Oceanography Exam 3

Which of the following is NOT an eastern boundary current?

Gulf Stream

which ocean surface currents transports the greatest volume of water?

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current

Which of the following has the biggest tidal range (high-water to low-water difference)?

The Bay of Fundy, Canada

How is Antarctic Bottom Water formed?

The formation of brine

Deep water waves change to shallow water waves as they approach the shore?

True

The North Atlantic Gyre is composed of the Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic Current, the Canary current, and the North Equatorial Current?

True

The Eastern Australian Current (EAC) is an example of a _____ boundary current?

Western

A system of four currents completing a flow circuit around the periphery of an ocean basin is collectively called

a gyre

An amphidromic point is?

a no-tide zone

Rogue waves are best described as?

a single massive wave that develops in the open ocean

A transverse current is

a surface current that connects eastern-boundary and western-boundary currents

The ultimate height of a wind wave will depend on?

all of the above

A non-tide point in an ocean is known as a ____. About a dozen of these exist in the world's oceans.

amphidromic point

Where does 80% of the garbage in the North Pacific Garbage Patch come from?

land

A ____ tide is a tide influenced by the weather?

meteorological

A ____ tide is a tidal pattern of significantly different heights throughout the day?

mixed

The tidal pattern characteristic of the west coast of the united states?

mixed tides

Which body has the greatest influence on ocean tides?

moon

Tides occurring when the Earth, moon, and sun align in right angles are known as?

neap tides

Waves tend to be parallel to the shore when they break due to the process of?

refraction

Waves are created by disturbing forces and are flattened by ____ forces

restoring

The period of wind waves is usually expressed in?

seconds

A ____ tide is characterized by occurring twice in one lunar day with two high tides and two low tides?

semidiurnal

The Canary current is an example of a(n)

shallow, cold water current

The area that is midway between high and low tides and where there is no tide-induced current activity is known as?

slackwater

North Atlantic Deep Water generally moves ____ than the surface currents above, and flows in ____ direction as the gulf stream

slower; the opposite

The type of tide associated with the full moon and new moons are?

spring tides

An abrupt bulge of water driven on shore by a tropical cyclone is known as a?

stormsurge

Which of the following bodies is the largest?

sun

The primary force that causes tides in the sea are?

the gravitational attraction of the moon and the sun

Which of the following statements about meteorological tides is INCORRECT?

the meteorological tides occur along the meteorological equator

When a tsunami reaches shore?

the wave height is increased by entry into shallow water

The distance measured from trough to trough of a wave is?

the wavelength

As wind waves move out of a storm area?

the waves are sorted by velocity and form the swell

Which of the following is a TRUE tidal wave?

tidal bore

A steep wave moving upstream generated by the action of the tide crest in the enclosed area of river mouth is called a?

tidal node

A steep wave moving upstream generated by the action of the tide crest in the enclosed area of a river mouth is called a?

tidal wave

Eastern Boundary Currents are broad currents with poorly defined boundaries?

true

a Semidiurnal tide is characterized by?

two high tides and two low tides of nearly equal level each lunar day

Wind waves travel in groups called?

wave trains

generally the fastest and deepest ocean currents are

western boundary currents

What is the main force driving surface currents?

wind

A ____ is a gravity wave formed by the transfer of wind energy over the water?

wind wave

Near shore, if the wave crests are 200 ft apart, the wave will "feel" bottom when the depth is about?

100 ft

The only ocean current that continues in an uninterrupted circle around the circumference of the earth without encountering land is the

Antarctic circumpolar current

Spring tides occur?

At full moon

The Canary current is an example of a ___ Boundary Current?

Eastern

All of the following statements are true about the Ekman Spiral EXCEPT

Ekman spiral isn't influenced by Coriolis

Constructive Interference in waves can cause?

Every other wave to be larger or smaller than those preceding or following

A standing wave causes major progressive wave forward movement and results in a large amount of energy that is being transferred?

False

In the open ocean, tsunamis?

are long period waves of 5-20 minutes

A ____ tide is caused by inertia and the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon combined?

astronomical

The wavelength of a tsunami generated by a seismic event can be up to 200 km. How deep has the ocean to be for this wave to be a deep water wave?

at least 100 km deep

Currents tend to move in large ____ patterns in the northern hemisphere

clockwise

Tsunami or seismic sea waves are generated by?

coastal or submarine earthquakes

Tsunami or seismic waves are generated by?

coastal or submarine earthquakes

the densest water in ocean currents is the

coldest and saltiest

The main force driving thermohaline circulation is

density

What is deep water circulation driven by?

density differences

Two waves that cancel each other out undergo a process known as ____ interference?

destructive

A ___ tide is characterized by occurring once each lunar day with one high tide and one low tide?

diurnal

Tides are free waves?

false

Tides are the shortest of all waves?

false

The uninterrupted distance over which the wind blows without change in direction is the?

fetch

The restoring force for both tsunamis and tides is?

gravity

The side of the earth facing the moon will experience a high tide, while the opposite side of the earth will have a?

high tide also