Oceanography MDC MIDTERM Online

continental collision zone

Along which of the following would you NOT expect to find active volcanic activity

The percentage of solar radiation directed to Earth absorbed by the clouds and the atmosphere is about:

25%

avg salinity of sea water

3.5%

Globally, air descends (sinks toward the surface) at ______.

30 degrees latitude and 90 degrees latitude (the poles)

mountains

Both convergent plate boundary & divergent plate boundary

the magnetic pattern on the seafloor.

Vine and Matthews determined that new ocean floor was being produced at ocean ridges by examining:

to explain the causes and effects of observable natural phenomena

What best describes the principle goals of science

subduction zone

What best describes the tectonic setting of the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest?

Organic molecules could be created from the materials contained in Earth's early ocean and atmosphere

What did Stanley Miller's 1952 experiment demonstrate?

They are all associated with zones of earthquakes.

What do all plate boundaries have in common?

trenches

What feature is NOT associated with the crest of the mid-ocean ridge

oxygen

What gas was not abundant from Earth's early atmosphere

The ocean water rises up to form a mound based on the mass of the seamount

What happens to the ocean water over a seamount on the ocean floor when measured from a satellite

The oceanic plate will be subducted

What happens when an oceanic and continental plate converge?

Clay

Which of the following is the most abundant component by weight for deep-ocean sediments?

abyssal clay

Which of the following is the most fine-grained sediment

Where is the salinity of ocean surface waters highest?

about 25 degrees north or south of the equator

most gradual change in slop found at

abyssal plain

h20

accounts for most of earth's greenhouse effect

nebular hypothesis:

all bodies in the solar system formed from a giant gas cloud

Mid-ocean ridges are rises occupy a small portion of the deep ocean basin, only around 10%. (a) True (b) False

b. false

Most of the future deep-ocean research being planned by oceanographers involves sending human pilots and observers to the greatest ocean depths in vehicles like Alvin, Trieste, and Shinkai-6500, (a) True (b) False

b. false

The deepest portions of the ocean are part of the relatively narrow features called submarine canyons. (a) True (b) False

b. false

A __________ is used to determine the shape position of boundaries. (a) hypsometric curve (b) seismic survey (c) bathymetry (d) biology

b. seismic survey

sediments produced by plants and animals in the sea

biogenous

True

At divergent plate boundaries, only shallow focus earthquakes can be found.

The oceanic climate region(s) in the majority of strong cyclonic storms are produced is indicated by the number __________. (a) 1 (b) 1 & 2 (c) 2 (d) 3 (e) 3 & 4

B. 1 & 2

The westerlies wind belt is the area corresponding to ___________. (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 (e) 5

B. 2

Which of the following atmospheric constituents has the greatest ability to absorb heat (a per mole basis)?

chlorofluorocarbons

age of seafloor.

Confirmation of seafloor spreading was supported by the:

Each hydrogen atom charges its single electron with electrons in the oxygen atom. Which type of bond is this?

covalent bond

lithosphere is composed of...

crust and topmost portion of outer mantle

hypsometric curve

cumulative plot of area versus depth

T or F: Vertical mixing of surface and deep seawater takes place in the low latitudes.

false

T or F: Waves always travel in the same direction as the prevailing current, even far offshore.

false

T or F: When a tsunami reaches a coastal area, it is always represented by a single rapid surge of water toward the shore, resembling a suddenly occurring high tide (which is why they are misnamed "tidal waves").

false

T or F: in the high latitudes, there is a prominent and well-developed thermocline.

false

surface tension of water increases as ______ decreases

density

When the earth cooled, the layers of the earth separated based on...

density differences.

rift valley

depression along ridge axis

CCD

depth at which all carbonate is in solution

lysocline

depth at which carbonate begins to dissolve

The process of purifying seawater by removing most of its dissolved substances is called ____.

desalination

gloria

device used for side-scan sonar

Production of first free oxygen in the atmosphere caused organisms to...

die off.

geostrophic flow

driven by gravity and modified by the coriolis force

jet stream

fast moving easterly flowing air mass

Which of the following terms describes a rapid change in salinity with depth?

halocline

magnetic north pole

hasnt remained close to the geographic north pole

divergent boundary:

hydrothermal vents, rift valley

The Red sea has ___ water because of large amounts of ____.

hypersaline; evaporation

tropic of cancer

located at 23.5 degrees N

Areas of vertical air movement (very little surface wind motion) are found on the Earth at latitudes ___________. (a) 15° and 30° (b) 45° and 60° (c) 5° and 85° (d) 0° and 30° (e) 45° and 55°

D. 0° and 30°

The wind belt that corresponds to the doldrums is labeled ___________. (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6

D. 5

False

Earthquakes are common along fracture zones.

Greenland

Eric the Red discovered this land and later started the colony

The best climate models indicate that Earth's average surface temperature has risen by 5oC in the last 100 years.

False

The greenhouse gas that accounts for most of the natural greenhouse effect in Earth's atmosphere is carbon dioxide.

False

The trade winds can be found between 30o and 60o N and S latitudes.

False

True

Fast-moving spreading ridges tend to be more gently sloped than slow-moving ridges.

all the above.

Fossils found in sediments can be used to:

plants lived near the poles, but continents have drifted to current locations

Fossils of ancient polar plants are currently found near the equator because the:

accounts for most of Earth's greenhouse effect

H2O

In an atom, the nucleus is composed of ___ and ___, and the ____ orbit very quickly around the nucleus.

Protons; neutrons; electrons

The doldrums can be found at the Equator

True

Sound travels more slowly in the SOFAR channel than in the areas of the ocean immediately above and below it.

True

The angle at which direct sunlight strikes the ocean's surface is important in determining the amount of solar energy that is absorbed.

True

Which of the following statements about the movement of waves in a wave train is false?

waves pick up speed as they move out of the "sea" area where they are generated

major force bringing continental sediments to the open ocean is

wind

Hurricanes are associated with _____ atmospheric pressure and spin _____ in the northern hemisphere.

low; counterclockwise

Rising warm air is associated with regions of ____ atmospheric pressure caused by thermal ____.

low; expansion

pynocline

rapid change in density with slight change in depth

halocline

rapid change in salinity with slight change in depth

what is most frequently used to investigate sediment and rock layers of the sea floor?

sound waves

Ninety percent of people who die in hurricanes are killed by ____.

storm surge

Legend holds that the "horse latitudes" derived their name from sailors who, in desperation, abandoned horses overboard because the sailors were ____.

stuck at the boundary between the trades and the westerlies

deep ocean trenches are associated with

subduction zones

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

-the doldrums -the polar high -the polar front -the horse latitudes

A cold front is likely to have heavy, brief showers associated with it. (a) True (b) False

A. true

A mole of methane is able to absorb much more heat than one mole of carbon dioxide. (a) True (b) False

A. true

convergent

An ocean trench is associated with which type of plate boundary?

71%

Approximately what percentage of the surface of the Earth is covered by oceans?

magnetic sea floor 'stripes' are symmetric with respect to the mid-ocean ridge

As a tool, paleomagnetism is a piece of modern evidence that has helped support plate tectonics by showing that

There are ___________ main wind bands in each hemisphere of the Earth. (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 5 (e) 6

B. 3

The compound __________ is an anthropogenic greenhouse gas. (a) CFCs (b) CO2 (c) H2O (d) N2O (e) O3

B. CO2

A hurricane is a very strong high-pressure system. (a) True (b) False

B. False

A maritime polar air mass is likely to be dry and cold. (a) True (b) False

B. False

The trade winds can be found between 30º and 60º N and S latitudes. (a) True (b) False

B. False

The __________ is the prevailing wind pattern at tropical latitudes. (a) Intertropical Convergence Zone (b) Trade Winds (c) Tropic of Cancer (d) Tropic of Capricorn (e) Westerlies

B. Trade Winds

The gas or gasses that is (are) increasing atmospheric concentration relative to other gases in the atmosphere annually is (are) ___________. (a) carbon dioxide (b) chlorofluorocarbons (c) methane (d) nitrous oxide (e) ozone

B. chlorofluorocarbons

Which of the following atmospheric constituents has the greatest ability to absorb heat on a per mole basis? (a) carbon dioxide (b) chlorofluorocarbons (c) methane (d) ozone (e) water vapor

B. chlorofluorocarbons

An iceberg is a variety of sea ice. (a) True (b) False

B. false

The best climate models indicate that Earth's average surface temperature has risen by 5ºC in the last 100 years. (a) True (b) False

B. false

The greenhouse gas that accounts for most of the natural greenhouse effect in Earth's atmosphere is carbon dioxide. (a) True (b) False

B. false

Tropical cyclones never leave the tropics. (a) True (b) False

B. false

Winds are named for the direction ___________. (a) in which they are going (b) from which they are coming

B. from which they are coming

Fluids (including air) move from ___________ pressure to ___________ pressure. (a) low; high (b) high, low

B. high; low

Coccolithophores Diatoms

Which of the following are microscopic, single-celled floating algae that accumulate to form biogenous sediment?

a series of islands, shallow banks, and deep basins

Which of the following best describes a continental borderland?

