Oceanography

ideas about the development of life on Earth make scientific sense

-As life developed on Earth, it began to significantly change Earth's environment

related to the formation of a density-stratified Earth

-Earth is layered based on density, with the highest-density material located at the deepest depths beneath Earth's surface

One of the reasons that free oxygen in our atmosphere is important to the development and maintenance of life on Earth is because oxygen

can form ozone and block some UV radiation

P waves

can go through liquid rock

Early Polynesians only traveled within sight of land.

False

Free oxygen was abundant in the Earth's primordial atmosphere.

False

In Europe, significant oceanographic knowledge was acquired during the Middle Ages.

False

Oceanic crust is less dense than continental crust because it is made of silica and manganese.

False

What is a nebula?

large, diffuse cloud of dust and gas in space

In general, the salinity content of ocean water has remained constant throughout the majority of Earth's history.

True

lithosphere atmosphere core asthenosphere mesosphere

atmosphere

Current scientific knowledge indicates that the most likely origin of most of Earth's oceans was due to:

water vapor released from volcanic outgassing

All the following were accomplishments of Captain James Cook except :

exploring the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. mapping of unknown islands, including Hawaii, in the Pacific. measuring environmental characteristics such as water temperature. determining the outline of the Pacific Ocean.

Eratosthenes

first determination of Earth's circumference

If a container ship that is floating on water has weight removed from the deck, it would float __________ in relation to its previous position.

higher

Since the end of the last Ice Age, the melting of glaciers has caused continental landmasses to ride __________ with respect to the mantle.

higher

A tentative, testable statement about the general nature of a phenomenon is called a/an

hypothesis

A tentative, testable statement about the general nature of a phenomenon is called a/an:

hypothesis

The term "scientific certainty"

is false because science never reaches an absolute truth, because we can never be certain that we have all of the observations

The vertical movement of Earth's crust due to the addition or removal of weight is called __________.

isostatic adjustment

Where did the energy of the Sun come from originally?

thermal energy that was converted from the gravitational energy of the original nebula collapse

Current scientific knowledge indicates that the most likely origin of most of Earth's oceans was due to

water vapor released from volcanic outgassing

A. Vasco de Gama B. Ptolemy C. Christopher Columbus D. John Cabot E. Ferdinand Magellan

B

The largest of the ocean basins, which currently covers more than half of the ocean surface, is the

Pacific Ocean

The largest of the ocean basins, which currently covers more than half of the ocean surface, is the:

Pacific Ocean

One of the reasons that free oxygen in our atmosphere is important to the development and maintenance of life on Earth is because oxygen:

can form ozone and block some UV radiation.

S waves

cannot go through liquid rock

The first humans from Western Hemisphere known to have developed the art of navigation were the

Phoenicians

The first humans from Western Hemisphere known to have developed the art of navigation were the:

Phoenicians.

core

composed mostly of iron and nickel with a liquefied metallic outer layer

What is the difference between an ocean and a sea

Seas are smaller and shallower bodies of saltwater, somewhat enclosed by land, but directly connected to the world oceans

What did Stanley Miller's experiment demonstrate

Stanley Miller's experiment demonstrated that vast amounts of organic molecules could have been produced in Earth's early oceans (a "pre-biotic soup")

The separation of the Earth into layers while it was molten was the result of the:

differing densities of the elements that make up the Earth

Radiometric dating is used to determine the ages of rocks.

True

The Earth's crust solidified around 4.5 billion years ago.

True

In science, which one of the following would be considered an observation

Waves are seen to approach the beach at an angle

In science, which one of the following would be considered an observation?

Waves are seen to approach the beach at an angle.

The important contribution to navigation made by Eratosthenes in the third century BC was

a reasonably accurate calculation of the circumference of our planet

The important contribution to navigation made by Eratosthenes in the third century BC was __________.

a reasonably accurate calculation of the circumference of our planet

Indian

does not fit

Jurassic

does not fit

Ptolemy

does not fit

atmosphere

does not fit

oxygen

does not fit

According to the nebular hypothesis

all bodies in the solar system formed from an enormous cloud composed of mostly hydrogen and helium, with only a small percentage of heavier elements

All of the following were accomplishments of Captain James Cook except

all of the above are correct

If all were accessible, which of the following items would be best for geologists to examine to better understand Earth's internal structure?

an iron meteorite

Earth is about:

4.6 billion years old.

continental and oceanic crust

Continental crust is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust

Faster waves?

P waves

basalt

oceanic crust

asthenosphere

-The asthenosphere is a plastic layer that extends from the base of the lithosphere to a depth of about 700 kilometers (430 miles)

A container holds 100 atoms of an isotope. This isotope has a half-life of 1.5 months. How many total atoms will be in the container after 3 months?

100 atoms

A container holds 100 atoms of an isotope. This isotope has a half-life of 1.5 months. How many atoms of the radioactive isotope will be in the container after 3 months?

25 atoms

The average depth of the world's oceans is approximately

3,682 meters (12,080 feet)

The average depth of the world's oceans is approximately:

3,682 meters (12,080 feet).

