Oceanography Quiz Questions

Water particles in a deep-water wave: Select one: a.do not move. b.move in circular orbits all the way to the seafloor. c.move in the same direction and at the same speed as the wave. d.move in circular orbits near the surface. e.move only vertically.

d. move in circular orbits near the surface.

Match the type of sediment with the process that contributes to the formation -Sinking of calcite forming primary producers from the surface ocean -Particles carried by wind into the oceans -Calcite producing coral reefs -Biological processes -Weathering and erosion processes

-Biogenic -Lithogenic -Biogenic -Biogenic -Lithogenic

Match the following locations with the kind of tectonic activity found there. You can use the same answer more than once. African Rift Valley Mid-Atlantic ridge Hawaiian island chain California Mariana Trench Himalayan Mountains

African Rift Valley- Divergent Boundary Mid-Atlantic ridge- Divergent Boundary Hawaiian island chain- Hot Spot California- Transform Boundary Mariana Trench- Convergent Boundary Himalayan Mountains- Convergent Boundary

Extratropical cyclones spin in the opposite direction as tropical cyclones. True or False?

False

The water column is the best resource for understanding historical events in the ocean. True or False?

False

The Gulf Stream carries about as much water as: a.50 times all the world's rivers b.the Antarctic Circumpolar Current c.the Mississippi river d.all the world's rivers

a. 50 times all the world's rivers

Where are the oldest rocks on Earth found? a. Continents b. Ocean trenches c. Ocean spreading ridges d. Hawaiian islands

a. Continents

Which of the following is a part of the continental drift hypothesis that was later proven correct? (Note: There is only one correct answer.) a. Continents float on the mantle b. New ocean crust is created at spreading ridges c. Mountains form because Earth is shrinking as it cools d. Centrifugation causes the continents to move

a. Continents float on the mantle

You are looking at a sediment core and find that the top section is composed of sediments with a grain size larger than 2mm. Would you expect it to be from a neritic or pelagic environment? a.Neritic b.Pelagic c.Cannot tell

a. Neritic

Let's think about the carbonate compensation depth in more detail. You are analyzing some sediments that you know accumulated beneath an area with high productivity of coccolithophores. However, you notice that in a sample from one location you see a lot of CaCO3 ooze in the sediments but in a sample form nearby there is no CaCO3 ooze. Which of the following would best explain these differences? Select one: a. The sediment with the CaCO3 was collected from sediment that protruded higher into the water column than the sediment with no CaCO3 putting it above the carbonate compensation depth b. The carbonate compensation depth was patchy where the cores were collected c. If there were coccolithophores in the surface ocean you would expect to see siliceous ooze not CaCO3

a. The sediment with the CaCO3 was collected from sediment that protruded higher into the water column than the sediment with no CaCO3 putting it above the carbonate compensation depth

Select each of the following layers that behaves like a liquid (even if it flows very slowly). a. outer core b. inner core c. asthenosphere (upper mantle) d. lithosphere

a. outer core c. asthenosphere (upper mantle)

Where is the density difference across the thermocline smallest? a.polar regions b.mid-latitudes c.near the coast d.tropics

a. polar regions

Equatorial upwelling is caused by: a.surface currents moving away from the equator in both hemispheres b.high primary productivity c.heavy rainfall at the equator d.strong solar heating

a. surface currents moving away from the equator in both hemispheres

Which features are commonly found at passive margins? a. thick layer of sediment b. steep continental slope c. deep ocean trench d. shallow continental shelf e. boundary between continental and ocean crust

a. thick layer of sediment b. steep continental slope d. shallow continental shelf e. boundary between continental and ocean crust

Which of the following statements about hurricanes is not true? Select one: a.In the tropics, the trade winds cause most hurricanes to move from west to east. b.Hurricanes spin in opposite directions in the northern and southern hemispheres. c.Hurricanes get most of their energy from the latent heat of water vapor. d.Hurricanes cannot form on the equator

a.In the tropics, the trade winds cause most hurricanes to move from west to east.

Now that we have reviewed the processes that contribute to the major components of sea floor sediment, let's imagine we have gone out on a research vessel and collected a sediment core. An analysis of the section of sediment 20cm down shows an abundance of preserved calcite. Which of the following is the best explanation for this finding? Select one: a.It corresponds to a time period dominated by coccolithophores b. It corresponds to a windy period in time that swept calcite into the ocean c. It corresponds to a time period dominated by diatoms in the surface ocean

a.It corresponds to a time period dominated by coccolithophores

Consider a stretch of the California coastline that runs directly north-south (with California on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west). The wind and Coriolis effect will act together to produce coastal upwelling when the wind blows in which direction? Select one: a.from north to south b.from south to north c.from west to east d.from east to west

a.from north to south

How do we know that the Earth's outer core is liquid? a. Because we have drilled to the outer core and observed molten rock there b. Because S waves from earthquakes do not pass through the outer core c. Because volcanic eruptions bring molten rock to the surface d. Because continents have moved across Earth's surface over time

b. Because S waves from earthquakes do not pass through the outer core

What process is thought to cause submarine canyons on the continental slope? a. hydrothermal vents b. turbidite flows c. transform faults d. ocean subduction

b. turbidite flows

What is latent heat? Select one: a.heat stored in the ocean b.heat absorbed or released when a substance changes phase c.temperature difference between the land and ocean d.energy required to raise the temperature of 1g of a substance by 1oC. e.temperature difference between the tropics and the poles

