ESCI 1006 Final Exam
the North Atlantic gyre owes its origin and existence to water "piled up" by the effect of ekman transport and thee following wind systems: a. the westerly and Northeast trade winds b. the southeast trade winds and northwest trade winds c. the polar easterlies and katabatic winds to the south d. the easterly and westerly wind systems
a. the westerly and Northeast trade winds
the integrated ocean drilling project recovers sediment cores from throughout the world'd ocean. studios of the recovered cores have been particularly useful for: a. understanding the causes and consequences of past climate events on earth b. determining how temperature in the deep ocean affects formation of deep currents and ocean circulation patterns c. age dating at the volcanically active mid-ocean ridges d. investigating the cause of volcanic eruptions associated with transform faulting in California
a. understanding the causes and consequences of past climate events on earth
which of the following is a good example of an erosion dominated coastline of the u.s.? a. west coast b. southeast Atlantic coast c. gulf coast
a. west coast
the depth of an ocean wave with a wave length of 20 meters to act as a "deep water" wave is: a. 100 m b. 10 m c. 25 m d. 5 m
b. 10 m
in class, we discussed residence time of water in the various reservoirs on Earth (atmosphere, ocean, etc...). residence time calculations necessarily involve the assumption of "steady state"; that is the input into the reservoir = the output from the reservoir. for example, if the amount (size) of a particular reservoir is 1000 grams of component "A" and the rate of inout or output is 20 grams component "A"/year, what would be the residence time of component "A" at a steady state?: a. 0.02 years b. 50 years c 0.02 grams/year d. 50 grams
b. 50 years
the speed of sound through seawater is about 1,500 meters per second. If it takes 6.66 seconds for an image of the bottom to appear on a monitor back on-board the ship, about how deep is the seafloor? a. 300 m b. 5000 m c. 1000 m d. 4000 m
b. 5000 m
the figure below illustrates two-body systems, similar to the earth and its moon. in which system is the gravitational force between two bodies the greatest? a. A b. B c. C d. D
b. B
the North Atlantic gyre is a seawater circulation pattern in which the water "pile" may reach as high as 6 feet above a reference base. the "hill" of water exists owing to balance between: a. southeast trade winds and northeast trade winds b. Coriolis and pressure gradient forces c. easterly winds at latitude of 30 degrees N and upwelling of dense salty water from the Mediterranean Sea d. the westerly winds, which produce salty surface water, and upwelling of more salty Atlantic deep water e. none of the above are correct
b. Coriolis and pressure gradient forces
the Gulf Stream is an example of: a. a cold water current in the Gulf of Mexico b. a western boundary current in The Atlantic ocean c. a western boundary current in the pacific ocean d. an eastern boundary current in the southern hemisphere
b. a western boundary current in The Atlantic ocean
a site in the global ocean characterized by a largely linear upwelling zone owing to the effects of surface wind flow and divergence of underlying ocean water is located at: a. the northern margin of the North Atlantic gyre b. all along the equator c. along the western boundary current in The Atlantic d. in the very center of thee ocean at 30 degrees N latitude
b. all along the equator
the figure below shows the change in seawater salinity for a portion of the ocean over a recent thirty year period. The apparent increase in saltiness of the surface equatorial ocean together with the freshening of the polar oceans, strongly suggest: a. an increase in coastal recharge at thee expense of the equatorial region where little land area exists b. an increase in the earths heat driven cycle of evaporation and precipitation c. a decrease in the earths heat driven cycle of precipitation and evaporation d. an important decrease in thermohaline circulation, causing the pooling of salty equatorial water
b. an increase in the earths heat driven cycle of evaporation and precipitation
sediment that accounts for approximately 55% of the total area of the ocean floor: a. terrigenous b. biogenous c. hydrogenous d. cosmogenous
b. biogenous
magnetic measurements of the ocean crust have been particularly helpful in establishing seafloor spreading as the guiding principle for the formation and age of the seafloor and apparent movement of the continents over time. the earth's magnetic field is imprinted on basaltic ocean crust after melting and subsequent cooling (crystallization). what is the origin of the earth's magnetic field?: a. convection in the asthenosphere b. conviction in the liquid outer core of the earth c. convection of the solid, Fe rich inner core of the earth d. convection in the lower mantle of the earth