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

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

a volcanic arc

Which of the following is associated with a subduction zone?

crest of the mid-ocean ridge

Which of the following is associated with divergent plate boundaries on the seafloor?

andesitic volcanoes

Which of the following is characteristic of oceanic-continental convergent plate boundaries?

volcanic island arcs

Which of the following is characteristic of oceanic-oceanic convergent plate boundaries?

Radiolarians Diatoms

Which of the following organisms are responsible for the creation of siliceous ooze?

They are transform plate boundaries

Which of the following statements about fracture zones is FALSE?

They are found only off of mountainous coasts

Which of the following statements about submarine canyons is FALSE?

The ocean floor is spreading apart, and new seafloor is forming. The igneous rock of the ocean floor preserves Earth's existing magnetic field as the rock cools. The polarity of Earth's magnetic field experiences reversals.

Why does the sea floor have a striped pattern of magnetic anomalies that is symmetric with respect to the mid-ocean ridge?

With respect to incoming solar radiation, radiation emitted back into the atmosphere has:

a longer wavelength.

Of the following statements about deep-ocean currents, which are true?

-Deep ocean currents are important regulators of global climate -deep ocean currents are initiated by downwelling of cold, dense water near Antarctica in the north atlantic ocean -deep ocean circulation is often referred to as thermohaline flow -deep ocean currents contain water that is high in oxygen -the volume of water involved in the downward movement of deep ocean water currents is equal to the flow of 100 Amazon-sized rivers

Of the following statements about ocean waves, which ones describe wave steepness?

-If wave steepness ever exceeds a 1:7 ratio, then the wave breaks -Wave steepness is defined as wave height divided by wavelength

How does the Coriolis effect cause the atmosphere to move around high and low pressures in the northern hemisphere?

-The coriolis effect causes air to move counterclockwise around low pressure -the coriolis effect causes air to move clockwise around high pressure

Of the following offshore ocean conditions, which ones would likely produce spilling breakers?

-a gently sloping sandy bottom -a gently sloping rocky bottom

Of the following statements about the pH of seawater, which are true?

-additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is getting into the ocean, overwhelming the natural carbonate buffering system -the pH of seawater averages about 8.1 and ranges from about 8.0 to 8.3 -in a natural state, the carbonate buffering system protects the ocean from getting too acidic or too alkaline

If you were an explorer stranded in the Arctic Ocean, what methods could you use for creating fresh drinking water?

-catch and melt fresh falling snow -boil sea water; catch and condense the water vapor -take seawater and freeze and melt it several times to purify it -heat sea ice that formed a long time ago

Which of the following techniques can be used to measure the salinity in seawater?

-evaporate the water sample, and weigh the amount of solids that precipitate out -pass electrical current thru the water

Surface winds in the tropics generally blow _____.

-from the east -toward the equator

Of the following statements about ocean waves, which are true?

-ocean waves can be classified by the depth of water in which they move -ocean waves can be classified by the way in which they form -ocean waves can be described by their period, wavelength, and height

Of the following surface currents, which ones flow from south to north?

-peru current -kuroshio current -the gulf stream

Of the following statements about seawater salinity, which are true?

-seawater salinity averages 35 0/00 -seawater salinity averages 3.5% -the two most common dissolved components in seawater are sodium and chloride

Of the following gyres, which ones flow in a counterclockwise direction?

-south atlantic subtropical gyre -indian ocean subtropical gyre -northern hemisphere subpolar gyres -south pacific subtropical gyre

The west wind drift (antarctic circumpolar current) is a part of which of the following subtropical gyres?

-south atlantic subtropical gyre -indian ocean subtropical gyre -south pacific subtropical gyre

Of the following properties of water, which are caused by the unusual geometry of water molecules?

-water has cohesion and surface tension -water has the ability to dissolve just about anything -water molecules form hydrogen bonds -water molecules have polarity -snowflakes form six-sided crystals

Of the following physical changes that occur to waves as they move into shallow water, which are true?

-wavelength decreases -wave height increases -wave steepness increases -the waves touch bottom

Of the following surface currents, which ones flow generally from west to east?

-west wind drift -north pacific current -equatorial counter current

The earth's crust solidified about...

4.5 billion years ago.

Worldwide, the SOFAR channel is located at an approximate ocean depth of:

1000 meters.

tropic of capricorn is located at

23.5 degrees s latitude

In deep water, a wave with a wavelength of 60 meters and a wave height of 6 meters will have orbital motion down to a depth of ____.

30 meters

Since 1750, the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased by almost:

30%.

In the open ocean, average seawater salinity is ____.

35 0/00

earth developed the first ocean about...

4 billion years ago.

The percentage of solar radiation absorbed by the Earth's oceans and landmasses is about:

50%.

Ekman transport is an average path of motion that, under ideal conditions, is at ____ to the winds direction

90 degrees

abyssal hill

A small, rounded, submerged volcanic hill that rises less than 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) above the sea floor is called ________________

Earth rotates eastward at about ___________. (a) 1,000 miles per hour (b) 500 miles per hour (c) 55 miles per hour (d) 10,000 miles per hour (e) impossible to say without more information

A. 1,000 miles per hour

A hurricane contains more energy than has been generated in the US over the last twenty years. (a) True (b) False

A. True

Winds blowing from the north in the southern hemisphere will appear to ___________. (a) be deflected toward the east (b) be deflected toward the west (c) circulate counterclockwise (d) circulate clockwise (e) travel in a straight line

A. be deflected toward the east

When viewed from above, tropical cyclones rotate ____________ in the southern hemisphere. (a) clockwise (b) counterclockwise (c) either way -- it depends on the individual storm (d) only northern hemisphere tropical cyclones rotate

A. clockwise

A cold air mass moving into an area occupied by relatively warm air is called a(n) ___________. (a) cold front (b) high pressure system (c) low pressure system (d) occluded front (e) warm front

A. cold front

The addition of water vapor to dry air causes the density of the air to ___________. (a) decrease (b) increase (c) stay the same

A. decrease

contours at around 2000 meters in depth.

All continents fit together with the least number of overlaps and gaps when the continents are matched along:

Which of the following is a consequence of global warming?

All the above are consequences of global warming.

evidence of constant ocean salinity.

All the following provide evidence for continental drift except:

When air masses come together, ___________. (a) very little weather activity results (b) a tropical cyclone forms (c) one air mass may ride up and over the other and form a front (d) one air mass may ride up over the other and form a storm surge (e) none of the above

C. one air mass may ride up and over the other and form a front

The layers of the atmosphere are separated from each other based on ___________. (a) hydrogen content (b) oxygen content (c) temperature (d) density (e) pressure

C. temperature

atmospheric compound with greatest infrared absorption rate

CFCs

latitude

Climate distribution on Earth is primarily controlled by:

The 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

An agreement amongst 60 nations to voluntarily limit greenhouse gas emissions is called the ___________. (a) Coriolis Protocol (b) IPCC (c) Keating Conference (d) Kyoto Protocol (e) United Nations Environmental Programme

D. Kyoto Protocol

Compounds call __________ contribute to ozone layer depletion. (a) CFCs (b) CO2 (c) H2O (d) N2O (e) O3

D. N2O

Tropical cyclones are also called ___________. (a) willi-willis (b) typhoons (c) hurricanes (d) all of these are the same things, just with different names

D. all of these are the same things, just with different names

True

Deep focus earthquakes are often associated with deep-sea trenches.

True

Deep-sea trenches are found at convergent plate boundaries.

isostasy

Differences in height between continental crust and oceanic crust are explained by:

The strongest winds on Earth are ___________. (a) 1 & 2 (b) 1 & 3 (c) 2 & 3 (d) 2 & 4 (e) 3 & 4

E. 3 & 4

The area of the globe (latitude) that is characterized by falling air masses and little precipitation is ___________. (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6

E. 6

Which of the following is not a consequence of global warming? (a) droughts in prime agricultural areas (b) increasing hurricane frequency (c) melting of glacial ice (d) shifts in the world-wide distribution of plant and animal communities (e) All of the above are consequences of global warming.

