Study Questions

. If the coriolis effect causes the clockwise deflection of moving objects in the Northern Hemisphere, why does air rotate counterclockwise around zones of low pressure in that hemisphere?

...

Where did earth's heavy elements come from?

All elements heavier than iron came from supernovas, exploding stars. When the universe began there was only hydrogen, helium and small amounts of lithium. All elements heavier than that were created in the core of stars where there is an extremely high amount of pressure.

What factors influence the density of seawater?

Density of seawater is result of two factors: depth, that is, the deeper water is more dense than water at shallower levels; and temperature - water at higher temperatures is less dense than cooler water. Salinity is also a factor of density because the higher the salinity, the more dense the water.

Imagine a tectonic plate moving westward. What geological effects would you expect to see on its northern edge? Western edge? Eastern edge?

Density of water decreases when it becomes ice because of the crystalline structure

What biological evidence supports plate tectonics theory?

Fossil records are similar between South America and Africa indicates that plate tectonics really existed. Also, the shapes of the continents look as if they were all one mass at one point.

Where did earth's surface water come from?

From comets that struck earth's surface and then disintegrated into the ice that they are composed of or from beneath the earth's surface through hydrothermal vents.

Where did the water of the ocean come from?

Go ahead, try the "long version" starting with the stars. Two major theories include the Comet theory, in which during a period of many comet impacts to Earth, (comets are composed of ice) the comets left large reservoirs of water on the surface. More likely, however, volcanism formed most of the lakes because in the early stages of Earth's forming the lighter elements were pushed to the surface through vents.

Describe the mechanism that powers the movement of the lithospheric plates

Plate movement is thought to be driven by a combination of the motion of the seafloor away from the spreading ridge (due to variations in topography and density of the crust, which result in differences in gravitational forces) and drag, downward suction at the subduction zones. Another explanation lies in the different forces generated by the rotation of the globe and the tidal forces of the Sun and the Moon.

How does refraction permit sound to be transmitted in the ocean for thousands of miles?

Refraction tends to cause sound energy to remain in its layer, making the transmission of sound very efficient, even in low velocity layers. Sound waves escaping move into the high velocity layer and travel even faster.

What causes El Nino? How does an El Nino situation differ from normal current flow? What are the usual consequences of El Nino?

Stronger or weaker reverse trade winds. Abnormally warm water in the eastern Pacific, & Excessive rain and flooding in the eastern Pacific. (Cali coasts) Primary effects include temperature changes, precipitation changes, storm intensity, and alteration of currents. Also may cause fires, drought and flooding.

Would the most violent earthquakes be associated with spreading centers or with subduction zones? Why?

Subduction zones because the plates would slide under each other, hitting the mantle causing the magma to erupt, causing a volcano.

How does the rotation of earth affect the resulting circulation?

The eastward rotation of Earth deflects the moving air away from its initial course. This deflection is called the Coriolis effect.

What was the earthly origin of the sodium and chloride ions in common table salt?

The sodium and chlorine comes from rocks and minerals (halite) decomposed by normal weathering processes, especially in the oceans. The ocean is the largest reservoir of NaCl (sodium chloride)

Where are the youngest rocks in the ocean crust? The oldest? Why?

The youngest rocks in the ocean crust can be found in the mid-oceanic ridge. This is the area in which there is new crust formation. Oldest rocks are found on the continental crust and in the west Pacific and north-west Atlantic oceans.

How does the atmosphere respond to uneven solar heating?

Uneven solar heating results in large-scale atmospheric circulation.

What is the role of ocean currents in the transport of heat? How can ocean currents affect climate? Contrast the climate of a mid-latitude coastal city at a western ocean boundary with a mid-latitude coastal city at an eastern ocean boundary.

Warm currents from equatorial seas transport heat to seacoasts around the world, as do cold currents from polar areas. Ocean currents determine the climate of continents .For example, the Gulf Stream makes northwest Europe much more temperate than any other region in the same latitude. Eastern and Western coasts differ because currents move in a clockwise motion so on the west coast cold currents are being moved down from the polar regions while on the east warm current are being moved upward along the coast from the tropic zone. (See diagram)

How can a rogue wave be larger than the theoretical maximum height of waves in a fully developed sea?

When certain conditions exist in ocean currents (speed, direction), tidal forces (direction,speed,height) and wind, high/low pressure fronts join, and wavefronts intersect in an angular way to form a new wave that is of enormous size and height because the two previous waves reinforced each other.