b. conviction in the liquid outer core of the earth
also depicted on the figure above, why does there appear to be no deep earthquakes (>70km) at divergent boundaries?: a. divergent boundaries feature areas of strong magnetic fields, which interfere with formation of deep earthquakes b. divergent boundaries feature areas of shallow tensional stress and melting at depth, which is conductive for deep earthquakes c. divergent boundaries feature transform faults that are too deep to rupture therefore, only shallow earthquakes occur d. divergence is inherently aseismic
b. divergent boundaries feature areas of shallow tensional stress and melting at depth, which is conductive for deep earthquakes
polar water masses from the surface to depths on the order of 1000 meter clearly lack a well-developed thermocline owing to surface cooling. In the absence of the thermocline these waters must also lack a pycnocline. a. true b. false
b. false
Nansen's polar explorations took place from about 1893-1896. his objective was to be the first to the North Pole. The strategy he used was to float with sea ice by wind driven ocean currents to achieve his goal. he did not accomplish this, but he did make a famous discovery, which was: a. he discovered the thermocline, a major discovery at the time b. he discovered the Coriolis effect, from the movement of the ocean currents relative to wind direction c. he discovered new structural designs for ships d. he suggested using skis instead of dogs for Antartica exploration
b. he discovered the Coriolis effect, from the movement of the ocean currents relative to wind direction
the tidal bulge on the side of the earth opposite the moon is caused by: a. gravitational attraction of the sun being greater than that of the moon b. inertia forces exceeding gravitational forces c. gravitational forces exceeding inertia d. the equality between inertia and gravity
b. inertia forces exceeding gravitational forces
the figure below depicts erosion of mountains and the response of the underlying asthenosphere to the loss of load. the same thing would happen to land surface covered by large ice sheets as was the case in Minnesota. this response can be best described as...: a. gravitational attraction b. isostatic readjustment c. weathering d. subduction e. a and b are correct
b. isostatic readjustment
with all else being equal, an increase in sea level will cause a barrier island coast line to move: a. seaward b. landward
b. landward
how have parts of Florida's coast been stabilized? a. fringing reefs b. mangroves c. barrier reefs d. atolls
b. mangroves
wind patterns that can cause much rain and change with the seasons are best known as _______ a. gyres b. monsoons c. inter tropical convergence zones d. inversions
b. monsoons
the buildup of plastic debris is becoming an increasing problem in the world's ocean. where might this be particularly obvious owing to oceanographic factors? a. subduction zones b. oceanic gyres c. el nino circulation systems d. very near the Peru Chile trench e. all of the above because of the non-biodegradable nature of plastic
b. oceanic gyres
The asthenosphere is located within the upper mantle at a depth of between 4 and 200 km below the surface of the earth. an important characteristic of the asthenosphere is its: a. unique chemical composition b. relatively high density, but liquid like properties c. high temperature compared with other earth units d. strong and somewhat rigid properties
b. relatively high density, but liquid like properties
the image below is a trace of a beach profile. the thick solid line depicts the present position of thee beach, while the underlying dash lines indicate the beach face at earlier positions in time. what seasonal beach is this? a. winter b. summer c. cannot tell because we are not provided information on sediment grain size or fetch
b. summer
the seismic wave that is known to cause the greatest damage in the aftermath of an earthquake is: a. p wave, because of its early arrival and compressive forces b. surface wave, owing to its relatively great amplitude and duration c. S wave, because of the shear wave action d. a and b are both correct
b. surface wave, owing to its relatively great amplitude and duration
the use of dispersants as a strategy to lessen or mitigate oil spills in the marine environment is being questioned, as noted in class, owing to research that shows that it lightly affects: a. the migration patterns of shorebirds b. the DNA of whales impacted by this c. the productivity of crustaceans living on the seafloor d. the air quality in coastal communities
b. the DNA of whales impacted by this
