OCE1001 Exam 2

atmospheric waves

movement of different air masses along an air-air interface

upwelling

movement of water from the bottom to the top of the water column

Ekman transport

net water movement to the left or right of the direction of the wind

change in state from solid to gas

sublimation

The state of matter in which water is compressible

Gas

The state of matter in which water molecules are most energetic

Gas

The state of matter of steam rising from a hot cup of coffee

Gas

Which swift-flowing surface current in a major subtropical gyre transports a large volume of warm water from the equator towards mid latitudes?

Kuroshio Current

Identify the mismatched pair from the choices below.

Labrador Current, Humboldt Current

The state of matter in which water is densest

Liquid

The intensity of tropical cyclones is measured by meteorologists using the __________ scale.

Saffir-Simpson

The strength of a hurricane is ranked from 1 to 5 on the:

Saffir-Simpson Scale.

(T/F) The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) was established in 1946 to coordinate data from seismic waves in the Pacific Ocean and around the Pacific rim. It issues tsunami warnings to 25 Pacific rim nations when data suggest a tsunami is imminent.

True

(T/F) The Saffir-Simpson scale rates the relative intensity of tropical cyclones.

True

(T/F) The angle at which direct sunlight strikes the ocean's surface is important in determining the amount of solar energy that is absorbed.

True

(T/F) The circular movement of surface water currents driven by the major wind belts are called gyres.

True

(T/F) The density of seawater is affected by salinity and temperature.

True

(T/F) The five subtropical gyres exhibit geostrophic flow, related to pressure gradients, friction, and the Coriolis effect.

True

(T/F) The large atmospheric circulation cells that occur between the equator and 30° latitude in each hemisphere are called Hadley cells.

True

(T/F) The latent heat of vaporization of water is larger than the latent heat of melting.

True

(T/F) The main current in Antarctic waters is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, also called the West Wind Drift.

True

(T/F) The overall electrical charge of most atoms is balanced, because each atom contains an equal number of protons and neutrons.

True

(T/F) Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air.

True

(T/F) Water molecules exhibit strong cohesion.

True

(T/F) Waves at the ocean surface are called orbital or interface waves.

True

The average albedo of Earth's surface is about:

30%

Which of the following is true of surface water circulation near Antarctica?

Two circumpolar currents dominate it, one current that moves water to the east and one current that moves water to the west.

Which is the most abundant ion in seawater?

Chloride

(MA) Imagine an earthquake is about to occur at location 2 on the map (southern Alaska). Which of the following statements is most accurate?

1.All locations (except 9) could benefit from an alert that an earthquake occurred at location 2, as they are near the ocean and might experience a resultant tsunami. 2.Most of the people living at location 2 probably are aware that they live in a location where earthquakes are likely.

The wavelength is labeled with the number:

3.

The average salinity of typical seawater is:

3.5%

(MA) Of the following offshore ocean conditions, which one(s) would likely produce spilling breakers?

1.A gently sloping sandy bottom 2.A gently sloping rocky bottom

(MA) You have learned that global winds impact the direction of surface ocean currents. Examine the accompanying map showing the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa. The direction of the surface current and the prevailing wind do not coincide. What could explain this discrepancy?

1.Because the current is located in the Southern Hemisphere, the subtropical gyre pulls the current in a counterclockwise direction. 2.The Coriolis effect deflects ocean currents in the Southern Hemisphere to the left due to Earth's rotation.

(MA) In 1991, Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted. The accompanying photo shows the ash and debris that the volcano propelled high into the atmosphere. What meteorological impact could these aerosols have on the global weather and climate?

1.Global temperatures could decrease. 2.The ash and smoke could lead to an increase in clouds and fog.

(MA) Of the following gyres, which one(s) flow in a counterclockwise direction?

1.Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre 2.South Pacific Subtropical Gyre 3.Northern Hemisphere Subpolar Gyres 4.South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre

(MA) Of the following surface currents, which one(s) flow from south to north?

