Oceanology

On a global average annual basis, latent heating (phase changes of water) is _______ important than sensible heating (conduction plus convection) in transferring heat from Earth's surface to the atmosphere. a. more b. less

*a. more

On a global average annual basis, the ocean absorbs _______ incoming solar radiation than the continents. a. more b. less

*a. more

The atmosphere is _______ transparent to solar radiation than is the ocean. a. more b. less

*a. more

Turbidity currents are _______ seawater. a. more dense than b. about as dense as c. less dense than

*a. more dense than

A sediment deposit that is well-sorted exhibits a relatively _______ range of sediment size. a. narrow b. broad

*a. narrow

Upwelling occurs along the California coast when surface winds blow from the a. north. b. south. c. west.

*a. north.

1. In hydrogen bonding, the _______ charged hydrogen pole of a water molecule attracts the oppositely charged oxygen pole of another water molecule. a. positively b. negatively

*a. positively

When water vapor condenses, latent heat of vaporization is _______ the environment. a. released to b. absorbed from

*a. released to

In the Northern Hemisphere, Ekman transport of ocean water through a depth of about 100 m (330 ft) is to the _______ of the wind direction. a. right b. left

*a. right

Divergence of adjacent plates on the ocean bottom is known as a. sea-floor spreading b. subduction

*a. sea-floor spreading

Ocean waves that form directly under the winds of a storm system are referred to as a. sea. b. swell.

*a. sea.

Viewed from above, the trade winds of the Northern Hemisphere blow toward the a. southwest. b. northwest.

*a. southwest.

At a middle latitude location, the solar altitude reaches its yearly maximum on about noon on the a. summer solstice. b. equinoxes. c. winter solstice.

*a. summer solstice.

Most hydrothermal vents occur near or along a. the oceanic ridge system. b. deep-ocean trenches.

*a. the oceanic ridge system.

Ekman transport causes surface waters to move _______ the center of a subtropical gyre. a. toward b. away from

*a. toward

Most submarine canyons were produced through erosion by a. turbidity currents b. Ice Age rivers.

*a. turbidity currents

Coastal _______ occurs where Ekman transport moves surface waters away from the coast. a. upwelling b. downwelling

*a. upwelling

The diameter of the orbit described by a water particle at the ocean surface equals the a. wave height. b. wavelength.

*a. wave height.

The immediate energy source for most waves on the ocean surface is a. wind b. tectonic events

*a. wind

On average, seawater consists of _______ dissolved salts. a. 0.35% b. 3.5% c. 35%

*b. 3.5%

The water pressure at an ocean depth of 30 m is approximately _______ decibars. a. 3 b. 30 c. 300

*b. 30

.Which is the measure of the average kinetic energy of atoms or molecules that compose a substance? a. Heat b. Temperature

*b. Temperature

. The average pH of seawater is slightly _______, conditions that are favorable for organisms whose shells are composed of calcium carbonate. a. acidic b. alkaline

*b. alkaline

Methane (natural gas) is generated as a byproduct of the _______ decay of organic matter. a. aerobic b. anaerobic

*b. anaerobic

If a seiche develops in an enclosed basin, the vertical motion of water is greatest at the a. node. b. antinodes.

*b. antinodes.

Most pelagic marine deposits are a. lithogenous. b. biogenous. c. cosmogenous.

*b. biogenous.

Near hydrothermal vents, bacteria that form the base of food chains derive energy through a. photosynthesis. b. chemosynthesis.

*b. chemosynthesis.

Viewed from above in the Northern Hemisphere, surface winds in the subtropical anticyclones blow a. counterclockwise and inward b. clockwise and outward.

*b. clockwise and outward.

Cold-core rings associated with the Gulf Stream entrain relatively cold and productive waters from a. the Sargasso Sea. b. coastal areas

*b. coastal areas

The difference between average summer temperature and average winter temperature is greatest at high latitude locations with _______ climates. a. maritime b. continental

*b. continental

A subduction zone forms where two oceanic plates or an oceanic plate and a continental plate a. diverge. b. converge.

*b. converge.

Most tsunamis originate in the Pacific Ocean being generated by submarine earthquakes occurring along _______ plate boundaries and associated subduction zones. a. divergent b. convergent

*b. convergent

Viewed from above, subtropical ocean gyres rotate in a _______ direction in the Southern Hemisphere. a. clockwise b. counterclockwise

*b. counterclockwise

The ocean's thermohaline circulation is driven primarily by a. surface winds. b. density differences.

*b. density differences.

. Resonance of a seiche in a basin occurs when the period of the disturbance causing the seiche _______ the natural period of the basin. a. is one-half b. equals c. is twice

*b. equals

Relatively low sea surface temperatures associated with upwelling favors the development of a. hurricanes. b. fog.

*b. fog.

In the Southern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect deflects large-scale winds and ocean currents to the _______ of their initial direction. a. right b. left

*b. left

All hydrogen bonds are broken during the phase change of water from a. ice to liquid. b. liquid to vapor.