discoveries in ocean exploration, especially over the last century, have resulted largely from: a. increased awareness in the size and extent of the world oceans b. the availability of "enabling technologies" c. global climate change d. nutrient and mineral possessing foods (especially fish)
b. the availability of "enabling technologies"
supposes there are two hurricanes. a smaller hurricane at 10 degrees and a large hurricane at 25 degrees. which one has greater rotational energy, and potentially is the stronger hurricane? a. the smaller hurricane nearer the equator with its heat energy b. the bigger hurricane c. cannot tell without knowing the hemisphere in which the hurricanes are situated
b. the bigger hurricane
looking at the "ocean surface temperatures" portion of the above graph, what might be a reasonable explanation for the for the relatively modest temperatures range in the southern hemisphere from febuary (summer) to august (winter)?: a. the cloud cover in the southern hemisphere limits heating and cooling effects b. the effectiveness of water to buffer (maintain) temperature owing to its high head capacity c. the well-known abundance of salty ocean currents in that area of the world d. destruction of the ozone layer
b. the effectiveness of water to buffer (maintain) temperature owing to its high head capacity
the CCD (carbonate compensation depth) where the rate of dissolution of carbonated sediments noticeably increases, is chiefly caused by: a. decreasing temperature of near surface seawater b. the increasing pressure and acidity of seawater at depth c. the increasing dissolved oxygen content due to respiration d. venting of high temperature and deep fluids near spreading centers
b. the increasing pressure and acidity of seawater at depth
as discussed in class, a contributing factor to the large and potentially dangerous tide range that exists on the normandy coast at mount st. Michael is: a. the very high winds that occur here in sync with tidal signal b. the location on a bay off thee English channel, which can act as a funnel for incoming tide waves c. the location on a river, which adds water increasing the tidal range d. the unique sun induced gravitational effects that effect this region of France
b. the location on a bay off thee English channel, which can act as a funnel for incoming tide waves
the uptake of CO2 by the global ocean induces fundamental changes in seawater chemistry that could have a dramatic impact on biological ecosystems in the ocean. what evidence exists that this is actually occurring?: a. the oceans are getting dramatically saltier b. the oceans are getting more acidic, with negative effects on some sea life c. the oceans are getting slightly cooler in keeping with theoretical models d. sea level is decreasing
b. the oceans are getting more acidic, with negative effects on some sea life
all of the following are true of magnetic measurements of the ocean crust, except: a. ocean crust provides evidence that the earth's magnetic field has reversed from time to time b. the pattern of magnetism provides evidence that thee earth's magnetic field flips slowly and incompletely c. magnetic measurements of ocean crust indicate the crust generally is older away from divergent plate boundaries d. the rate of seafloor spreading can be deducted from magnetic measurements of the ocean crust
b. the pattern of magnetism provides evidence that thee earth's magnetic field flips slowly and incompletely
the lack or water on the planet Venus is best explained by: a. the relatively small size of the planet b. the relatively high temperature of the surface of the planet c. the water poor consumption of the materials from which the planet first formed d. the low molecular weight of water, which caused water to form minerals, removing it from the atmosphere
b. the relatively high temperature of the surface of the planet
seawater is denser than freshwater. a ship moving from The Atlantic into the great lakes goes from seawater to freshwater. what will happen?: a. the ship will float higher in the freshwater b. the ship will sink lower in the freshwater c. the ship will increase speed d. nothing can happen because the density differences are so minor
b. the ship will sink lower in the freshwater
the 1929 earthquake that impacted the Georgia banks area of Nova Scotia, Canada provided the first clear evidence of: a. how fishing activity can be influenced by seismic activity b. the speed of turbidity current movement c. the speed of surface wave propagation d. the speed of p wave propagation
b. the speed of turbidity current movement
manganese nodules are spherical accumulations of manganese, a valuable commodity for industrial applications. all are characteristics of these interesting hydrogenous deposits except....: a. a sharks tooth often serves as a "seed' in the center around which growth occurs b. they tend to accumulate in deep sediments of The Atlantic Ocean, but are not found in the Pacific Ocean sediments c. they tend to grow as much as one thousand times slower than surrounding sedimentation rate d. all of the above