1.Kuroshio Current 2.the Gulf Stream 3.Peru Current

(MA) Of the following statements about ocean waves, which is/are true?

1.Ocean waves can be classified by the way in which they form. 2.Ocean waves can be classified by the depth of water in which they move. 3.Ocean waves can be described by their period, wavelength, and height.

(MA) Of the following currents, which ones are parts of the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre?

1.South Equatorial Current 2.Benguela Current 3.West Wind Drift 4.Brazil Current

(MA) How does the Coriolis effect cause the atmosphere to move around high and low pressures in the Northern Hemisphere?

1.The Coriolis effect causes air to move clockwise around high pressure. 2.The Coriolis effect causes air to move counterclockwise around low pressure.

(MA) Of the following statements about ocean waves, which one(s) describe wave period?

1.The inverse of wave frequency 2.The time it takes for one full wavelength to pass a given point

(MA) During a visit to the beach, you get in a small rubber raft and paddle out beyond the surf zone. Tiring, you stop and take a rest. Describe the movement of your raft beyond the surf zone.

1.The raft moves in a circle, and it returns to essentially the same place. 2.The raft's net movement is not toward the shore compared to the surf zone.

(MA) Of the following statements about seawater salinity, which is/are true?

1.The two most common dissolved components in seawater are sodium and chloride. 2.Seawater salinity averages 3.5%. 3.Seawater salinity averages 35‰.

(MA) Of the following statements about seawater properties in high and low latitudes, which is/are true?

1.There is a thermocline in low latitudes. 2.There is a halocline in low latitudes. 3.There is a halocline in high latitudes. 4.There is a pycnocline in low latitudes.

(MA) Of the following statements about tsunami, which is/are true?

1.Tsunami have a very long wavelength, so they travel at very high speeds (equivalent to the speed of a jet airplane). 2.The tsunami warning system uses seismic waves and deep-ocean pressure sensors to detect tsunami. 3.Tsunami are undetectable by ships in the open ocean. 4.At the coast, a tsunami looks like a suddenly occurring high or low tide, which is why they are misnamed "tidal waves."

(MA) Of the following physical properties of the atmosphere, which is/are true?

1.Warm air holds more water vapor than cool air. 2.Low pressure at the surface is associated with rising air (movement away from the surface). 3.The air temperature is warmer near Earth's surface than in the upper part of the troposphere. 4.Air always moves from high-pressure regions toward low-pressure regions.

(MA) Of the following processes, which INCREASES the salinity of seawater?

1.the formation of sea ice 2.Evaporation

(MA) Which of the following are valid names of boundaries between global wind belts or at the poles?

1.the polar front 2.the polar high 3.the doldrums 4.the horse latitudes

You live on an island in the Pacific. An earthquake of magnitude 8.5 off the coast of Japan, 8000 km away, generates a tsunami with a wavelength of 200 km. The average water depth between your island and Japan is 4900 m. If a tsunami warning is issued for your island, how many hours will you have before the waves arrive?

10.14 hours

The crest is the portion of the wave corresponding to the number:

2.

The westerlies wind belt is the area corresponding to number:

2.

Calculate the speed (SS) in meters per second for a deep-water wave with a wavelength (LL) of 351 meters and a period (TT) of 15 seconds.

23.4 m/s

Examine the accompanying table. Can you calculate how much less water is contained in saturated air at a polar location with a temperature of -10°C when compared to a tropical location with a temperature of 40°C?

45 grams

Imagine you are swimming in the open ocean at a location near the equator. Based on the following data, can you determine how deep you would need to dive to reach a water temperature of 19°C?

550 meters

Variable winds that result in generally clear, dry, and fair conditions with minimal precipitation are labeled number:

6.

To produce a surface current of 1.6 knots in the open ocean, a steady wind of _____ knots would be required.

80

A. Agulhas Current B. Benguela Current C. California Current D. Canary Current E. West Australian Current

A

A. California Current B. Canary Current C. Gulf Stream D. North Atlantic Current E. North Equatorial Current in the Atlantic Ocean

A

What fault movement beneath the ocean is more likely to create a tsunami—vertical or a horizontal movement?