E. All of the above are consequences of global warming.

The Trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres converge in a region known as the ___________. (a) Bermuda Triangle (b) Subtropical Highs (c) Subpolar Lows (d) Subtropical Lows (e) Doldrums

E. Doldrums

Extra-tropical cyclones typically form ___________. (a) near the meteorological equator (b) near the thermal equator (c) at high latitudes, at the north or south pole (d) at high latitudes, at the junction between the polar cells and the Ferrel cells (e) In the tropics

E. In the tropics

A hurricane is a very strong high pressure system.

False

A maritime polar air mass is likely to be dry and cold.

False

An iceberg is a variety of sea ice.

False

The ocean floor keeps regenerating itself

How is it that the ocean floor is so much younger than the ocean itself?

by turbidity currents

How is most sediment transported from the continental shelf out to the continental rise

15 meters

How much wider is the Atlantic Ocean today than when Christopher Columbus sailed?

continental shelf, slope, and then rise

If you could walk out away from the shore across the sea floor on a passive continental margin, what is the order of provinces you would cross?

grain size

In sediments, what does the Wentworth scale describe?

A muddy lagoon A sandy beach At the base of the continental slope

In which environments would you find lithogenous sediment

An agreement amongst 60 nations to voluntarily limit greenhouse gas emissions is called the:

Kyoto Protocol.

Newfoundland

Leif Eriksson was the first to land here

made up of material derived from pre-existing rock material

Lithogenous sediments are

False

New crust is formed at trenches and old crust is subducted at ridges.

the ancient geographical locations of ocean basins previous ocean circulation patterns the climate on Earth millions of years ago past catastrophes, such as major extinction events movement of the ocean floor

Marine sediments provide valuable clues about which of the following Earth history events?

sea surface elevation, which varies depending on the shape of the underlying sea floor.

Measurement of ocean floor bathymetry from satellite relies on what?

Tests

Microscopic shells that create biogenous sediment on the sea floor are called

increases in proportion to the distance.

Moving from oceanic ridge to oceanic trench, the thickness of the lithosphere:

produced only in burning hydrocarbons

N2O

Was free oxygen present in Earth's primordial atmosphere?

NO

sending sound through the water and determining the time required for it to return to the ship

Ocean depths are routinely determined by

thermal contraction of hot lithosphere.

Oceans become deeper moving away from ridges due to:

Siliceous ooze on the sea floor indicates cool surface water above Calcareous ooze on the sea floor indicates warm surface water above

Of the following statements about surface water temperature above biogenous sea floor deposits, which is/are true?

a chimney that emits a column of hot, cloudy water formed from the precipitation of metal-rich minerals

Of the following, which is the best description of a sea floor hydrothermal vent?

growing, shrinking

Overall, the Atlantic ocean basin is ______, and the Pacific ocean basin is ______.

In which ocean do most tsunami occur?

Pacific Ocean

divergent boundaries

Plate boundaries where new oceanic crust is being added are called

The zone ocean where sound can travel extremely long distances is called the:

SOFAR channel.

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

Saffir-Simpson Scale.

abyssal plains

Sediments deposited by the process of suspension settling produce the main sediment found on _______

True

T/F; All the continents could fit into the space occupied by the Pacific Ocean.

the Western European world realized the vastness of Earth's water-covered surface

The Age of Discovery was the time period in ocean exploration history when...

divergent

The East Pacific Rise is associated with which type of plate boundary

earthquakes

The best map to use to locate the world's plate boundaries is a map that shows the worldwide location of

parallel to and symmetric about ocean ridges.

The seafloor magnetic pattern is be best described as:

False

The magnetic field of the Earth reverses itself each time magma erupts at a mid-ocean ridge.

False

The magnetic north pole has remained very close to the geographic North Pole through all of geologic time.

the Pacific Ring of Fire subduction zones and associated faults very deep ocean water depths volcanic arcs and active continental margins narrow or no continental shelves

The majority of ocean trenches are associated with

radiometric methods of determining the age of rocks

The most accurate scientific estimation of Earth's age is based on

adaptations to different environmental conditions

The naturalist, Charles Darwin, who is credited with developing the theory of evolution by natural selection, suggested that the changes organisms display through time were the result of

4 billion years ago

The oceans are believed to have formed about

False

The oldest rocks are located at mid-ocean ridges.

to have it accumulate faster than it dissolves

The only way for siliceous ooze to be preserved in the ocean is

True

The relatively young age of the seafloor supports the idea that subduction must take place.

isostatic adjustment

The vertical movement of crust to accommodate additional weight or removal of weight is called

Iceland

This was the first new land conquered by the vikings

A cold front is likely to have heavy, brief showers associated with it.

True

A hurricane contains more energy than has been generated in the US over the last twenty years

True

A mole of methane is able to absorb much more heat than one mole of carbon dioxide.

True

Ocean crust is destroyed at deep sea trenches Ocean crust is created at mid-ocean ridges

What is true in regards to ocean crust?

along the mid-ocean ridge beneath warm surface waters

Where are most modern-day calcareous oozes found in the ocean?

around the margins of the Pacific Ocean

Where is the Ring of Fire located?

abyssal plains continental shelves, rises, slopes deep ocean trenches

Where would lithogenous sediments of any size be found

In deep sea trenches not far offshore on the continental shelf

Where would you expect to find LARGE amounts of lithogenous sediments

along passive continental margins

Where would you expect to find well developed continental shelves

The DSDP drilled to the center of Earth and confirmed that the outer core is composed of liquid iron-nickel material.

Which of the following statements about the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) is FALSE?

The magnetic pole wobbles, but stays near the geographic pole.

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between Earth's geographic and magnetic poles?

They result from successive lava flows

Which of the following statements concerning graded bedding deposits is FALSE?

The asthenosphere is composed of outer mantle material.

Which of the following statements is true of the asthenosphere?

The lithosphere is composed of the crust and the topmost portion of the outer mantle

Which of the following statements is true of the lithosphere?

Ferdinand Magellan

Who began the voyage of the Victoria, the first vessel known to circumnavigate the Earth

It accommodates spreading of a linear ridge system on a spherical Earth

Why does the mid-ocean ridge have a zigzag appearance?

In relation to ocean circulation, a gyre is _____.

a large, circular-moving loop of surface water

the density of seawater increases with ____ in temperature and ____ in salinity.

a decrease; an increase

Of the following waves, which one has the deepest wave base?

a wave with a 2-meter wave height and a wavelength of 1000 meters

The most gradual change in slope in the ocean can be found at the __________. (a) abyssal plain (b) continental rise (c) continental shelf (d) deep ocean trench (e) mid-ocean ridge

a. abyssal plain

Which of the following is not characteristic of the deep sea basins? (a) Canyons (b) Plains (c) Hills (d) Seamounts (e) Guyots

a. canyons

calorie

amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree c

Of the following statements about the tilt of earths axis, which one is true?

an increase in earths tilt would cause colder winters and warmer summers.

Panthalassa

ancient precursor of the pacific ocean

sediments derived from preexisting rocks

are called lithogenous

Intertropical Convergence Zone

area where air rises close to the equator

itcz

area where air rises close to the equator

turbidites

associated with deep sea fans

ice rafting

associated with glacial deposits

new crust is formed..

at ridges

Most processes that affect the oceans salinity occur ____.

at the ocean surface

abyssal plains are more extensive on the floor of which ocean?

atlantic

4 principle oceans:

atlantic, arctic, indian, and pacific

Due to the very harsh environment, few organisms are found in association with hydrothermal vents. (a) True (b) False

b. false

The Baltic sea has ___ because of ____.

brackish water; large amounts of runoff.

heterotrophic organisms...

breakdown organic molecules to get energy

passive continental margins:

broad continental shelf, shallow coastal waters, thick sediment accumulation, and very little volcanic earthquake activity

Only about __________ of the Earth's surface projects above sea level. (a) 51% (b) 17% (c) 29% (d) 94% (e) 74%

c. 29%

The average width of the continental shelves is about __________ kilometers (__________ miles). (a) 16 (10) (b) 35 (22) (c) 67 (42) (d) 100 (160) (e) 800 (1,280)

c. 67 (42)

Active continental margins are located __________. (a) along the east coast of the United States (b) along the east coast of South America (c) on the west coasts of both North and South America (d) all around Africa

c. along the west coast of North and South America

A measurement of ocean depth and seafloor topography is __________. (a) hypsometric curve (b) seismic survey (c) bathymetry (d) biology

c. bathymetry

Directly seaward of the continental shelf is a more steeply sloping region called the __________. (a) abyssal plain (b) continental rise (c) continental slope (d) mid-ocean ridge (e) trench

c. continental slope

The most rapid change in slope in the ocean is found at the __________. (a) abyssal plain (b) continental slope (c) oceanic trench (d) submarine canyon (e) volcanic seamount

c. oceanic trench

An analysis of the sequential breaking of transatlantic telephone and telegraph cables led to a better understanding of __________. (a) the distribution of submarine trenches (b) the composition of sediments (c) turbidity currents (d) hydrothermal vent communities (e) the size of the ocean

c. turbidity currents

primordial atmosphere:

carbon dioxide, water vapor, sulfur dioxide, and methane.