*b. liquid to vapor.

The most conspicuous of all hydrogenous sediment deposits on the ocean floor are a. turbidities. b. manganese nodules.

*b. manganese nodules.

The climate of San Diego on the Southern California coast is more _______ than the climate of inland Kansas City, MO. a. continental b. maritime

*b. maritime

. When the same quantity of heat is added per unit mass, a substance with a low specific heat warms _______ a substance with a high specific heat. a. less than b. more than

*b. more than

. The Pacific Ocean has _______ surface sites of deep water mass formation. a. many b. no

*b. no

As a general rule, the continental shelf is widest where the continental margin is _______ such as along North America's East Coast. a. tectonically active b. passive

*b. passive

A deep-ocean trench is produced by a. turbidity currents. b. plate subduction

*b. plate subduction

In both the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere, western boundary currents transport heat toward the a. equator. b. poles.

*b. poles.

Great quantities of _______ are mined from the near-shore shallow ocean bottom near many coastal cities. a. manganese nodules b. sand and gravel

*b. sand and gravel

Lithification is the process whereby marine sediments are converted to layers of solid _______ rock. a. igneous b. sedimentary

*b. sedimentary

Two equal high tides and two equal low tides per tidal day constitute a _______ tide. a. diurnal b. semi-diurnal c. mixed

*b. semi-diurnal

. Astronomical tides behave as _______ waves. a. deep-water b. shallow-water

*b. shallow-water

Frictional interaction with the ocean bottom plays an important role in the propagation of _______ waves. a. deep-water b. shallow-water

*b. shallow-water

In summer off the southern California coast, the California Current is a heat a. source. b. sink

*b. sink

A seiche is an example of a _______ wave. a. progressive b. standing

*b. standing

Within the Earth system, the principal source of water vapor that eventually returns to Earth's surface as precipitation is a. transpiration by plants. b. the ocean. c. lakes and rivers.

*b. the ocean.

The prevailing surface winds over the tropical ocean are the a. westerlies. b. trade winds.

*b. trade winds.

Calcareous oozes are _______ to occur on the ocean bottom at depths greater than 4500 m (14,800 ft) below sea level. a. likely b. unlikely

*b. unlikely

Earth's greenhouse effect is primarily caused by absorption of infrared radiation by a. carbon dioxide. b. water vapor.

*b. water vapor.

. Cycles of ocean basin spreading and closing are known as Wilson Cycles and each cycle has a period of about _______ million years. a. 1-2 b. 20-30 c. 500-600

*c. 500-600

For the ocean as a whole, the most abundant gas dissolved in seawater is a. nitrogen. b. oxygen c. carbon dioxide.

*c. carbon dioxide.

The tide-generating force of the moon is _______ that of the sun. a. less than b. about the same as c. greater than

*c. greater than

Marine sediments that precipitate from seawater are described as a. lithogenous. b. biogenous. c. hydrogenous. d. cosmogenous.

*c. hydrogenous.

For incoming solar radiation, the average albedo of the ocean surface is _______ the average albedo of the tops of clouds. a. higher than b. about the same as c. lower than

*c. lower than

Heat transport from the tropics into middle and high latitudes is accomplished by the a. ocean b. atmosphere c. ocean and atmosphere

*c. ocean and atmosphere

Adjacent plates slide laterally past one another along a _______ plate boundary. a. divergent b. convergent c. transform

*c. transform

2. The waters located between 60 degrees S and the Antarctic continent are known as the _______ Ocean. a. Atlantic b. Pacific c. Indian d. Southern

Southern

How do hydrogen bonds form?

hydrogen bonds form from the linking of opposite electrical charge in other nearby water molecules.

what is a mixed tide

occur south and north of equator where they experience 2 high tides and 2 low tides.

For the same wind speed, higher waves are produced with _______ fetch. a. increasing b. decreasing

*a. increasing

The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) defined by the United States is _______ the total land area of the U.S. and its territories. a. larger than b. smaller than

*a. larger than

The speed of sound propagation in the ocean is _______ in the SOFAR channel. a. minimum b. maximum

*a. minimum

Mixing of surface ocean waters by the wind produces a layer of uniform or nearly uniform density known as the a. mixed layer. b. pycnocline

*a. mixed layer.

All other factors being equal, we would expect to find _______ dissolved oxygen in turbulent water than in calm water. a. more b. less

*a. more

Which is the state of the atmosphere at some place and time described in terms of such variables as temperature and cloud cover? a. Weather b. Climate

*a. Weather

. Which is the primary mechanism whereby most lithogenous particles reach the deep ocean, which is far from land? a. Wind b. Iceberg rafting

*a. Wind

Most deep-ocean water masses form a. at high latitudes. b. near the center of subtropical gyres. c. in zones of coastal upwelling.

*a. at high latitudes.