A vertical movement is more likely to cause a tsunami. This movement causes a sudden change in the entire water column. Horizontal movements do not create water displacement.

(MA) Of the following statements about water's latent heat and changes in state, which is/are true?

All but (In all states) 1.When water vapor condenses and forms a liquid, its latent heat of condensation releases heat to the environment; this is what powers hurricanes. 2.Latent heat allows water to transfer energy from one place to another. 3.In the solid state, all water molecules are connected by weak (hydrogen) bonds. 4.When water evaporates, its latent heat of evaporation absorbs heat. 5.In the vapor state, there are no weak (hydrogen) bonds between water molecules.

(MA) Of the following statements about the doldrums, which is/are true?

All choices! 1.The doldrums are found as a global belt along the equator. 2.The doldrums are the boundary between the northeast trade winds and the southeast trade winds. 3.There is usually little wind but a lot of rain associated with the doldrums. 4.This is also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). 5.The doldrums are an area of low atmospheric pressure.

(MA) Of the following statements about deep-ocean currents, which is/are true?

All except (Deep-ocean currents often...) 1.Deep-ocean currents are important regulators of global climate. 2.Deep-ocean currents contain water that is high in oxygen. 3.Deep-ocean currents are initiated by downwelling of cold, dense water near Antarctica and in the North Atlantic Ocean. 4.Deep-ocean circulation is often referred to as thermohaline flow. 5.The volume of water involved in the downward movement of deep-ocean currents is equal to the flow of 100 Amazon-sized rivers.

(MA) Of the following statements about Ekman spiral and Ekman transport, which is/are true?

All except (Ekman transport is the same) 1.Ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere. 2.Within the Ekman spiral, deeper water can move in a direction exactly opposite of the wind direction. 3.The two factors that affect the Ekman spiral are the wind direction and the Coriolis effect. 4.Because of the Coriolis effect, surface waters move at an angle to the wind direction. 5.Connecting the arrows of water movement from the surface into deeper waters shows the spiral pattern.

(MA) Imagine a researcher aboard an oceanographic vessel collects a sample from the water column, extending from the surface to 3000 meters deep. Analysis of the sample shows it is isopycnal. Which of the following statements correctly define what this means and why?

All except (Isopycnal) 1.This sample must have been taken from a location in the ocean at high latitude. 2.The sample analysis shows there is no pycnocline present. 3.The temperature of the water column must be constant throughout its depth.

(MA) If you were an explorer stranded in the Arctic Ocean, what method(s) could you use for creating fresh drinking water?

All except (Melt recently frozen seawater) 1.Boil seawater; catch and condense the water vapor. 2.Take seawater and freeze and melt it several times to purify it. 3.Catch and melt fresh falling snow. 4.Heat sea ice that formed a long time ago.

(MA) Of the following characteristics or features, which is/are associated with middle latitude storms, such as those that originate in the North Pacific Ocean between 40 and 60 degrees latitude?

All except (movement from east to west) 1.contrasting air masses 2.the jet stream 3.the prevailing westerlies 4.the polar front

Look again at the map. Bear in mind that all the earthquake locations that are not inland are on a convergent plate boundary (subduction zones). Which of these statements is true?

All of the locations except 9 could produce tsunamis, as all are subduction zones involving at least one oceanic plate.

A. nitrogen B. albedo C. oxygen D. troposphere E. water vapor

B

Which of the following is a western boundary current?

Brazil Current

A. maximum sustained winds B. minimum central pressure C. sea surface salinity D. storm surge E. storm diameter

C

The apparent deflection of air masses to the right or left (depending on latitude) as they move from one latitude to another is called the:

Coriolis effect.