b. they tend to accumulate in deep sediments of The Atlantic Ocean, but are not found in the Pacific Ocean sediments
in the earth's oceans, what accounts for thee greatest proportion of total wave energy? a. tidal waves b. wind waves c. tsunamis d. seiche waves
b. wind waves
it was noted in class that global ocean circulation involves linked surfaces and deep water flow, with an initial source region in the North Atlantic Ocean to a point of upwelling in the North Pacific Ocean. approximately what is the time required for ocean water to complete this journey? a. 200 years b. 2000 years c. 1200 years d. 12,000 years e. 50 years
c. 1200 years
the age of the Earth is: a. 4.56 million years b. 3.5 billion years c. 4.56 billion years d. 14 billion years
c. 4.56 billion years
your semester at sea take an unexpected turn when the ship's captain decides to teach you a lesson by throwing all the navigation equipment overboard. Thankfully, your mom purchased you a nice chronometer wristwatch when you graduated high school in Greenwich, England. Always wanting to know when it's a good time to call mum, one of your many dials says that it is 3:30 pm back in Greenwich while it is exactly 12:00 pm on the boat. You therefore are able to tell the captain your longitude is: a. 37.5 W b. 45.5 E c. 52.5 W d. 60.5 E
c. 52.5 W
in the Roman transport model, not transport of the water column depth of about 100 meters occurs in a direction _______ from the principle wind direction a. 30 degrees b. 45 degrees c. 90 degrees d. 180 degrees e. none of the above
c. 90 degrees
the diagram below is a tidal record from the Philippines showing daily variability for July. the letters identify tidal ranges on a given day. from your knowledge of tidal systems, which letters (days) indicate spring tide conditions a. A and B are spring tides b. B and D are spring tides c. A and C are spring tides d. C and D are spring tides
c. A and C are spring tides
the figure below depicts how the changing position of the moon relative to the earth (as the moon orbits the earth) can produce tidal variability, often referred to as mixed tides. sometimes the moon is below the equator, sometimes above, as the illustration below shows where the moon is overhead of a location in the northern hemisphere (indicated by the solid symbol). during one tidal day, what is the correct tidal sequence to be expected at this location inferred from the image? H = high tide; L = low tide; LH = lower high; LL = lower low a. LH-LH-L-H b. L-H-L-H c. H-L-LH-L d. LH-LH-LH-H
c. H-L-LH-L
all of the following are true of divergent plate boundaries except: a. volcanically active b. characterized by magnetic strips of similar age on either side of the spreading center c. all spread at the same rate d. most are associated with hydrothermal venting
c. all spread at the same rate
there can be no question from the uneven solar heating on earth, heat flows from the equatorial region to the polar regions. what is the dominant heat transfer process?: a. melting and thawing of polar ice sheets b. warm ocean currents moving north and south c. atmospheric circulation of water vapor d. upwelling in the north and south polar regions
c. atmospheric circulation of water vapor
by catch is a term introduced in class to describe marine animals unintentionally killed or discarded while collecting desirable organisms. the type of fishing that is characterized by particularly high by-kill and also very significant habitat and ecosystem destruction is: a. long line with hooks b. whaling c. bottom trawling
c. bottom trawling
a process in the deep ocean in which two water masses with the same density, when mixed together, produce a different water mass with greater density, is known as: a. down-welling b. up-welling c. caballing d. refractive mixing e. inversion
c. caballing
which extreme environment may have favored the origin of life on earth and is presently the home of the Alvinella worm?: a. polar sea ice b. estuarine bays c. deep sea hydrothermal vents d. dry mountain outcrops e. rainforest sediments
c. deep sea hydrothermal vents
what maintains a forced wave? a. wavelength b. wind c. disturbing force d. restoring force
c. disturbing force
hurricanes, of course, create great devastation from their fierce winds, but also because of storm surges (wind driven local sea level increase) as the hurricanes approach shore. Assuming a hurricane in thee northern hemisphere is moving north at a constant speed, thee greatest destruction from a storm surge will occur at which general direction relative to the storm center? a. south b. west c. east d. north