Western intensification is ______.

caused by the rotational center of a gyre being located to the west of the ocean basins geographic center, thus causing more water to flow within a narrower "channel"

active continental margins:

chains of islands, deep-sea trenches, thin sediment accumulation, volcanic and earthquake activity

evaporation

change from liquid to gas

sublimation

change in phase from solid to gas

biogenous sediment

coccolithophores, diatomaceous ooze, foraminiferans, silaceous ooze, stromatolies

A cold air mass moving into an area occupied by relatively warm air is called a(n)

cold front.

The Peru Current is a _____ current that flows ____.

cold; north

The California current is a ____ current that flows ____.

cold; south

continental margin consists of:

continental rise, continental shelf, continental slope, and submarine canyon.

crest of mid-ocean ridge is associated with

convergent boundaries on the seafloor

deep sea trenches are found at

convergent plate boundaries

island arc

convergent plate boundary

oceanic trench

convergent plate boundary

sediments with extraterrestrial origin

cosmogenous

Low pressure systems in the northern hemisphere rotate:

counterclockwise.

The islands bordering the deep-sea trenches __________. (a) result from a series of quiet, continuous basaltic eruptions (b) are accumulations of sediments on the margins of the trenches (c) are formed from the activities of coral and other organisms (d) are explosive volcanoes that emit andesite lavas

d. are explosive volcanoes that emit andesite lavas

The landscape of the seafloor would best be described as __________. (a) a featureless plain (b) a smooth descent with the deepest portions farthest from land (c) similar in rock type, sediment thickness, and erosional processes to those found on the land (d) containing ridges, trenches, seamounts, and other features different from those found on land

d. containing ridges, trenches, seamounts, and other features different from those found on land.

All of the following are considered part of the continental margin except the __________. (a) continental rise (b) continental shelf (c) continental slope (d) fracture zone (e) submarine canyon

d. fracture zone

New lithosphere is produced in association with __________. (a) deep-sea trenches (b) fracture zones (c) hydrothermal vents (d) mid-ocean ridges (e) transform faults

d. mid ocean ridges

continental rises formed by

deep sea fans

Idealized pressure belts and wind systems are significantly modified by Earth's tilted axis of rotation and:

differences in the heat capacity of ocean and land.

mid-atlantic ridge is an example of

divergent boundary

hydrothermal vents

divergent plate boundary

rift valley

divergent plate boundary

Satellites are used to map the ocean floor because they __________. (a) are unaffected by surface weather (b) can cover areas where ships have not produced surveys (c) can "see" large areas of the seafloor at one time (d) the shape of the ocean surface itself reflects large features on the seafloor below (e) All of the above statements are correct

e. all of the above

submarine canyons most likely formed by

erosion of turbidity currents

Vikings

established temporary settlement in North America

Which of the following increases the salinity of seawater?

evaporation of seawater

factors that increase salinity

evaporation, high temperature, low latitude, sea ice formation

T or F: For an equal quantity of solar radiation hitting all parts of earth, the "solar footprint" is larger at the equator than it is in high latitudes.

false

T or F: Subtropical gyres flow counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

false

T or F: The heat capacity of water is lower than that of most other substances.

false

Balboa

first European explorer to Pacific ocean

Eratosthenes

first determination of earth's circumference

Which of the following statements about el nino events is false?

fishing along peru and ecuador is much better

doldrums

found at equator

phosphate nodules

found on continental shelf

upwelling

from bottom to top

astronomical bodies oldest to youngest:

galaxy, solar system, planet

nebula

gaseous and dusty space cloud

high energy environments are most likely to contain large particles such as

gravel

cold front is likely to have

heavy, brief showers

There is no pycnocline in _____ latitude regions because _____.

high-; the water column is uniformly cold and dense

heat capacity of water is ______ than other liquids

higher

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

higher salinity

Which type of bond holds adjacent water molecules together?

hydrogen bond

sediments produced as a result of chemical reactions in seawater

hydrogenous

A geostrophic current is one that (ideally) flows ______.

in a circular path around the central "hill" of a gyre

deepest part of the ocean is located...

in a trench off the coast of Japan. (Mariana trench)

old crust is subducted...

in trenches.

differences in height between continental crust and oceanic crust are explained by..

isostasy

Of the following factors, all increase the amount of energy in waves except ____.

increasing water vapor content in the air

The doldrums refer to the same region as the:

intertropical convergence zone

covergent boundry:

island arc, oceanic trench

free oxygen is important because..

its necessary for photosynthesis

What accounts for all the unique properties of water?

its unique geometry causes the water molecule to have a resulting electrical polarity.

used to change temp of a substance

latent heat

climate distribution on earth is controlled by...

latitude.

Magellan

led voyage that first circumnavigated the globe

What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?

nitrogen

Ptolemy

mapped world with Roman knowledge showing latitude and longitude

bathymetry

measurement of ocean depth and seafloor

new lithosphere is produced in association with

mid-ocean ridges

newest rocks are located in..

mid-ocean ridges

fast-moving spreading ridges are_____ than slow-moving ridges.

more gently sloped

coccoliths

most chalk is made from

BOTH con. and div.

mountains and volcanoes

radiolarian oozes from

near equator

sediments found on continental margins

neritic

Continental crust is thicker and less dense than..

oceanic crust

most rapid change in slope is found at

oceanic trench

volcanic island arcs are ______ covergent plate boundaries

oceanic-oceanic

Which of the following statements about orthogonals is false?

orthogonals are the same thing as wave crests

Of the following situations involving orthogonals, which one involves the highest energy?

orthogonals that become more closely spaces as they approach the shore

asthenosphere is composed of..

outer mantle material

crust

outermost portion of the Earth, basalt and granite

study of changes in the character of oceans due to geographic changes

paleoceanography

study of magnetism over geologic time

paleomagnetism

seafloor magnetic pattern is best described as...

parallel to and symmetric about ocean ridges

wentworth scale

particle size classification

The type of breaker that is best for surfing is called a _____ breaker.

plunging

water is ______ molecule

polar

decrease salinity

precipitation, river input

westerlies

prevailing wind pattern at temp latitudes

Westerlies

prevailing wind pattern at temperate latitudes

Trade Winds

prevailing wind pattern at tropical latitudes

trade winds

prevailing wind pattern at tropical latitudes

A layer of rapid change of ocean density with depth is called a ______.

pycnocline

rapid change in ocean density with change in depth

pynocline

silica is contained in

radiolarians

principle of constant proportions

relative concentration of seawater ions doesn't change

chemical composition of ocean water has...

remained constant throughout geologic time.

Burning of fossil fuels is chemically similar to

respiration

mantle

rich in ferromanesian minerals, between crust and core

depression along ridge axis

rift valley

density of seawater is affected by

salinity and temp

difference between ocean and sea?

sea contains more shallow water, is salty, smaller than ocean, and may be enclosed by land or currents.

at divergent plate boundaries, only ______ earthquakes can be found.

shallow focus

from coast to mid-ocean ridge:

shelf, slope, rise, abyssal plain

Areas of high atmospheric pressure (at earths surface) generally experience what kind of conditions?

sinking air, with dry, clear weather

texture refers to

size and shape of sediment particles

ph of the ocean

slightly alkaline

Surface ocean currents are caused by _____, whereas deep currents are the result of ____.

surface wind belts; density differences

The oceans deep water is initially formed at the ____ and in _____ regions.

surface; subpolar

Which of the following statements about swell is false?

swell must have large wave height

Which of the following currents does not belong with the others as part of the same gyre?

the Agulhas current

Which of the following statements about the Coriolis effect is false?

the Coriolis effect tends to increase or decrease the speed of moving objects

carbon dating is used to determine...

the absolute age of a rock or fossil

radioactive isotopes can be used to determine...

the absolute age of the rock

confirmation of seafloor spreading was supported by...

the age of the seafloor

A moving object traveling northward in the northern hemisphere is deflected toward ______.

the east

What is a wave refraction?

the bending of waves as they approach a coastline

Which of the following statements about the physical characteristics of waves is false?

the depth at which the orbital motion ceases is called the still water level

At the time of the vernal equinox, the sun is directly overhead at _____.

the equator

Which of the following is an example of a western boundary current of a subtropical gyre.