A. crest B. height C. length D. period E. trough

D

A. sodium ion B. calcium ion C. potassium ion D. hydrogen ion E. magnesium ion

D

A. thermohaline circulation B. density-driven circulation C. Antarctic Bottom Water D. Kuroshio Current E. North Atlantic Deep Water

D

A. plunging breaker B. spilling breaker C. surf D. surging breaker E. swell

E

A. temperature B. salinity C. thermocline D. pycnocline E. distillation

E

(T/F) A maritime polar air mass is likely to be dry and cold.

False

(T/F) A shallow-water wave must form in water depth less than 100 meters.

False

(T/F) An eastern boundary current is generally narrow and swift.

False

(T/F) An iceberg is a variety of sea ice.

False

(T/F) Any solution with a pH of greater than 7.0 is acidic.

False

(T/F) In distillation, saltwater is highly pressurized to drive water molecules through a membrane to remove salts.

False

(T/F) Rogue waves are generated by destructive interference patterns of ocean swells.

False

(T/F) Salinity refers to all of the solid materials in seawater including dissolved and suspended substances.

False

(T/F) Surface currents affect about 90% of the world's ocean water.

False

(T/F) The autumnal equinox occurs when the Sun is directly overhead along the equator in March.

False

(T/F) The density of seawater is slightly lower than the density pure water.

False

(T/F) The horizontal distance between two successive troughs is called the wave height.

False

(T/F) The trade winds can be found between 30° and 60°N and S latitudes.

False

(T/F) Thermohaline circulation is wind-driven.

False

(T/F) Tsunami travel as deep-water waves over the open ocean.

False

(T/F) Water can pile up higher than the edge of a container due to its low surface tension.

False

(T/F) Within the troposphere, the atmosphere gets warmer with increasing altitude.

False

(T/F) The Gulf Stream moves water away from the equator; the Benguela Current moves some of this same water back toward the equator.

Flase

Which of the following is not an eastern boundary current?

Gulf Stream

The ion in sea water that serves as a buffer is:

HCO3-.

A beaker contains a mixture of ice and pure liquid water at 0oC. What happens to the temperature of the liquid water as heat is added?

It remains constant until the ice melts, and then it begins to rise.

Which of the following best describes how scientists help the public prepare for an earthquake event?

Scientists cannot predict when exactly an earthquake will occur, but they can identify tectonically active areas that are likely to produce earthquake activity and let the public know they are in an earthquake-prone area.

The state of matter in which water molecules vibrate about fixed locations

Solid

The state of matter of frost on grass

Solid

Which of the following statements is true of surface ocean currents?

Surface currents form circular patterns in the major ocean basins called "gyres."

What are the beach slope and energy characteristics of surging breakers?

Surging breakers occur where the ocean bottom has an abrupt slope change. This results in wave energy being compressed in a shorter distance.

What is a swell?

Swells are long-crested, uniform, symmetrical waves that require very little energy to travel out of their area of origin.

Organize the following stages of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) warm phase into chronological order. In a severe warm phase, fisheries productivity on the west coasts of the Americas is dramatically reduced. Which stage of ENSO would come just before this fisheries collapse?

The thermocline deepens in eastern boundary currents of the Pacific Ocean subtropical gyres.

(T/F) A Doppler flow meter is a scientific instrument used to measure current flow rates.

True

(T/F) A curling wave formed over an air pocket is called a plunging breaker.

True

(T/F) A standing wave can be caused by wave reflection.

True

(T/F) A wave train is caused by wave energy moving more slowly than individual waves.

True

(T/F) Deep ocean water can be enriched in oxygen when it is mixed with surface water.

True

(T/F) Deep ocean water masses have characteristic temperatures and salinities.

True

(T/F) Deep-ocean water contains more carbon dioxide than surface water because deep water is colder and has the ability to dissolve more gases.

True

(T/F) Deep-water waves move faster than shallow water waves because they are not slowed by friction with the ocean bottom.

True

(T/F) Evaporation causes cooling in the liquid left behind.

True

(T/F) Independent of the actual salinity, the ratios or proportions of the major dissolved constituents of seawater such as chloride, sodium, and magnesium are relatively constant.