c. east
in the Ballard video shown in class, Ballard makes a very strong case for: a. expansion of exploration of deep space looking for ocean worlds b. cessation of deep sea fishing by trawlers c. exploration of the earth's ocean d. the need for safe and more effective whaling methods
c. exploration of the earth's ocean
the diagram immediately below illustrates ________, an energy source common to many stars: a. accretion b. condensation c. fusion d. fission e. isotope molecular resorption
c. fusion
perhaps the best evidence that a marine sedimentary unit was deposited by a turbidity current is the existence of: a. nearby convergent plate boundaries b. nearby divergent plate boundaries c. graded bedding d. the ubiquitous presence of biogenous components in the sediment
c. graded bedding
in the figure above, the face that the slope of line F-C is lower than that of line D-E illustrates that ice _____ than water. a. is less dense b. is more dense c. has a lower heat capacity d. has a higher heat capacity e. b and d
c. has a lower heat capacity
which of the following sea level factors are not eustatic changes? a. changes in ocean basins b. varying volumes of water in ocean basins due to glacial cycles c. near-coast tectonic effects d.water volume changes due to temperature variations
c. near-coast tectonic effects
________ are substances that are dissolved in seawater having short residence times, and are often tied to biological cycles. these components often change greatly in concentration with ocean depth a. conservation constituents b. radical constituents c. nonconservative constituents d. nonracial constituents
c. nonconservative constituents
the compositional changes and change in temperature with depth depicted in the figure above could be explained by: a. typical ocean condition for a gyre in the southern hemisphere b. el nino event c. normal ocean condition in the Eastern Pacific Ocean near peru d. all of the above
c. normal ocean condition in the Eastern Pacific Ocean near peru
in satellite alimentry, submarine mountains or ridges on the sea floor appears as_________ and seafloor trenches as ________: a. sea surface depressions; sea surface bulges b. sea surface depressions; sea surface depressions c. sea surface bulges; sea surface depressions d. sea surface bulges; sea surface bulges
c. sea surface bulges; sea surface depressions
the figure below depicts a continental margin that might be located: a. seaward of the Hudson canyon continental shelf b. on the Gulf of Mexico, seaward of the Mississippi river c. seaward of the west coast of north america d. seaward of the coast of florida e. seaward of the state of georgia
c. seaward of the west coast of north america
All of the heavy elements (gold, mercury and the like) in materials in our solar system and likely elsewhere in the universe are derived from: a. big bang b. moon forming events c. supernova events d. all of the above e. normal processes in stars like our sun
c. supernova events
deep ocean water masses are best recognizable by: a. pH and alkalinity b. dissolved bicarbonate and chloride c. temperature and salinity d. chlorophyll and direction of circulation
c. temperature and salinity
The cruise of the HMS Challenger is credited with all of the following, except: a. the first systematic plot of currents and temperatures in the ocean b. a map of bottom deposits that has not been changed much by Moree recent studies c. testing the performance of the Harrison clock needed for thee determination of longitude d. an outline of the main contours of the ocean basins, incorporating the discovery of the mid-atlantic ridge and the then record 26,000 feet (8,200 meters) Chalenger Deep in the Mariana Trench
c. testing the performance of the Harrison clock needed for thee determination of longitude
continental drift was an early idea proposed by Alfred Werner to potentially account for the apparent migration of continents across the surface of the earth. the major piece of evidence in support of this idea was: a. the magnetic stripes at mid-ocean rides b. the formation of the Himalaya mountains in asia c. the "jig saw" fit of south america with Africa d. the magnetic strips in continental interiors
c. the "jig saw" fit of south america with Africa
in class we used the figure above to emphasize that three different atmospheres existed during the past (~4.4 billion years) of Earth history. What explains the dramatic decrease in CO2 starting at about 4.3 billion years? a. oxygen was outgassed as the Earth began to cool, which caused CO2 to escape from the earth completely, owing to similar escape velocities for CO2 and O2 b. rain became very acidic and the dissolution of minerals on the Earth's surface consumed CO2 c. the Earth cooled to a point necessary for formation of a liquid ocean, which then could trap CO2 from the atmosphere d. solar radiation began to increase ~4.4 billion years ago, which resulted in the conversion of atmosphere carbon dioxide into oxygen and graphite