the kuroshio current

The fact that ice is less dense than water- which causes ice to float- is due to ____.

the molecular packing of bulky ice crystals

going from the equator to the north pole, what are the names of the wind belts you would cross?

the trade winds, the prevailing westerlies, the polar easterlies

The "midnight sun" is a phenomenon observed in Northern Hemisphere polar regions only when the sun is directly above ___.

the tropic of cancer

which of the following is not a physical change that a wave experiences as the wave reaches shallow water?

the wavelength increases

Most ocean waves are caused by ____.

the wind

idea of subduction is supported by....

the young age of the seafloor

oceans become deeper moving from ridges due to...

thermal contraction of hot asthenosphere.

rapid change in ocean temp with change in depth

thermocline

abyssal hills are only visible in pacific ocean because

they are higher in pacific ocean

In subtropical gyres, western boundary currents have all of the following characteristics except _____.

they are relatively wide

ekman transport

transport of water to left or right of wind direction

T or F: A land breeze flows from land to sea.

true

T or F: Air typically moves from regions of high atmospheric pressure toward regions of low atmospheric pressure.

true

T or F: In shallow water waves, wave speed increases with increased water depth; in deep water waves, wave speed increases with increased wavelength.

true

T or F: In water vapor, there is no interconnectedness of individual water molecules (no hydrogen bonds).

true

T or F: Internal waves are usually found in areas where there is a strong, permanent pycnocline.

true

T or F: Internal waves can sometimes exceed heights of 100 meters (330 Feet) and can carry submerged objects to great depths.

true

T or F: Latent heat can be absorbed or released only as water undergoes the process of changing state (Ex: as water changes from a liquid to a solid).

true

T or F: Rogue waves are often caused by constructive wave interference.

true

T or F: The east australian current is the western boundary current of the south pacific subtropical gyre.

true

T or F: The surface winds of an anticyclone in the southern hemisphere rotate counterclockwise.

true

T or F: the major wind belts of the world are generated by the lowermost portion of earths atmospheric circulation cells.

true

seismic survey

used to determine shape and position of boundaries

PDR

uses frequency sound waves to measure ocean depth

The atmospheric circulation cell in the equatorial south pacific created by the movement of air between high- and low- pressure regions is called the ______.

walker cell

What is one of the first indications that an el nino event may be occurring?

warm water from near australia migrates toward south america

The East Australian current is a ____ current that flows ____.

warm; south

The Gulf Stream is a _____ current that flows ____.

warm; south

downwelling

water coming from top to bottom

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

water depth

many unique properties of water come from the fact that

water is a polar molecule

The atmospheric component that contributes to the majority of greenhouse warming on Earth is:

water vapor

The temperate regions are characterized by:

westerly winds.

A maritime tropical air mass is likely to be:

wet and warm.

Sea ice forms by seawater freezing; icebergs form ______.

when glacial ice on land falls off into the ocean

Of the following physical properties of the atmosphere, which are true?

-air always moves from high-pressure regions toward low-pressure regions -the air temp. is warmer near earths surface than in the upper part of the troposphere -low pressure at the surface is associated with rising air (movement away from the surface) -warm air holds more water vapor than cool air

Of the following statements about the transfer of heat on earth, which are true?

-air currents move warmer air from the tropics to higher latitudes -water vapor in the air carries latent heat with it, which is released in other areas -ocean currents move warm water from the tropics to higher latitudes

Of the following statements about the density of seawater, which are true?

-an increase in salinity increases seawater density -a decrease in temperature increases seawater density

Of the following statements about the density of freshwater and the formation of ice, which are true?

-ice is less dense than liquid water, which is why ice floats -as the temp. of water decreases from 4C to 0C, its density decreases -water at 2C is less dense than it is at 4C -waters max density is at 4C

Of the following statements about waters latent heat and changes in state, which are true?

-in the solid state, all water molecules are connected by weak (hydrogen) bonds -in the vapor state, there are no weak (hydrogen) bonds between water molecules -Latent heat allows water to transfer energy from one place to another -when water evaporates, its latent heat of evaporation absorbs heat -when water vapor condenses and forms a liquid, its latent heat of condensation releases heat to the environment; this is what powers hurricanes

Of the following conditions, which are related to strong El Nino events?

-increase in sea surface temp. and destruction of coral reefs in the eastern pacific ocean -higher sea levels in the eastern pacific ocean associated with warmer water -increased abundance of hurricanes in the eastern pacific ocean

Of the following statements about subtropical gyres, which are true?

-the centers of all subtropical gyres are associated with high atmospheric pressure -globally, there are five subtropical gyres -the rotation of each subtropical gyre causes a "hill" of water to pile up within it -the western boundary current of all subtropical gyres is intensified (it is fast, narrow, and deep) -there are four main surface currents in each subtropical gyre

Of the following statements about the doldrums, which are true?

-the doldrums are an area of low atmospheric pressure -this is also known as the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) -the doldrums are the boundary between the northeast trade winds and the southeast trade winds -the doldrums are found as a global belt along the equator -there is usually little wind but a lot of rain associated with the doldrums

Of the following processes, which increases the salinity of seawater?

-the formation of sea ice -evaporation

Of the following characteristics or features, which are associated with midlatitude storms, such as those that originate in the north pacific ocean between 40 and 60 degrees latitude?

-the prevailing westerlies -the jet stream -contrasting air masses -the polar front

Of the following statements about ocean waves, which ones describe wave period?

-the time it takes for one full wavelength to pass a given point -the inverse of wave frequency

Of the following characteristics or features, which are generally related to the formation or movement of hurricanes?

-the trade winds -warm ocean water -warm air with lots of water vapor -waters latent heat of condensation

Of the following statements about the trade winds, which are true?

-the trade winds are strong and steady winds, hence the name. -the trade winds are found between about 5 and 30 degrees north or south latitude -the trade winds generally blow from the east to the west

Of the following statements about seawater properties in high and low latitudes, which are true?

-there is a thermocline in low latitudes -there is a halocline in low latitudes -there is a halocline in high latitudes. -there is pycnocline in low latitudes

Of the following statements about tsunami, which are true?

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

Of the following events, which are capable of generating waves?

-uplift or downdropping of the ocean floor -a storm moving over the ocean surface -a rock falling into a still pond -an underwater landslide -human activities, such as a ship traveling across the ocean

Of the following currents, which ones are part of the south atlantic subtropical gyre?

-west wind drift -south equatorial current -benguela current -brazil current

Of the following locations, where would upwelling be expected to occur?

-where there is a sharp bend in a coastline -where there is a shallowly submerged sea floor obstruction, such as a tablemount -in areas of diverging surface currents,such as along the equator -in areas of offshore winds

Of the following statements about Ekman spiral and Ekman transport, which are true?

-within the ekman spiral, deeper water can move in a direction exactly opposite of the wind direction -The two factors that affect the ekman spiral are the wind direction and the Coriolis effect -because of the coriolis effect, surface waters move at an angle to the wind direction -connecting the arrows of water movement from the surface into deeper waters shows the spiral pattern -ekman transport is to the right of the wind direction in the northern hemisphere

The __________ is the area where air falls close to the equator. (a) Intertropical Convergence Zone (b) Trade Winds (c) Tropic of Cancer (d) Tropic of Capricorn (e) Westerlies

...

look at study guide

...

heat capacity of water is

1 calorie per gram per degree c

With respect to the amount of energy absorbed by the atmosphere, the amount of energy radiated back into space between 35ºN and 40ºS latitude is ___________.

A. About the same as the amount of energy absorbed by the atmosphere

An air mass is a large body of air with nearly uniform temperature, humidity, and therefore density throughout. (a) True (b) False

A. True

The angle at which direct sunlight strike the ocean's surface is important in determining the amount of solar energy that is absorbed. (a) True (b) False

A. True

The doldrums can be found at the Equator. (a) True (b) False

A. True

The wavelength of energy radiated from the Earth back into the atmosphere is longer than the incoming solar radiation. (a) True (b) False

A. True

When air is heated, its density ___________. (a) decreases (b) increases (c) stays the same

A. decreases

Idealized pressure belts and wind systems are significantly modified by Earth's tilted axis of rotation and ___________. (a) differences in the heat capacity of ocean and land (b) differences in the latitudinal albedo (c) Ekman transport (d) latitudinal variations in the Coriolis effect (e) variations in incoming solar radiation over many years

A. differences in the heat capacity of ocean and land

Concerned individuals can reduce their personal contribution to greenhouse gas emissions by doing all of the following except ___________. (a) install low flow plumbing fixtures (b) planting trees and increasing green space areas (c) purchase recycled products (d) reducing the area covered by pavement or structures (houses, garages, pools, decks, etc) in urban and suburban areas (e) use of compact fluorescent light bulbs in place of incandescent bulbs

A. install low flow plumbing fixtures

The doldrums refer to the same region as the ___________. (a) intertropical convergence zone (b) jet stream (c) subtropical jet stream. (d) subtropics. (e) trade winds

A. intertropical convergence zone

The Coriolis effect causes objects moving in the northern hemisphere to veer off course ___________. (a) to the right, or clockwise when viewed from above (b) to the left, or counterclockwise when viewed from above (c) in an upward direction (d) in a downward direction (e) They do not veer off course - they continue straight.