b.heat absorbed or released when a substance changes phase

How many kilograms of phytoplankton does it take to support a 10 kg fish that is a third-level consumer (i.e., it eats small fish that feed on zooplankton that eat phytoplankton). Select one: a. 1000 kg b. 100,000 kg c. 10,000 kg d. 10 kg e. 100 kg

c. 10,000kg

Marine primary productivity is lowest in which environment? a.high latitudes b.upwelling zones c.centers of gyres d.coastal zones

c. center of gyres

Which describes a wave with a wavelength of 22 m traveling through water that is 16 m deep? a.transitional wave b.impossible because 16 < 22 c.deep water wave d.shallow water wave

c. deep water wave

While the side of Earth facing the moon experiences high tide, the opposite side of Earth experiences Select one: a.a tide level midway between high and low tide. b.high or low tide, depending on the phase of the moon. c.high tide also. d.low tide

c. high tide also

Deep water is formed: Select one: a.in ocean trenches b.in the center of gyres c.in polar regions d.at the equator e.at all of these locations

c. in polar regions

Which of Earth's layers is most dense? a. outer core b. continental crust c. inner core d. mantle e. ocean crus

c. inner core

Where do you typically find the lowest oxygen concentrations in the ocean? Select one: a.in the euphotic zone b.at high latitudes c.just below the euphotic zone d.in the center of gyres e.at the bottom of the ocean

c. just below the euphotic zone

Why is eutrophication bad for marine organisms? a. not enough sunlight b. too many pesticides c. not enough oxygen d. too much heat e. not enough nutrients

c. not enough oxygen

Which of the following are accurate descriptions of an El Nino event? (You may select more than one answer.) Select one or more: a.increased rainfall in the west Pacific b.colder sea surface temperatures in the east Pacific c.weakened trade winds over the Pacific d.an irregular recurrence interval that is difficult to predict e.deepening of the thermocline in the east Pacific

c.weakened trade winds over the Pacific d.an irregular recurrence interval that is difficult to predict e.deepening of the thermocline in the east Pacific

Primary productivity: a.measures the rate at which autotrophs turn carbon into organic tissue b.measures the amount of energy available in a given ecosystem c.has units of grams of carbon per square meter per year d.all of the above

d. all of the above

Which process contributes to deep water formation by increasing the density of surface water? a.cooling b.evaporation c.sea ice formation d.all of the above

d. all of the above

The California Current is caused by: a.coastal upwelling b.El Nino c.thermohaline circulation d.gyre circulation

d. gyre circulation

The calcium carbonate in the White Cliffs of Dover is formed from a.river-transported sediment b.ancient sand dunes c.evaporite deposits Incorrect d.microscopic seashells

d. microscopic seashells

what is the most important factor that cause waves to refract as they hit the shore at an angle? (wave crests become closer as they approach shore) a.Wind direction b.Gravity c.Wave interaction d.Friction e.Reflection off the shore

d.Friction

If our planet were without its ocean (if it were entirely covered in dry land), but otherwise the same as it is today, what would be the effect on seasonal temperature changes? Smaller temperature changes: Summers would be cooler and winters would be warmer b.No effect: Seasons would be about the same c.Temperatures would only change in areas that used to be covered by water. d.Larger temperature changes: Summers would be hotter and winters would be colder

d.Larger temperature changes: Summers would be hotter and winters would be colder

Which of the following statements about tsunamis is NOT true? a.Tsunamis are shallow water waves. b.A single tsunami can have multiple wave crests 15 minutes apart. c.Tsunamis can travel 700 km/hr. d.Passive margins are safe from tsunamis. e.Tsunamis can have wavelengths of 200 km.

d.Passive margins are safe from tsunamis

The weakest tides with the smallest variation in tide height occurs during the: a.summer solstice b.new moon c.spring equinox d.quarter moon e.full moon

d.quarter moon

Longshore transport is caused by: a.sea level changes b.submarine canyons c.people building dams and groins d.waves that are not parallel to shore e.seasonal changes in wind strength

d.waves that are not parallel to shore

Hydrogenous (or authigenic) sediments are formed from minerals that: a.were transported by icebergs b.were transported by rivers c.fell from space d.were dissolved in seawater

d.were dissolved in seawater

Which of the following is an example of lithogenous (or terrigenous) sediment? a.manganese nodules b.diatom shells c.calcium carbonate ooze d.wind-blown dust

d.wind-blown dust

How many kilograms of phytoplankton does it take to support a 200 kg shark that is a fourth-level consumer (The shark eats seals that eat fish that eat zooplankton that eat phytoplankton). a.200 kg b.2000 kg c.20,000 kg d.200,000 kg e.2,000,000 kg

e. 2,000,000 kg

Which of the following statements accurately describes remineralization? a.It occurs in both the surface and deep ocean. b.It consumes oxygen and produces CO2. c.It converts organic matter into inorganic nutrients. d.Its chemical reaction is the reverse of photosynthesis. e.All of the above

e. All of the above

Deep water is usually colder than surface water because a.deep water forms at high latitude b.sunlight does not reach the deep ocean c.cold water is denser than warm water d.the thermocline prevents mixing between surface and deep water in most places e.all of the above

e. all of the above

What is the primary energy source for a hurricane? a.trade winds b.Coriolis force c.heat capacity of seawater d.equatorial upwelling e.latent heat of water vapor

e. latent heat of water vapor

Where is the youngest oceanic crust found? a. transform boundaries b. continental shelf c. north pole d. subduction zone e. mid-ocean ridge

e. mid-ocean ridge

During an El Nino, the east equatorial Pacific is ___________ than usual. a.colder b.windier c.more biologically active d.drier e.warmer

e. warmer