c. the Earth cooled to a point necessary for formation of a liquid ocean, which then could trap CO2 from the atmosphere
barrier island development tends to be favored by all of the following, except: a. low tidal range b. biological activity c. the complete lack of a continental shelf d. abundant sediment sources
c. the complete lack of a continental shelf
in class, we noted that San Francisco, California and Norfolk, Virginia are at about the same latitude, yet San Francisco is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. this phenomena is an excellent example of: a. local heating induced by monsoonal effects on thee west coast of the u.s. b. the effect of sensible as opposed to non-sensible heating in Norfolk, Va c. the effect of thermal inertia d. evaporative cooling effects at both geographic locations
c. the effect of thermal inertia
there are five geostrophic gyres recognized in the global ocean. a commonalty of all is: a. the unusually cold water that characterizes the gyre core b. the fact that all are associated with current flow that moves water clockwise c. the fact that all are in balance with Coriolis and pressure balance forces d. all are associated with cold-warm water currents
c. the fact that all are in balance with Coriolis and pressure balance forces
The total mass of water in the ocean reservoir is 1.4 x 10^21 kg. if 6.72 x 10^17 kg of ocean water evaporates from the surface of the oceans every year, what is the residence time of water in the oceans? a. 416 years b. 4166 years c. 208.3 years d. 2083 years 4.16 x 10^6 years
d. 2083 years
which of the following planets or moons of planets reveal evidence of liquid water at some point in their history?: a. Europa b. Mars c. Pluto d. Both "a" and "b" are correct
d. Both "a" and "b" are correct
the figure above illustrates the buffering capacity of seawater, because the pH appears to be resisting change as acid (HCI) is added to the system. The buffer appears to be exhausted once ~3 moles of acid (HCI) has been added to the system. this must bee because all of the ________ in the solution has been converted to H2CO3 (carbonic acid). a. CO2 (carbon dioxide) b. CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) c. O2 (oxygen) d. HCO3- (bicarbonate) e. Cl- (chloride)
d. HCO3- (bicarbonate)
The S wave shadow zone is relatively wide, approximately 103 degrees on either side of the earth from an earthquake focus. the reason for this is: a. one of the layers of the earth is too dense to be penetrated by S waves b. the Fe rich composition of upper mantle is simply too high to permit S wave propagation c. seismic methods are not well suited to detect S waves at an angle beyond 103 degrees d. S waves cannot pass through the liquid outer layer of the earth's core
d. S waves cannot pass through the liquid outer layer of the earth's core
The process by which Earth's composition became stratified by density required substantial amounts of heat that were likely generated from: a. compression/gravity b. kinetic energy due to collisions c. radioactive decay d. all of the above e. choices "b" and "c" only
d. all of the above
where did Earth's water come from?: a. the Earth inherited water from H20 rich comets, especially during the early stage of the Earth formation b. the impact of an ice covered body formed the Earth's moon and its water condensed on Earth due to cooling by compression c. gases (including water vapor) were released from the Earth's interior by the process of outgassing during differentiation d. both "a" and "c" are correct
d. both "a" and "c" are correct
as a result of western intensification, Eastern boundary currents in The Atlantic Ocean (northern hemisphere) tend to be ______ than western boundary currents a. colder, deeper, and wider b. warmer, deeper and more narrow c. warmer, more shallow, and wider d. colder, more shallow, and wider e. none of the above
d. colder, more shallow, and wid
the image below shows the change in the position of barrier islands off the coast of Maryland over approximately 70 years from 1849 to 1980. There is a noteworthy landward migration of the barrier island south of the ocean city inlet. the likely cause of the migration can be attributed to....... a. the well-known change in direction of longshore current from south to north b. the well-known change in direction of longshore current from north to south c. the well-known decrease in sea level d. construction of the ocean city inlet, which disrupted sediment transport e. dredging of the lagoon landward of the barrier island segment, south of the ocean city inlet