A. to the right, or clockwise when viewed from above

lithosphere that was thickened by mountain building lithosphere that was heated by hot asthenosphere lithosphere that was less dense

Based on the concept of isostatic adjustment, which of the following would result in the uplift of Earth''s surface?

best explains all available observations

Based on the scientific method, science supports the explanation of the natural world that....

depth of the ocean floor below sea level

Bathymetry involves the measurement of

calcium carbonate dissolves in seawater

Beneath the calcite compensation depth (CCD), what happens

volcanoes

Both convergent plate boundary & divergent plate boundary

Since 1750, the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased by almost___________. (a) 10% (b) 20% (c) 30% (d) 40% (e) 50%

C. 30%

The circulation of winds in both hemispheres is arranged in the ___________, ___________, and ___________ cells. (a) Polar; Tropical; Subtropical (b) Southwesterly; Northwesterly; Southeasterly (c) Hadley; Ferrel; Polar (d) Equatorial; Polar; Latitudinal

C. Hadley; Ferrel; Polar

Hurricane Katrina, the most costly natural disaster to strike the United States, was a violent example of a(n) ___________. (a) an extra-tropical cyclone (b) a monsoon (c) a tropical cyclone (d) a tornado (e) a frontal storm`

C. a tropical cyclone

The pressure exerted by a column of air that extends from the top of the atmosphere to the surface of the earth is termed ___________ pressure. (a) hydrostatic (b) partial (c) air (d) atmospheric (e) gas

C. air

Low pressure systems in the northern hemisphere rotate ___________. (a) at a 45º angle from the prevailing wind direction (b) clockwise (c) counterclockwise (d) to the left (e) to the right

C. counterclockwise

When ice forms from seawater, the remaining seawater will have a ___________. (a) darker color (b) decreased density (c) higher salinity (d) higher temperature (e) lower temperature

C. higher salinity

The dependable surface winds of the Earth centered at about 15° north and south latitudes are called ___________. (a) the westerlies (b) the northerlies (c) the trade winds (d) the doldrum winds (e) the ITCZ

C. the trade winds

Tropical cyclones tend to move ___________. (a) equatorward in both hemispheres (b) eastward and poleward in both hemispheres (c) westward and poleward in both hemispheres (d) poleward in both hemispheres (e) in completely unpredictable ways

C. westward and poleward in both hemispheres

warm; cool

Calcareous ooze is associated with ________ surface water conditions, and siliceous ooze is associated with ________ surface water conditions.

pattern of alternating magnetic polarity of seafloor rocks.

Continental drift was confirmed through the study of the:

The oceanic climate region that is characterized by sea ice coverage in the winter and open water (but cold) in the summer is indicated by the number ___________. (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 5 (e) 6

D. 5

Winds generally moves across the United States ___________. (a) from north to south (b) from east to west (c) from south to north (d) from west to east (e) from high altitude to low altitude

D. from west to east

The boundary between two air masses is called a(n) ___________. (a) Hadley line (b) Bjerkens line (c) Hadley cell (d) front (e) ITCZ

D. front

Colder air moving over significantly warmer ocean surface water may produce ___________. (a) a cold front (b) a warm front (c) changes in coastal wind direction (d) increased coastal precipitation (e) sea smoke

D. increased coastal precipitation

The most abundant gaseous components of the Earth's atmosphere are ___________. (a) carbon dioxide and oxygen (b) nitrogen and hydrogen (c) nitrogen and carbon dioxide (d) nitrogen and oxygen (e) oxygen and carbon dioxide

D. nitrogen and oxygen

If you were standing on top of a high mid-Pacific island at 15° North latitude, from which direction would you expect the wind to come? (Hint: don't forget to consider the Coriolis effect!) (a) north (b) south (c) northwest (d) northeast (e) southwest

D. northeast

Hurricanes are an efficient way to ___________. (a) decrease salinity in affected estuaries (b) eradicate rainfall deficits (c) raise local sea level due to storm surge (d) redistribute heat from one area to another (e) remove old-growth coastal forests

D. redistribute heat from one area to another

According to the atmospheric circulation model developed in the text, air tends to ___________. (a) rise at 30° north and fall at 60° north (b) rise at 60° north and fall at 30° north (c) rise at 30° north and fall at 0° north (d) rise at 30° north and rise at 60° north (e) none of the above

D. rise at 30° north and rise at 60° north

The power for tropical cyclones comes from ___________. (a) static electricity (b) the condensation of warm, dry air (c) the Coriolis Effect (d) the condensation of warm, moist air (e) the U.S. Department of Energy

D. the condensation of warm, moist air

The Coriolis deflection is caused by ___________. (a) the wind-induced deflection of surface currents (b) the gravitational attraction of the sun (c) the combined gravitational attraction of the sun and moon (d) the rotation of the Earth on its axis (e) atmospheric pressure differentials

D. the rotation of the Earth on its axis

subduction zones.

Deep ocean trenches are associated with:

__________ is a component of the troposphere and protects Earth's surface from additional ultraviolet radiation. (a) CFCs (b) CO2 (c) H2O (d) N2O (e) O3

E. O3

The strength of a hurricane is ranked from 1 to 5 on the" ___________. (a) Coriolis Scale (b) Fujita Scale (c) Moh's Scale (d) Richter Scale (e) Saffir-Simpson Scale

E. Saffir-Simpson Scale

The __________ is the prevailing wind pattern at temperate latitudes. (a) Intertropical Convergence Zone (b) Trade Winds (c) Tropic of Cancer (d) Tropic of Capricorn (e) Westerlies

E. Westerlies

The meteorological equator ___________. (a) is also called the "thermal equator" (b) is usually located about 5° north of the geographical equator (c) represents the imaginary line of thermal equilibrium between hemispheres (d) is a place where surface winds converge (e) all of the above

E. all of the above

Which of these phenomena causes the least structural damage and loss of life during the passage of a tropical cyclone? (a) storm surge (b) flooding (c) wind (d) rainfall (e) low atmospheric pressure

E. low atmospheric pressure

Burning of fossil fuels is chemically similar to ___________. (a) autotrophic processes (b) chemosynthesis (c) metabolism (d) photosynthesis (e) respiration

E. respiration

Weather may be defined as ___________. (a) long-term temperature and rainfall trends (b) long-term humidity and precipitation trends (c) long-term changes in the composition of the atmosphere (d) short-term changes in the composition of the atmosphere (e) short-term, localized characteristics of the atmosphere

E. short-term, localized characteristics of the atmosphere

As a result of the Coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere, winds are deflected ___________. (a) at a 45º angle form the original direction (b) at a 90º angle from the original direction (c) to the east of the original direction (d) to the left of the original direction (e) to the right of the original direction

E. to the right of the original direction

The atmospheric component that contributes to the majority of greenhouse warming on Earth is ___________. (a) carbon dioxide. (b) methane. (c) nitrous oxide. (d) ozone. (e) water vapor

E. water vapor

The temperate regions are characterized by ___________. (a) cold fronts (b) high pressure (c) easterly winds (d) trade winds (e) westerly winds

E. westerly winds

A maritime tropical air mass is likely to be ___________. (a) dry and cold (b) dry and warm (c) wet and cold (d) wet and the same temperature (e) wet and warm

E. wet and warm

at the mid-ocean ridge

In general, where would the youngest ocean floor be found?

Baffin Island

It is believed that Eric the Red may have discovered this area

False

Paleomagnetism confirms that, at particular times in the geologic past, Earth has had more than one magnetic north pole.

supercontinent 200 million years ago

Pangea

ancient precursor of the Pacific Ocean

Panthalassa

concentration of the particles in fecal pellets

Populations of microscopic marine organisms in ocean surface waters closely match their abundance in sediments on the ocean floor, even though it takes 10 to 50 years for an individual particle to sink to deep-ocean depths. What accounts for this pattern?

False

T/F; Because they tend to move downslope, most lithogenous sediments are deposited in abyssal plains.

False

T/F; Black volcanic beach sand is a type of hydrogenous sediment.