True

(T/F) The Coriolis effect describes how moving objects on Earth appear to follow curved paths due to Earth's rotation.

True

Based on the equations for determining the speed of shallow-water waves, which one of the following variables is necessary to determine the speed of shallow-water waves?

Water depth

While you are playing Frisbee in the surf zone with another person, your friend watches while sitting on the beach nearby. After a while, you look up at the beach and realize you are no longer directly in front of your friend, who remained stationary on the beach all the while—you are still in the surf zone, but 30-40 yards from where you started. What is the correct reason for this movement?

Waves were coming at the shore at an angle. The longshore current moved downstream to that angle and pushed the Frisbee players that direction.

During a strong El Niño event, the news media might be expected to cover __________.

a tropical cyclone in Hawaii or Tahiti

The percentage of solar radiation reflected from the surface of Earth back into space is known as the __________.

albedo

Where are internal waves most likely to form?

along areas of rapidly changing density, such as a pycnocline

The principal reason that oil and water do not mix, even when shaken, is that oil molecules __________.

are nonpolar whereas water molecules are polar

Inter-tropical Convergence Zone

area where warm, moist air rises close to the equator

An internal wave might form:

at a density boundary within the ocean.

Both the thermocline and pycnocline present a _____ to mixing between surface waters and the waters below.

barrier

Winds blowing out of the north toward the south in the southern hemisphere will appear to:

be deflected toward the east.

The amount of energy that is necessary to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree C is the definition of:

calorie

The first wave that forms when the wind begins to blow across the ocean surface is a:

capillary wave.

Which of the following is a "greenhouse gas" that composes less than 1% of the atmosphere?

carbon dioxide

Latent heat is the quantity of heat gained or lost as a substance undergoes a:

change in state

When a meander from the Gulf Stream pinches off and isolates a body of water within the North Atlantic gyre, the body of water is called a:

cold core ring.

California Current

cold current, northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes

West Wind Drift

cold current, polar latitudes, southern hemisphere

Earth's polar regions (above 60° latitude) are classified as deserts because __________.

cold, dry sinking air in the polar high regions produces little precipitation

Downwelling can result from __________.

converging surface currents

A zone of high atmospheric pressure results when there is relatively __________ air aloft.

cool, dry

Low-pressure regions in the northern hemisphere rotate:

counterclockwise.

bonds that involve the sharing of electrons between atoms

covalent bonds

In regions with low rates of precipitation and high rates of evaporation, the halocline will __________.

decrease in salinity with depth

river input

decreases seawater salinity

Deep ocean currents are driven primarily by ________ .

density differences

Thermohaline circulation is driven by:

density differences.

Which process in the hydrologic cycle is most effective at increasing ocean salinity on a global scale?

evaporation

change in state from liquid to gas

evaporation

We would expect the salinity of surface waters to be higher in regions where __________.

evaporation is much greater than precipitation

All the following processes decrease the salinity of water except :

evaporation.

Water _____ when it is heated, making the density _____.

expands, decrease

The height of a wave depends upon:

fetch, wind duration, and wind speed.

Which type of current flow moves in a circular path around a subtropical convergence, reflecting Ekman transport, gravity, and the Coriolis effect?

geostrophic circulation

Which of the following two factors cause geostrophic circulation within a gyre?

gravity and the Coriolis effect.

Deep-water circulation brings oxygen from the surface to the deep ocean because of:

greater dissolution of oxygen in colder water than warmer water.

layer of the ocean that experiences a rapid change in salinity with depth

halocline

When ice forms from seawater, the remaining seawater will have a:

higher salinity.

In lower latitudes where a thermocline exists, as we drop down from the surface through ocean water, water density will ____ while water temperature will be inversely proportional.

increase

As a wave begins to feel bottom near a shoreline, its wave height:

increases and its wavelength decreases

high temperature

increases seawater salinity

charged atoms due to the gain or loss of one or more electrons

ions

The surface tension of water:

is relatively high.