d. construction of the ocean city inlet, which disrupted sediment transport
seawater's density increases with both_______ a. increasing salinity and increasing temperature b. increasing temperature and decreasing salinity c. decreasing salinity and decreasing temperature d. increasing salinity and decreasing temperature
d. increasing salinity and decreasing temperature
all of the following are attributes of North Atlantic deep water formation, except: a. the water mass has a well defined temperature and salinity characteristics b. the earliest stage of water mass formation is characterized by release of heat to areas around Europe, becoming colder and denser c. addition of salty water from mediterranean outflow plays a role in maintaining the southerly motion of the water mass d. katabatibc winds are key to water mass initialization and stability
d. katabatibc winds are key to water mass initialization and stability
if a parcel of dry air and a parcel of air containing water vapor are at thee same temperature, the one which contains water vapor will be _______ than the dry air mass. a. more susceptible to the Coriolis effect b. less susceptible to the Coriolis effect c. more dense d. less dense e. b and c
d. less dense
the depth profiles of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the figure above can best be explained by _______ in the upper 1000 m and ______ below 1000 m a. bufferring, mineral precipitation b. mineral precipitation, buffering c. respiration, photosynthesis d. photosynthesis, respiration e. none of the above
d. photosynthesis, respiration
the figure above depicts which type of plate boundary? a. convergent b. divergent c. continental-continental d. transform
d. transform
as discussed at length in class, sea level has been increasing on earth since the last glacial maximum, approximately 20,000 years ago, where sea level was approximately 130 meters lower than today. although the rate of increase has slowed owing to changes in thee amount of ice remaining on earth, the modern trend is still increasing at about 3.26 mm/year. owing to climate change (earth warming), the most conservative models indicate that by 2100, sea level increase will range from _______ relative to today? a. 1-2 meters b. 2-4 meters c. 60-120 centimeters d. 2-20 centimeters e. 20-60 centimeters
e. 20-60 centimeters
all dating shames that are presently used to determine the absolute age of Earth material involve the decay or breakdown of an unstable parent element to a more stable daughter element. The time it takes for half of the original parent material to be converted to daughter material is referred to as the half-life. Assuming a given parent/daughter dating scheme has a half-life of 2,000 years, what would bee the age of an object where only 12.5% of thee parent remained? a. 100,000 yrs b. 50,000 yrs c. 25,000 yrs d. 15,000 yrs e. 6,000 yrs
e. 6,000 yrs
ocean waves moving across the ocean surface are significantly affected by all of the following except: a. wind speed b. wind duration c. fetch d. interference with land masses e. Coriolis effect
e. Coriolis effect
atmospheric circulation on the earth is a result of _______. a. thermohaline circulation b. uneven solar heating c. gyres d. the earth's rotation e. b and d
e. b and d
formation of antarctic deep and bottom water is ultimately caused by: a. mixing of mediterranean water with North Atlantic intermediate water moving south b. mixing of North Atlantic surface water with the melt of water from glaciers near antarctic c. the effect of katabatibc winds that chill surface seawater d. ice formation that makes surface seawater very dense e. c and d are both correct
e. c and d are both correct
which is false about how a rocket launched from the South Pole to the equator will travel? a. the rocket will veer to the right relative to the direction of motion b. the slower the speed of the rocket, the less it will veer c. the faster the rotation of earth, thee more the rocket will veer d. thee rocket will feel the Coriolis force less and less, as it gets closer to the equator e. none of the above
a. the rocket will veer to the right relative to the direction of motion
assuming an average ocean depth of 4,000 meters, approximately how much advanced warning could there be of a tsunami in Hawaii following a large earthquake in off shore of Alaska, 4000 km away? a. 5.6 hours b. 12.5 hours c. 17.6 hours d. impossible to tell without knowing fetch and wind speed
a. 5.6 hours
a tide wave moves at or near the speed of thee earth rotation (1600 km/hr). how deep would the ocean need to be to allow these waves to move freely? a. approximately 20 km b. 1000 km c. approximately 10 km d. 6 km e. 1 km
a. approximately 20 km