True

T/F; Pillow lavas (pillow basalts) indicate that molten lava came in contact with water and cooled very quickly.

True

T/F; The Andes Mountains, which are a tall mountain range along the west coast of South America, are associated with an active continental margin.

False

T/F; The calcite compensation depth (CCD) represents the depth where wave action ceases to form calcareous oolites.

True

T/F; The early oceans and atmospheres are thought to have come from inside Earth and were formed by a process called 'outgassing'

False

T/F; Turbidity currents are highly erosive and are thought to be responsible for the creation of deep-sea trenches

True

T/F; most lithospheric plates contain both oceanic and continental crust

True

T/F; the deepest spot in the ocean is deeper than Mt. Everest is high.

location

The GPS system is a tool used for determining surface

none

The Hawaiian Islands are associated with which type of plate boundary

moving over a hot spot.

The Hawaiian Islands are located where the Pacific plate is:

divergent boundary

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an example of a:

transform

The San Andreas Fault is associated with which type of plate boundary?

a passive; a convergent-active

The continental margin of the U.S. Atlantic coast is ____________ continental margin, and the continental margin off the west coast of South America is _____________ continental margin.

nebular hypothesis

The cosmological model for the formation of the Sun and the rest of our solar system is called the

broader (wider)

The faster the rate of spreading at the mid-ocean ridge or rise, the _____ the underwater volcanic mountain range

continental slope

The steep transition zone between the outer edge of the continental shelf and the deep-ocean basin is called the _______________

fossil evidence, extinctions, and boundaries of sedimentary rock units

The subdivisions of the geologic time scale were based on

Near the poles, more energy is reflected back into space than is absorbed.

True

The wavelength of energy radiated from the Earth back into the atmosphere is longer than the incoming solar radiation.

True

Christopher Columbus made several trips across the Atlantic and discovered the 'new world'. Ferdinand Magellan's crew completed the first circumnavigation of the globe.

What happened during the Age of Discovery in Europe?

Neither subducts, instead; a mountain range forms

What happens when two continental plates converge?

levitation

What is NOT an example of sediment-transporting media

Density stratification has caused our Earth to be homogenous througout

What is a false statement concerning density stratification?

turbidity currents, which are initiated here and flow down submarine canyons a wide continental shelf

What is associated with a passive continental margin?

Convection in the liquid iron-nickel outer core generates a magnetic field

What is the main reason that Earth has a magnetic field?

The magnetic field is oriented vertical relative to Earth's surface at the south magnetic pole. The magnetic field is oriented horizontal (parallel) relative to Earth's surface at the magnetic equator. Earth's magnetic field has varying dips around the world that range from vertical to horizontal, depending on latitude. The locations of Earth's magnetic poles have moved through time and have even reversed in polarity. The magnetic field is oriented vertical relative to Earth's surface at the north magnetic pole.

What is true in regards to Earth's magnetic field

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

What is true in regards to density stratification

They are oriented parallel to the mid ocean ridges

What is true in regards to sea floor magnetic anomalies

Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust Continental crust is made of rock that is relatively light in color

What is true in regards to the Earth's crust

The oldest ocean crust is about 200 million years old and is located near an ocean trench.

What is true in regards to the age of the ocean crust?

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

What is true in regards to the asthenosphere

Molten material will rise if it is less dense than the surrounding material. Molten material will sink if it is more dense than the surrounding material. Earth is layered based on density, with the highest density material located at the deepest depths beneath Earth's surfaces.

What is true in regards to the formation of a density-stratified Earth

The lithosphere of Earth is made up of both mantle and crust. Earth's internal layers can be described by their composition or by their physical appearance.

What is true in regards to the internal structure of the Earth

Turbidity currents are highly erosive and carve submarine canyons The material carried by turbidity currents is what builds deep-sea fans Turbidity currents move sediments down the continental shelf and the continental slope to be deposited on the continental rise Turbidity currents are episodic events (the only occur every so often, like a flash flood)

What is true in regards to turbidity currents?

The way the shapes of the continents fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The distribution of fossil pieces. The pattern of similar mountain belts on different continents. Evidence of glaciers in areas that are now tropical.

What lines of evidence did Alfred Wegener use to support the concept of continental drifting?

density

What physical property determines the order of Earth's layers?

deposition of sediment by turbidity currents as deep-sea fans

What process is primarily responsible for the formation of the continental rise along the East Coast of the United States?

deposition by waves major climate changes, such as ice ages erosion by waves large fluctuations in sea level

What processes are involved in the formation of continental shelves?

tests of foraminifers radiolarian ooze

What sediments are considered biogenous

coatings of metal sulfides near black smokers manganese nodules

What sediments are considered hydrogenous

Biogenous oozes are created by underwater eruptions, which cover the sea floor with fine ash particles.

What statement about biogenous oozes is FALSE

Manganese nodules are a type of foraminifer.

What statement about manganese nodules is FALSE

direct visitation of the sea floor using satellite to measure the sea surface sending sound through water (sonar) recording many depths using a long cable

What techniques can be used to map the sea floor?

Wegener's proposed mechanism for movement was thought to violate the law of physics

What was the main reason scientists objected to Alfred Wegener's idea of continental drift?

Waves are seen to approach the beach at an angle.

What would be considered a scientific observation?

Plastic

Which best describes the physical property of the asthenosphere?

The ooze accumulates above the CCD and then is covered before being transported to deeper depths by sea floor spreading.

Which conditions allow for calcareous ooze to be found beneath the CCD?

hydrothermal vent a central rift valley basalt volcanism and pillow lavas volcanoes

Which features are associated with the mid-ocean ridge?

tropical island without a fringing reef

Which kind of tropical island would likely be the youngest?

Pacific Ocean

Which ocean is the deepest on Earth?

Characteristics of active continental margins include all of the following except __________. (a) broad continental shelf (b) chains of islands (c) deep-sea trenches (d) thin sediment accumulation (e) volcanic and earthquake activity

a. broad continental shelf

The great heaps of unconsolidated sediment at the base of the continental slope are known as __________. (a) the continental rise (b) the abyssal hills (c) the abyssal plains (d) the mid-ocean mountains (e) the mid-ocean ridge

a. continental rise

Old lithosphere is destroyed in association with __________. (a) deep-sea trenches (b) fracture zones (c) hydrothermal vents (d) mid-ocean ridges (e) spreading centers

a. deep sea trenches

The deep-sea bottom is monotonously flat and featureless. (a) True (b) False

a. false

A cumulative plot of area versus depth or elevation is __________. (a) hypsometric curve (b) seismic survey (c) bathymetry (d) biology

a. hyposometric curve

The continuous submarine mountain range which winds through all the oceans is called the mid-ocean __________. (a) ridge (b) archipelago (c) plume (d) cordillera (e) divide

a. ridge

Abyssal hills are only visible in the Pacific Ocean because __________. (a) sediment has covered those found in the other ocean basins (b) there are none in the Atlantic and Indian ocean basins (c) they are higher in the Pacific than in the other ocean basins (d) they have been destroyed in active plate margins (e) turbidity currents have eroded abyssal hills in the other ocean basins.

a. sediments have covered those found in the other ocean basins

The flat, drowned edges of the continents are called the continental __________. (a) rises (b) wedges (c) slopes (d) shelves (e) ridges

a. shelves

Which is greater, the average height of the continents or the average depth of the ocean? (a) The average depth of the ocean is greater. (b) The average height of the continents is greater.

a. the average depth of the ocean

A sediment-laden current that flows off of the continental shelf is called a turbidity current. (a) True (b) False

a. true

Abyssal plains are more extensive on the floor of the Atlantic as compared those on the floor of the Pacific. (a) True (b) False

a. true

All the mid-ocean ridges are in the center of an ocean basin. (a) True (b) False

a. true

Hydrothermal vents have a significant impact on ocean chemistry. (a) True (b) False

a. true

Sediments of the continental rise can exhibit characteristics similar to those formed by rivers on land. (a) True (b) False

a. true

Subduction zones appear to remain nearly stationary over long periods of time. (a) True (b) False

a. true

Trenches change their position over time. (a) True (b) False

a. true

If a Tsunami were generated near the Hawaiian Islands, how long would it take for the tsunami to travel the 3500 kilometers of open ocean to the west coast of the US?

about 5 hours

CFCs

atmospheric compound with greatest infrared absorbtion rate; only produced in aerosols

