Oceanus Midterm

The Andes Mountains are the result of a _____ boundary. A ) transform B ) convergent C ) subduction D ) divergent

B

True or False. Information on past climates is currently impossible to derive from ocean sediment data. A ) True B ) False

B

True or False. The Earth is unique, at least in our solar system, because of its low amount of surface water. A ) True B ) False

B

True or false. The Theory of Seafloor Spreading integrates the plate tectonics and continental drift. A ) True B ) False

B

Water circulation driven by differences in temperature and salinity is called _____ circulation. A ) differential B ) thermohaline C ) thermonuclear D ) salinometer

B

Oceans are _____ of years old. A ) thousands B ) hundreds C ) millions D ) billions

D

True or False. Transform plate boundaries are where plates slide against one another. A ) True B ) False

A

By "rapid climate change" scientists mean major change in _____. A ) a couple of decades B ) a couple of years C ) a couple centuries D ) a couple hundred thousand years

A

Climatic scientists think that the _____, caused by Man, may be an important part of climate change. A ) increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide B ) changes in sediment depth C ) increase in acid rain D ) increase in solar radiation

A

Hydrothermal vents can now be found with high resolution seafloor mapping tools and _____. A ) CDT probes [conductivity, temperature, depth] B ) towed hydrophones C ) passive sonar D ) GMM probes [gravitation, magnetometer, mineralization]

A

If spreading centers are creating new seafloor in the center of the ocean basins, then the oldest sediment and rocks will be found on the seafloor ____ . A ) farthest from the spreading center B ) closest to the spreading center C ) within 500 kilometers of hot spots D ) over 2500 kilometers from hot spots

A

In the equatorial Pacific there is little terrigenous sediment, but we would expect to find mostly ______ sediments, created by organisms. A ) biogenous B ) cosmogenous C ) terrigenous D ) hydrogenous or chemical

A

One of the major objections to Wegener's theory, from a famous Stanford geologist, Bailey Willis, was that the continents _____. A ) seemed to fit together too well and were not broken up along their edges, as they should be B ) were on granite slabs that could not possibly float on the mantle C ) had fossil deposits that varied through time and space D ) had magnetic field reversals

A

Photosynthesis is important because that's where _____ comes from. A ) oxygen B ) carbon dioxide C ) chlorophyll D ) water

A

Plates are pulling apart at _____ boundaries. A ) divergent B ) convergent C ) transform D ) deep sedimentary

A

The San Andres Fault is located on a _____ boundary between the Pacific and North America plates. A ) transform B ) convergent C ) subduction D ) divergent

A

The _____ were the first civilization to go beyond the sight of land and into the Atlantic ocean. A ) Greeks B ) Romans C ) Vikings D ) Arabs

A

The first explorations dedicated exclusively to marine sciences were carried out on the _____. A ) Challenger Expedition B ) Voyage of the Beagle C ) U.S. Exploration Expedition D ) Maury Expedition

A

The presence of salt _____ the density of water. A ) increases B ) has no effect on C ) decreases D ) maintains equilibrium of

A

The shallowest earthquakes occur _____. A ) at spreading ridges B ) at mid-ocean ridges C ) at subduction zones D ) during strong cycles of solar activity

A

There are basically _____ types of earthquakes. A ) two B ) three C ) five D ) an unlimited number of

A

True or False. Convergent plate boundaries are where plates collide. A ) True B ) False

A

When shells or skeletons of animals fall to the ocean floor they form ______ sediment. A ) biogenous B ) cosmogenous C ) terrigenous D ) hydrogenous or chemical

A

When two pieces of lithosphere collide and grind against each other at a subduction zone, pent up strain energy can be suddenly released as ____. A ) an earthquake B ) a pyroclastic flow C ) an increase in seafloor D ) a folded mountain range

A

Which color of light is most absorbed by seawater? A ) red B ) blue C ) green D ) violet

A

Earth is covered by about _____ water. A ) 25% B ) 70% C ) 45% D ) 87.5%

B

Hawaii was populated by the Polynesians sometime around _____. A ) 1780 B ) 450 to 600 AD C ) 450 to 600 BC D ) 1492

B

If the Earth's magnetic field reached zero, we would be at greater risk from _____. A ) meteors and comets B ) cosmic rays C ) ultraviolet light D ) plate tectonics

B

James Cook discovered _____. A ) Antarctica and New Guinea B ) New Zealand and Hawaii C ) Hawaii and Madagascar D ) the Philippines and Ceylon

B

Micrometeorites impact the oceans, and although rare, form _____ sediments. A ) biogenous B ) cosmogenous C ) terrigenous D ) hydrogenous or chemical

B

Our solar system was formed by _____. A ) the collision of planets B ) coalescing of dust grains into larger and larger pieces C ) radiation from the Big Bang D ) microwave energy

B

Plates come together at _____ boundaries. A ) divergent B ) convergent C ) transform D ) deep sedimentary

B

Recent measurements shown the European and North American plates to be moving apart at about ____ per year. A ) two kilometers B ) two centimeters C ) two miles D ) twenty three centimeters

