Oceanography Homework 2
As carbon dioxide enters the ocean it
Forms carbonic acid
The boundary between two air masses is called a
Front
Wavelengths of light that penetrate deepest into the ocean are
Green and blue
The largest of the western boundary currents is the
Gulf Stream
Which of the following statements about pH is not true
pH of 3 is alkaline, a pH of 10 is acid
How many atmospheric circulation cells exist in EACH hemisphere
3
The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ),
Moves farther away from the equator during the Northern summer than the Southern one due to the north-heavy arrangement of continents
Most abundant gaseous components of the Earth's atmosphere are
Nitrogen and oxygen
Waves tend to be parallel to the shore when they break due to the process of
Refraction
The Canary Current is an example of a
Shallow, cold water current
Weather may be defined as
Short-term localized characteristics of the atmosphere
The two most abundant elements (ions) dissolved in seawater are
Sodium and chloride
Seasons are caused by
The earth's orbital tilt relative to the plane of its orbit around the sun
The ultimate height of a wind wave will depend on
The fetch, the length of time the wind blows, and the velocity of the wind (ALL OF THE ABOVE)
Which of the following statements about the hydrological cycle is correct
The hydrological cycle is powered by solar radiation
Which statement is true about pycnocline
The pycnocline is the zone that isolates surface water from the denser layer below
The Coriolis Effect causes objects moving the N. hemisphere to veer off course
to the right, or clockwise when viewed from above
A system of four currents completing a flow circuit the periphery of an ocean basin is collectively called
A gyre
A zone in which the ocean's salinity changes rapidly with increasing depth is called
A halocline
Rogue waves are best described as
A single massive wave that develops in the open ocean
During an El Nino event
A strong equatorial countercurrent develops in the Pacific
Constructive interference in waves can cause
An occasional wave greater than any noted before or after its occurrence
Oxygen enters seawater
As a byproduct photosynthesis and diffusion from the surface
Residence time is:
Average length of time an element spends in the ocean
The long term average of weather in an area is called
Climate
When viewed from above, tropical cyclones rotate ____ in the Southern Hemisphere
Clockwise
Calm equatorial areas of low pressure are referred to as the
Doldrums
All of the following statements about an Ekman Spiral are true EXCEPT
Ekman spiral is not influenced by Coriolis
Warm air ____ and ____ and cool air ____ and _____
Expands & rises; contracts & sinks
Frozen water is more dense than liquid water (T/F)
False
Hadley atmospheric circulation cells are found at mid-latitudes (T/F)
False
Red light is able to penetrate the water deepest (T/F)
False
Which of the following statements if FALSE regarding solar heating of Earth?
Ice absorbs much of the solar energy that reaches the poles
Which phenomena causes the LEAST structural damage and loss of life during the passage of a tropical cyclone?
Low atmospheric pressure
Most of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina was due to
The storm surge arriving at high tide
The term salinity refers to
The total amount of dissolved solids in the ocean
If you were sailing from Europe to the Americas and you wanted to take advantage of the prevailing winds, you would choose to sail with the
Trade winds
The North Atlantic gyre is composed of the Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic Current, the Canary Current, and the Northern Equatorial current (T/F)
True
Vast majority of the ocean water lies below the pycnocline (T/F)
True
Generally the fastest and deepest ocean currents are
Western boundary currents
The density of seawater will increase
When the salinity increases
A ____ is a gravity wave formed by the transfer of wind energy over the water
Wind wave
If oceans were absent on our planet and instead just consisted of landmasses, the surface temp
Would be more extreme