what is the wavelength of a deep water wind wave that has a wave period of 12 seconds? a. approximately 225 meters b. approximately 351 meters c. approximately 400 meters d. approximately 154 meters
a. approximately 225 meters
the latent heat of fusion is the heat removed from a liquid during freezing (or added during thawing) that produces ______. a. change of state but not a change in temperature b. change in temperature but not a change of state c. change of density and a change in temperature d. change in temperature but not a change of state and density
a. change of state but not a change in temperature
It is now clear that plate tectonics and seafloor spreading is largely driven by: a. convection in the earth's mantle b. heat conduction from the outer core of the earth c. transform faulting d. continental convergence
a. convection in the earth's mantle
a measure of the heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree C is ________. a. heat capacity b. calories c. temperature proxy d. latent heat
a. heat capacity
__________ in water allows H2O molecules to be cohesive, resulting in surface tension. a. hydrogen bonding b. neutrality c. carbon dioxide d. atomic bonding e. a and c
a. hydrogen bonding
each of the following represent well known processes that significantly affect ocean chemistry. which do you think is more likely to be the most important and well-studied at the university of Minnesota because of the interests of your professor? a. hydrothermal venting b. biological processes c. absorption reactions d. river runoff e. all of the above
a. hydrothermal venting
Benioff zone is a planar zone of seismicity (earthquakes) corresponding to the down-going slab in a subduction zone. differential motion along the zone produces numerous earthquakes. where might such a zone be located in the figure above?: a. near the country of Chile shoreward of the famous nazca plate boundary b. in the central Atlantic Ocean, owing to the nature of submarine magmatic activity and earthquake potential at that location c. in central australia, which is characterized by recent tectonic plate activity consistent with continental drift d. along the California coast where the well known San Andreas fault is located
a. near the country of Chile shoreward of the famous nazca plate boundary
the Hudson submarine canyon extends out seaward from the Hudson River (New York). how could the canyon be such an obvious and exact extension of the present Hudson River? a. sea level must have been much lower in the past, likely due to formation of large ice sheets b. the east coast of the United States is an active continental margin and the previous subduction related processes allowed this to occur c. the noteworthy position of the Hudson seamount accounts best for this d. the east coast of the United States is a transform plate boundary and as such the land surface has elevated due to isostatic rebound in the last 20,000 years, permitting the Hudson River to advance seaward
a. sea level must have been much lower in the past, likely due to formation of large ice sheets
the island of Japan in the western pacific is frequented by numerous shallow and deep earthquakes and volcanic activity. this is largely the result of: a. the associated convergent plate boundary b. the nuclear power plants that are used to generate electricity and produce noteworthy heating effects c. the divergent plate boundary seaward of japan d. the basaltic composition of rocks on japan, which are prone to melting and seismic activity
a. the associated convergent plate boundary
the SOFAR channel is a region in the ocean located at ~1000m depth, where the sound velocity is at a minimum yet sound is able to travel great distances. This sound channel is thought to allow whales to communicate over great distances. the focusing of sound at the SOFAR depth is primarily caused by: a. the effect of sound wave refraction as a function of temperature and pressure b. the effect of light penetration to 1000 meters, which lowers temperature slightly facilitating sound wave migration c. the change in density of seawater at exactly 1000 meters d. the change in pH at 1000 meters changes the content of CO2(g), which facilitates sound propagation
a. the effect of sound wave refraction as a function of temperature and pressure
what created Earth's moon?: a. the expulsion of largely rocky crust and mantle from Earth after a collision with a planetary body, perhaps the size of Mars, which them recombined to orbit the Earth b. the initial Big Bang expansion event c. "gravitational trapping" of a large asteroid just 30 million years after Earth formation d. the collision between two older moons, which once occupied the same Earth orbit
a. the expulsion of largely rocky crust and mantle from Earth after a collision with a planetary body, perhaps the size of Mars, which them recombined to orbit the Earth