B

Sound waves travel ______ in _____ water than in _____ water. A ) slower, fresh, salt B ) faster, fresh, salt C ) faster, dirty, clean D ) further, salt, fresh

B

The Universe has been expanding about _____. A ) 25% B ) 70% C ) 45% D ) 87.5%

B

The deep ocean floor comprises _____ of the Earth's surface area. A ) about 3% B ) more than half C ) over 70% D ) very little

B

The most common location for hydrothermal vents is near areas of _____. A ) seafloor convergence B ) seafloor spreading C ) trench formation D ) continental rise

B

Transform boundaries usually have _____. A ) earthquakes and volcanism B ) only earthquakes C ) only volcanism D ) only generate new seafloor

B

True or False. Divergent plate boundaries are where plates collide. A ) True B ) False

B

True or False. Earthquakes always occur at plate boundaries. A ) True B ) False

B

Which was the least common gas in the Earth's early atmosphere? A ) carbon dioxide - CO2 B ) oxygen - O2 C ) nitrogen - N2

B

A big push for oceanographic research after World War Two was due to our wartime lack of knowledge to support _____. A ) undersea mining B ) pollution control C ) amphibious landings D ) increased harvests of seafood

C

Deposits of sediments from rivers and coastal erosion become ______ sediment. A ) biogenous B ) cosmogenous C ) terrigenous D ) hydrogenous

C

Divergent plate boundaries are where the lithosphere is being rifted apart. What fills in the area of the rift? A ) sediment from erosion of the mountains B ) subducted oceanic crust C ) volcanic activity D ) transformation plates

C

From the evidence in the sedimentary record, the Earth seems to be ______. A ) right in the middle of an inter-glacial B ) emerging from an ice age C ) in a temperature range never before seen D ) returning to a more normal temperature

C

If new seafloor is being created at spreading centers, why don't we find a lot of old oceanic crust on the surface of the Earth? Because oceanic crust is being ____ where it collides with continental plates. A ) folded B ) pushed up C ) subducted D ) vaporized

C

John Tuzo Wilson proposed a theory stating that the Earth's outer layer is made up of _____. A ) a dozen separate plates B ) a thin layer of ancient soil C ) a dozen subduction zones D ) a dozen spreading centers

C

New satellites allow the measurement of sea surface _____ with _____. A ) temperature, radar B ) topography, radiance C ) topography, radar D ) temperature, lasers

C

Off the coast of Louisiana we would expect to find purely _____ sediments from the Mississippi River. A ) biogenous B ) cosmogenous C ) terrigenous D ) hydrogenous or chemical

C

Plates slip past each other at _____ boundaries. A ) divergent B ) convergent C ) transform D ) deep sedimentary

C

The most violent earthquakes occur _____. A ) at spreading ridges B ) at mid-ocean ridges C ) at subduction zones D ) during strong cycles of solar activity

C

The presence of salt _____ the freezing point of water. A ) increases B ) has no effect on C ) decreases D ) maintains equilibrium of

C

The surface of the ocean is important because that's where _____ takes place. A ) thermohaline circulation B ) nutrient exchange C ) photosynthesis D ) phosphorolation

C

Volcanic action can add to the ocean's source of ______ sediment. A ) biogenous B ) cosmogenous C ) terrigenous D ) hydrogenous

C

When two plate margins converge and one is pulled down into the mantle, _____ are formed. A ) andesitic mountains B ) basaltic nodules C ) deep trenches D ) translational faults

C

America first appeared by name on a map in ______. A ) 700 BC B ) 588 AD C ) 1492 D ) 1507

D

At oceanic spreading centers the crustal plates are ____. A ) sinking B ) converging and sinking C ) converging and forming a ridge D ) being formed and spreading apart

D

Earth holds the solar system record as the _____ planet. A ) warmest B ) coldest C ) driest D ) wettest

D

In the deep, dark sea, _____ is very important for communication. A ) sonar B ) sound C ) chemosynthesis D ) bioluminescence

D

In the middle of the southern Pacific, where there is little biologic activity, we would expect to find mostly _____ sediments, like manganese nodules. A ) biogenous B ) cosmogenous C ) terrigenous D ) hydrogenous or chemical

D

The continental rise is formed by _____ moving down the slope or through submarine canyons. A ) tidal currents B ) fast moving tsunami C ) volcanic magma D ) sediments

D

The origin of the most abundant marine sediments is ______. A ) space B ) dead organisms C ) chemical precipitation D ) land

D

The vast majority of earthquakes occur _____. A ) at mid-plate B ) at the end of island chains C ) in deep sediments on the seafloor D ) at plate boundaries

D

There's an extremely active boundary in East Africa, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, where the continent is literally being torn apart. It is a _____ boundary. A ) transform B ) convergent C ) subduction D ) divergent

D

Wegener's idea was that all the Earth's landmasses had once been a _____ called _____. A ) series of islands, Gowannaland B ) single point, a singularity C ) submerged seafloor, Gaia D ) supercontinent, Pangea

D

What caused the depletion of iron from the oceans 2 billion years ago? A ) a meteor impact B ) drastic temperature change C ) growth of plankton D ) oxygen production by plants

D