Earth is about

4.6 billion years old

When did our Solar System begin to form?

5 billion years ago

A rock sample contains 75 atoms of a parent isotope and 25 atoms of a daughter isotope. The half-life of the parent isotope is 100 years. How old is this rock?

50 years

A. oxygen B. water vapor C. carbon dioxide D. methane E. ammonia

A

How did our Solar System begin to form?

A large cloud of dust and gas began to contract under the force of gravity.

Have the oceans always been salty

Although Earth's oceans have existed since early in the formation of the planet (at least 4 billion years ago), its chemical composition must have changed due to the high carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide content in the early atmosphere, as well as volcanic outgassing of gases such as chlorine

The European "Age of Discovery" began with

Christopher Columbus' discovery of the "New World."

The European "Age of Discovery" began with:

Christopher Columbus's discovery of the "New World."

Which of the following statements regarding continental and oceanic crust is TRUE?

Continental crust is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust.

A. Adriatic B. Black C. Caspian D. Indian E. Mediterranean

D

density stratification

Density stratification has caused the highest-density material to be found at Earth's core

Of the following statements about density stratification, which is/are true?

Density stratification has caused the highest-density material to be found at Earth's core. Density stratification has caused Earth's internal structure to be layered. Outgassing is a direct result of density stratification. The origin of Earth's oceans and atmosphere are a result of density stratification.

Which of the following ideas about the development of life on Earth make scientific sense?

Early organisms likely evolved into more complex organisms. As life developed on Earth, it began to significantly change Earth's environment. The "prebiotic soup" of the primitive oceans provided a likely environment for life to develop. Primitive life likely existed without the need for oxygen.

The first person we are aware of who determined the circumference of the Earth using trigonometry and the angle of sunlight at Alexandria, Egypt, was

Eratosthenes

The first person we are aware of who determined the circumference of the Earth using trigonometry and the angle of sunlight at Alexandria, Egypt, was:

Eratosthenes

Of the following statements about the asthenosphere, which is/are true?

The asthenosphere is very hot and contains areas of partially molten rock The asthenosphere is a plastic layer that extends from the base of the lithosphere to a depth of about 700 kilometers (430 miles).

Describe how the half-life of radioactive materials can be used to determine the age of a rock through radiometric age dating

The half-life of a material is the time required for one-half of the atoms in a sample to decay to other atoms. The older Earth material is, the more radioactive material will have been converted to decay product(s). Scientists can measure the amount of radioactive material and the amount of resulting decay product in the rocks. By comparing these two quantities, the age of the material can be determined

Describe the origin of Earth's oceans

The water that fills our oceans was mostly derived from outgassing, with a minor component coming from ice comets

According to the Geologic Time Scale, which selection lists the correct order of coexistence, from earliest to latest

Trilobites and amphibians, insects and dinosaurs, dinosaurs and birds, flowering plants and fishes, humans and reptiles

According to the Geologic Time Scale, which selection lists the correct order of coexistence, from earliest to latest?

Trilobites and amphibians, insects and dinosaurs, dinosaurs and birds, flowering plants and fishes, humans and reptiles

mantle

contains minerals rich in iron and magnesium, between the crust and the core, and has the second largest volume according to the chemical classification

lithosphere

crust and the uppermost mantle consisting of a solid rock layer

The lithosphere consists of Earth's

crust and uppermost mantle

The lithosphere consists of Earth's __________.

crust and uppermost mantle

The separation of the Earth into layers while it was molten was the result of the

differing densities of the elements that make up the Earth

During the height of the last Ice Age (~21,000 years ago), large glaciers made the continents ride __________ with respect to the mantle.

lower

Ptolemy

mapped world with Roman knowledge showing latitude and longitude

The water in Earth's oceans came

mostly from volcanic outgassing and partly from comets

The water in Earth's oceans came __________.

mostly from volcanic outgassing and partly from comets

The Sun and the rest of the solar system formed about 5 billion years ago from a huge cloud of dust and gas called a

nebula

The Sun and the rest of the solar system formed about 5 billion years ago from a huge cloud of dust and gas called a:

nebula.

What happens during radioactive decay?

parent isotopes turn into daughter isotopes

Earth's current atmosphere supports animal life because

plant photosynthesis provides oxygen that is critical for aerobic respiration

Earth's current atmosphere supports animal life because __________.

plant photosynthesis provides oxygen that is critical for aerobic respiration

solar system

the Sun and the eight major planets revolving around it

What is the scientific definition of half-life?

the amount of time over which the number of parent isotopes decreases by half

Density stratification in relation to Earth's interior results in

the highest density materials concentrated toward Earth's core, whereas progressively lower density components form concentric spheres around the core toward the planet's surface

Two containers hold the same radioactive isotope. Container A contains 1000 atoms, and container B contains 500 atoms. Which of the following statements about containers A and B is true?

the rate of decay of atoms in container A is greater than the rate of decay of atoms in container B.