In general, continental shelves tend to be wider in the __________. (a) Pacific ocean, because its margins tend to be active (b) Atlantic ocean, because its margins tend to be passive (c) Atlantic ocean, because its margins tend to be active (d) Pacific ocean, because its margins tend to be passive

b. Atlantic ocean because its margins tend to be passive

At the base of many continental shelves, the ocean floor flattens out to a broad region formed from materials eroded from the adjoining continental shelf and slope. This plain is termed the __________. (a) abyss (b) abyssal plain (c) continental plain (d) continental rise (e) guyot

b. abyssal plain

Hydrothermal springs seem to be located near __________. (a) passive continental margins (b) active areas of seafloor spreading (c) the edges of the deep sea trenches (d) the margins of the Hawaiian chain (e) on the abyssal plains

b. active areas of seafloor spreading

The mid-ocean mountains, such as the ridges and rises, __________. (a) are similar in origin to the Alps, the Rockies, and the Appalachians (b) are constructed of volcanic basalt (c) are composed of folded and faulted marine sedimentary rocks (d) are similar in size and features to most continental mountains

b. are constructed of volcanic basalt

Continental rises are formed __________. (a) as a result of the slow accumulation of sediments from the water column (b) by many deep sea fans (c) in association with hydrothermal vents (d) next to submarine canyons (e) on the flank of a mid-ocean ridge

b. by many deep sea fans

The transition between the shelf and the deep seafloor is __________. (a) the littoral zone (b) the continental slope and rise (c) the abyssal plain. (d) the mid-ocean ridge (e) the submarine canyon

b. continental slope and rise

Passive continental margins are characterized by all of the following except __________. (a) broad continental shelf (b) deep-sea trenches (c) shallow coastal waters (d) thick sediment accumulation (e) very little volcanic and earthquake activity

b. deep sea trenches

Submarine canyons were most likely formed by __________. (a) deposition of terrestrial sediment (b) earthquake activity (c) erosion by major rivers in the past (d) erosion by turbidity currents (e) scouring by glacier during the last ice age

b. earthquake activities

The direction of motion along a seafloor transform fault is __________. (a) associated with turbidity currents (b) in the same direction as the plates are spreading (c) in the same direction as the ridge offset (d) influenced by underwater boundary currents (e) perpendicular to the direction of plate movement

b. in the same direction as the plates are spreading

The method that is most frequently used to investigate sediment and rock layers of the sea floor is __________. (a) direct observation (b) drilling (c) light waves (d) satellite observation (e) sound waves

e. sound waves

Submarine canyons occur __________. (a) at the part of an ocean basin nearest the poles (b) near the edges of ocean basins associated with continental shelves and slopes (c) at the part of an ocean basin nearest the equator (d) at the center of an ocean basin, at the edges of the mid-ocean ridge (e) on the edges of trenches

b. near the edges of ocean basins associated with continental shelves and slopes

The deepest parts of the Pacific Basin are located __________. (a) in the center, surrounding the island of Hawaii. (b) near the margins of South America, Japan, and the Marianas Islands. (c) in the eastern part of the basin, off North America. (d) in the rift valley of the East Pacific Rise

b. near the margins of South America, Japan, and Marianas Islands

Which is greater, the height of the world's tallest mountain or the depth of the world's greatest trench? (a) The height of the world's tallest mountain (Mt. Everest). (b) The depth of the world's greatest trench (Challenger Deep).

b. the depth of the world's greatest trench.

The characteristics of deep trenches indicate __________. (a) they are erosional features similar to the Grand Canyon in Arizona (b) they are elongated subduction-related creases in the oceanic crust (c) they are glacial troughs dating back to the Ice Age (d) they are erosional canyons cut by turbidity currents

b. they are elongated subduction-related creases in the oceanic crust

Bathymetry refers to submarine __________. (a) mineralogy (b) topography (c) biology (d) currents (e) waves

b. topography

Guyots were once active volcanoes whose tops were flattened and leveled by __________. (a) currents (b) wave erosion (c) volcanic explosions (d) solidified lava (e) ice sheets in the last ice age

b. wave erosion

oceanic crust is primarily...

basalt

Winds blowing from the north in the southern hemisphere will appear to :

be deflected toward the east.

The continental margins are relatively shallow because __________. (a) they have been built up by sediments contributed by marine organisms (b) the underlying crust is lighter (c) they have been built up by sediment washed off of the continents (d) they were formed in the last ice age, when the oceans were shallower (e) sea level has dropped in the last 100 years

c. they have been built up by sediment washed off of the continents

The deepest parts of the oceans are the ___________. (a) rift valleys (b) submarine canyons (c) trenches (d) deep basins (e) fault scarps

c. trenches

condensation

change is phase from gas to liquid

The gas(es) that is (are) increasing atmospheric concentration relative to other gases in the atmosphere annually is (are):

chlorofluorocarbons.

core

composed of iron and nickel, liquid outer layer and solid inner layer

The continental shelf __________. (a) is a narrow strip on the East Coast of the United States (b) is a steeply dipping zone dropping off to the deep seafloor (c) is a featureless plain unlike the neighboring continent (d) is a gently sloping platform with a variable landscape (e) all of the above

d. a gently sloping platform with a variable landscape

The origin of submarine canyons is not well understood, but most likely __________. (a) is tectonic, and represents down-folds of rock within the continental shelf (b) is organic, resulting from the activities of burrowing organisms (c) is glacial, the work of glaciers depositing rock debris on the shelf (d) is erosional, started by streams during periods of sea level lowering

d. is erosional, started by streams during periods of seal level lowering

The trailing edge of a moving continental crustal plate is most likely to exhibit features associated with __________. (a) frequent earthquake activity (b) active continental margins (c) widespread volcanism (d) passive continental margins

d. passive continental margins

The correct order of marine provinces from the coast to the mid-ocean ridge is __________. (a) abyssal plain, rise, slope, shelf (b) abyssal plain, shelf, slope, rise (c) rise, abyssal plain, slope, shelf (d) shelf, slope, rise, abyssal plain (e) slope, rise, shelf, abyssal plain

d. shelf, slope. rise. abyssal plain

The two relatively flat areas on the hypsometric curve represent __________. (a) continental mountains and abyssal plains (b) continental mountains and mid-ocean ridges (c) continental slopes and deep-sea trenches (d) some interior continental areas/ coastal plains and abyssal plains (e) some interior continental areas/ coastal plains and mid-ocean ridges

d. some interior continental areas/coastal plains and abyssal plains

old lithosphere is destroyed in association with

deep sea trenches

Thermohaline flow is a term that describes _____.

deep-ocean current movement

deep focus earthquakes are associated with...

deep-sea trenches

Submarine canyons are __________. (a) found worldwide, on all kinds of shelves (b) steep-walled and narrow (c) cut into firm rock (d) cut into the shelf and may extend almost to the shore (e) all of these

e. all of these

A turbidity current is __________. (a) a fast surface current of water that runs parallel to beaches and that causes a rapid decrease in water clarity (b) the cause of mid-ocean maelstroms (whirlpools) (c) a phenomenon associated with violent atmospheric storms at sea (d) something that always occurs at river mouths in shallow water, but does not extend into water more than 50 meters (165 feet) deep (e) none of the above

e. none of the above

With respect to mid-ocean ridges, transform faults are __________. (a) associated with hydrothermal vents (b) located in submarine canyons (c) parallel to the direction of plate movement (d) parallel to the rift valley (e) perpendicular to the ridge axis

e. perpendicular to the ridge axis

Extinct volcanoes with conical tops and steep sides in the ocean basins are called __________. (a) islands (b) archipelagos (c) banks (d) atolls (e) seamounts

e. seamounts

Which of the following statements accurately describes continental margins? (a) They are regions of great geological stability. (b) They are characteristic of the margins of the Atlantic Basin. (c) They are areas of frequent earthquakes and volcanoes, where crustal plates are converging or are in collision. (d) They are areas where crustal plates are actively moving apart. (e) They are usually different in topography from the adjoining coast.

e. they are usually different in topography from the adjoining coast

The axis of the mid-ocean ridges is segmented by a series of __________. (a) normal faults (b) reverse faults (c) thrust faults (d) gravity faults (e) transform faults

e. transform faults

What is the primary reason Earth has seasons?

earths rotational axis is tilted

T or F: The superposition, or overlapping, of two waves always results in destructive interference between the different waves.

false

Circular orbital motion in waves becomes negligible (dies out) at depths greater than ____.

half the waves wavelength

hydrogenous sediments

halite, manganese nodules, metal sulfides

Word Analysis. Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.

hydrothermal vents, Hawaiian Islands, oceanic trench, Panamerica

tropic of capricorn

located at 23.5 degrees S

Tropic of Cancer

located at 23.5º N latitude

Tropic of Capricorn

located at 23.5º S latitude

cosmogenous sediments

tektites

As a result of the Coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere, winds are deflected

to the right of the original direction

hydrothermal vents between 30 degrees c and 350 degrees c produce

white smokers