The most abundant of all biogenous sediment on the ocean floor is a. calcareous. b. siliceous. c. volcanic

*a. calcareous.

Constructive and destructive wave interferences are _______ occurrences in the open ocean. a. common b. rare

*a. common

New oceanic lithosphere is generated via cooling and solidification of lava along _______ plate boundaries. a. divergent b. convergent c. transform

*a. divergent

The bedrock of the continental margin is _______ the continental crust. a. essentially the same as b. markedly different from

*a. essentially the same as

In general, neritic marine sediment deposits accumulate on the ocean bottom at a _______ rate than pelagic marine sediment deposits. a. faster b. slower

*a. faster

Surface currents on the western side of the subtropical gyres are _______ than their eastern counterparts. a. faster b. slower

*a. faster

The restoring force for capillary waves is water's surface tension whereas the restoring force for larger waves is a. gravity. b. tides.

*a. gravity.

In regions where precipitation is low and evaporation rates are high, the salinity of surface ocean waters is _______ than the ocean's global average salinity. a. higher b. lower

*a. higher

The pressure gradient force causes air to accelerate from areas of _______ pressures. a. higher toward lower b. lower toward higher

*a. higher toward lower

Most of the rock composing Earth's crust is a. igneous b. sedimentary c. metamorphic

*a. igneous

Marine sediments tend to be larger and more poorly sorted a. in continental margins. b. on the deep-ocean floor.

*a. in continental margins.

. At constant temperature, the density of seawater _______ with increasing salinity. a. increases b. decreases

*a. increases

In a given medium such as air or water, the terminal velocity _______ with increasing particle size (assuming little variation in the density and shape of the particles). a. increases b. does not change c. decreases

*a. increases

The age of the ocean crust _______ with increasing distance from the mid-ocean ridge. a. increases b. does not change c. decreases

*a. increases

The density of seawater of average salinity always _______ with falling temperature. a. increases b. decreases

*a. increases

Within the pycnocline, water density _______ rapidly with depth because of changes in temperature and/or salinity. a. increases b. decreases

*a. increases

Distinguish among a forced wave, standing wave, and progressive wave. Examples of each as well.

A forced wave is maintained by its disturbing force, such as tides. Standing waves result when two equal waves are going in opposite direction such as a seich. A progressive wave is a wave that follows one sea direction such as orbital waves.

How does ekman transport cause coastal upwelling?

Ekman transport pushes surface waters away from the coast causing upwelling.

Describe how changes in the phase of water bring about a transfer of heat energy within the earth system

During certain phase changes such as the evaporation of water, stored heat energy is released into the atmosphere which is then incorporated into the water cycle.

What direction does the coriolis effect deflect winds in the northern and southern hempishere? and why is there no deflection on the equator?

North= Right South= Left No deflection on equator because the earth rotates fastest at the equator and it is wide.

Most land is located in the _______ Hemisphere. a. Northern b. Southern

Northern

What is the significance of the carbonate compensation depth (CCD)? how might ocean acidification affect the CCD?

The depth provided by the CCD gives us the threshold in which calcium carbonate is dissolved. Acidification could cause the CCD to rise and slower coral reef growth and production of calcium carbonate.

During which phase change of water are all hydrogen bonds broken?

The liquid to vapor phase

What is thermohaline circulation?How is it mantained?

This is deep ocean circulation, it is maintained from changes in salinity and water temperatures.

Why is the coriolis effect able to deflect winds?

This is due to the earths rotation

When do pycnoclines coincide with thermoclines?

This occurs when declining temperatures cause an increase in density with depth

What direction do cold core and warm core rings move?

Warm core rings move clockwise, Cold core rings move counter clockwise.

what is a convergent boundary and where can it be found?

a convergent boundary is created when adjacent plates move towards one another. Examples are philippines plate and pacific plate.

What are the two types of pelagic deposits that are more than 30% weight? which occurs in shallower water?

calcareous and siliceous ooze Calcareous ooze occurs in shallower water

what is hydrogenous sediment

chemically precipitated from sea water

Describe the density in the pycnocline

density increases rapidly with depth due to temperature and salinity.

How does ekman transport cause equatorial upwelling?

ekman transport pushes surface waters away from the equator causing upwelling.

what is cosmogenous sediment

from outer space

For deep water waves, the depth of no wave motion is equal to _____ the wave length

half

What is a semi-diurnal tide

has a period of 12hrs and 52 mins, and has a wave length of more than half of the circumference of the earth

what is biogenous sediment

make from living sources such as excretions or remains

What is seafloor spreading and why is it significant?

seafloor spreading is the process that occurs at mid ocean ridges where new oceanic crust is formed. This is significant because it helps explains continental drift.

What is wave length

the horizontal distance between two successive waves

what is wave height

the vertical distance between the crest and trough

What is lithogenous sediment

these originate from weathering and erosion of pre-existing rock

What is a transform fault or boundary? where can it be found?

they move horizontally and strike each other, can be found between south america and africa.