You would expect the water column to be _____ for density at high latitudes.

isopycnal

Water that is _____ will be presented by a straight line for temperature on a graph showing variations with depth.

isothermal

A disadvantage shared by wave, solar and wind energy is that ___________________________.

it is not available on demand, and there currently is no viable way to store the energy

After an unfortunate mishap at sea, you find yourself adrift somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Thankfully, you have some basic knowledge of ideal atmospheric circulation and its influence on climate. Assuming the current weather represents the average climate, where are you if you are experiencing dry, cloudless skies and strong winds coming from the northwest?

just south of 30∘^\circS latitude

Tropic of Cancer

located at 23.5° N latitude

The Sun penetrates surface waters enough at _______ to create a thermocline.

low latitudes

Gulf Stream

northern hemisphere, temperate latitudes, warm current

All the following are methods used to desalinate water except :

osmosis

Waves that are breaking along the shore and are forming curling crests over air pockets are called:

plunging breakers.

Polar easterlies

prevailing wind pattern at polar latitudes

Submarines sometimes ride out heavy storms in deep water by submerging. That is a practical application of utilizing the ____________________.

principle of decreasing orbital motion with depth

Destructive wave interference results in ___________.

reduced wave height

Air warmed by the land that rises and is replaced by cooler air from the ocean may produce a:

sea breeze.

A tsunami is considered to be a:

shallow water wave.

Which type of ice found in the marine environment does NOT form from freezing seawater?

shelf ice

The pH of surface seawater usually has a value of around 8.0. That means the water is __________.

slightly basic (or alkaline)

Records indicate that the ocean is warming faster in the Arctic polar regions than elsewhere. If that continues, a possible consequence could be __________.

slowing of deep ocean circulation, resulting in lower oxygen levels in deep water

Constructive interference results in larger waves whereas destructive interference produces:

smaller waves.

Which method of desalination is the most cost effective but least efficient?

solar humidification

ratio of wave height to wavelength at which waves break

steepness = 1:7

The Sun reaches its most northerly point in the sky, directly overhead along the Tropic of Cancer, during the:

summer solstice.

The two factors that are most important in determining the density of air are:

temperature and water vapor content.

In comparison to wind energy, ocean currents can generate more clean, renewable energy because __________.

the density of water is greater than that of air

disturbing force

the energy that causes ocean waves to form

The primary difficulty that must be overcome in the use of desalination plants to provide fresh water is __________.

the high cost of energy involved

The thickness of sea ice is limited primarily by __________.

the insulating nature of the ice itself

Hydrogen bonds form between neighboring water molecules because of:

the polarity of water molecules.

The El Niño Southern Oscillation can best be described as:

the relationship between sea surface temperature and changing atmospheric pressure.

A rapid change in ocean temperature with a change in depth occurs in the:

thermocline.

The wind belt(s) with strong, reliable, generally easterly winds is (are) the:

trade winds.

The oceanic climate region(s) where the majority of strong tropical cyclonic storms are produced is:

tropical.

the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere

tropopause

The lowermost portion of the atmosphere where most weather occurs is called the:

troposphere.

Surface waters are pushed away from land and replaced by nutrient-rich bottom water through:

upwelling.

most abundant greenhouse gas that also influences air density

water vapor

diameter of orbital wave at the surface

wave height

The diameter of a wave orbital at the surface is equal to:

wave height.

Standing waves may be caused by:

wave reflection.

Waves converge on headlands due to:

wave refraction.

The ratio of wave height to wavelength is called the:

wave steepness.

Wave speed is equal to:

wavelength divided by period.

The speed of a deep-water wave is proportional to:

wavelength.

deep-water wave speed (S)

wavelength/period

Waves usually arrive nearly parallel to the shore because ____________________________.

waves are refracted toward shallow water

The largest wind-generated waves tend to be associated with the:

westerlies.

The temperate regions are characterized by:

westerly winds.

Warm core rings and cold core rings are associated with __________.

western boundary currents

Worldwide, where are the best locations for new wave farms?

windward, western shores in areas that are particularly stormy and produce large waves