wind driven circulations. c. light. d. All of these choices conditions.
d
What can cause hydrogenous calcium carbonate deposits? a. Evaporation b. A decrease in the acidity of seawater c. An increase in seawater temperature d. All of these choices
d
What causes most of the differences in winds in comparison to normal surface wind directions? a. Geographical distribution of landmasses b. The different responses of land and ocean to solar heating c. Chaotic flow d. All of these choices
d
What does carbon dioxide break down into once it is in the ocean? a. Carbonic acid b. Bicarbonate c. Carbonate d. All of these choices
d
What factor allows for the carbon present in sediments to re-enter back into atmospheric and oceanic cycles? a. Geological uplift b. Acid rain c. Sediments dissolving d. All of these choices
d
What is a cause of atmospheric circulation? a. The temperature of Earth's surface b. Conduction currents c. The amount of reflection of solar radiation d. The Coriolis Effect
d
What is not a factor on the salinity of a particular region of ocean? a. Evaporation b. Precipitation c. Freshwater run-off from the continents d. Saturation levels
d
What is the greatest source of oxygen in deep water? a. The respiration from bacteria b. The lack of large quantities of organisms c. Chemosynthesis d. Polar waters that have sunk from the surface
d
What made the 2005 hurricane season so unusual? a. Hurricanes peaked early in their life cycle b. Hurricanes were able to retain energy for longer periods of time c. The season was the most active with 28 tropical storms formed d. All of these choices
d
What moves the water evaporated from the ocean's surface? a. Precipitation b. Weather c. Climate d. Wind
d
What occurs at the boundaries of circulation cells? a. Winds move eastward due to the Coriolis Effect b. Winds moves towards the poles c. Winds move horizontally and at high speeds d. Winds move vertically where the boundaries meet
d
What type of water mass dissolves the most amounts of gases? a. Tropical water masses b. Temperate water masses c. Equatorial water masses d. Polar water masses
d
What valuable commodity has yet to be commercially mined from ocean sediments? a. Natural gas b. Gravel c. Diatomaceous earth d. Manganese nodules
d
Which element would be surprisingly considered a trace element in the ocean despite its abundance in the atmosphere? a. Sodium b. Calcium c. Chloride d. Nitrogen
d
Which is not a characteristic of thermoclines? a. Tropical thermoclines are deeper than those at higher latitudes. b. Thermoclines are not identical in form. c. Polar waters tend to lack thermoclines. d. Thermoclines are more abrupt in the high latitudes.
d
Which is not a common particle size for most marine sediments? a. Clay b. Silt c. Sand d. Pebbles
d
Which statement describes turbidites? a. They are graded layers of terrigenous sand mixed with finer pelagic sediments. b. They are propelled into position by gravity rather than water currents. c. They are composed of distinct layers that represent various turbidity current events. d. All of these choices are true about turbidites.
d
Why does the latent heat of vaporization require so much heat energy? a. The energy is needed to break the strong covalent bonds. b. The energy is required to stabilize bond vibrations. c. The energy is used to break the hydrogen bonds. d. All of these choices.
d
Why is air never completely dry? a. Water vapor makes up as much as 4% of the atmosphere b. Clouds and fog are actually liquid droplets of water c. Water's very presence in the atmosphere accounts for dew, rain, and snow d. All of these choices
d