oceanography midterm1
Sand is classified as sediment that has a diameter no larger than: a. 4 mm. b. 0.2 mm. c. 2 mm. d. 0.004 mm.
c. 2 mm.
Oceanographers believe the breakup of Pangaea occurred about: a. 1 million years ago. b. 25 million years ago. c. 200 million years ago. d. 750 million years ago.
c. 200 million years ago.
Water depth over continental shelves averages only about: a. 16 meters(50 feet) b. 35 meters(115 feet) c. 75 meters (250 feet) d. 100 meters (300 feet)
c. 75 meters (250 feet)
Which of the following men was the first to publish a reasonably accurate chart of an ocean current, specifically the Gulf Stream? a. Edward Forbes b. John Harrison c. Benjamin Franklin d. Captain James Cook
c. Benjamin Franklin
Which of the following statements most accurately describes how the continental rise is formed? a. From the convergence of oceanic plates at passive continental margins. b. From volcanic activity at active continental margins. c. From accumulated sediments at the base of the continental slope. d. from sedimentation surrounding spreading centers.
c. From accumulated sediments at the base of the continental slope.
The deepest part of the ocean is the: a. Peru-Chile Trench. b. Mid-Atlantic Ridge. c. Mariana Trench. d. Abyssal plains.
c. Mariana Trench.
Which of the following statements is true regarding the islands bordering deep-sea trenches? a. They are the result of a series of quiet, continuous basaltic eruptions. b. They are accumulations of sediments on the margins of the trenches. c. They are formed from the activities of coral and other organisms. d. They are explosive volcanoes and are called island arcs.
d. They are explosive volcanoes and are called island arcs.
Roughly how fast do most lithospheric plates move? a. about 5 kilometers per hour b. about 5 kilometers per thousand years c. about 5 centimeters per hour d. about 5 centimeters per year
d. about 5 centimeters per year
The Andes mountain range is an example of a(n): a. ridge system. b. island arc system. c. passive margin. d. active margin convergent zone.
d. active margin convergent zone.
Submarine canyons: a. always run parallel to coasts. b. have gradual slopes and are very wide. c. can never cut into rock. d. cut into the shelf and may extend almost to the shore.
d. cut into the shelf and may extend almost to the shore.
A guyot is found at spreading centers.
false
An example of a terrigenous sediment is the manganese nodule.
false
Clays are the coarsest and most easily transported of the terrigenous sediments.
false
Continental shelves can be made of either granite crust, basalt crust or both.
false
Sediment refers to the inorganic materials that accumulate on the ocean floor.
false
The Challenger expedition used multibeam echo sounders to contour the seafloor.
false
The only way in which calcium carbonate sediment can form is by evaporation.
false
The shelf break is the transition between the continental slope and the abyssal plains.
false
Trenches and island arcs are found at spreading centers.
false
Manganese nodules were discovered during the Challenger expedition and are hydrogenous sediments.
true
Passive continental margins line coasts that are far from tectonically active areas.
true
Scientists think that turbidity currents contribute to the formation of submarine canyons.
true
Scientists use ocean sediments to obtain information about ocean processes throughout the history of the ocean.
true
Some sediment originates from the remnants of organisms.
true
Stratigraphy is the study of the deposition and layering of sediments over time.
true
The white cliffs of Dover are chalk-like deposits of coccolithophores and are around 100 million years old.
true
Of all the planets in the solar system, the Earth is the only planet to currently have large quantities of liquid water on its surface.
True
Volcanic venting of substances including water vapor is called ____. a. outgassing b. fissure c. fusion d. condensation
A. outgassing
The average depth of the ocean is about ____. a. 760 meters (2,500 feet) b. 3,700 meters (12,000 feet) c. 200 meters (650 feet) d. 1,200 meters (4,000 feet)
B. 3,700 meters (12,000 feet)
Our sun and its family of planets were formed about: a. 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. b. 5 billion years ago. c. 45 million years ago. d. 40 billion years ago.
B. 5 billion years ago
An example of another body in our solar system that has an ocean is: a. the moon of Earth. b. Europa. c. Mars. d. none of these.
B. Europa
Scientists predict that our planet in its current form will exist for about another: a. 5 billion years. b. 1 million years c. 500 million years d. 13 billion years
A. 5 billion years
About ____ percent of Earth's water is found in the Ocean. a. 97.5 b. 71 c. 67.4 d. 30.1
A. 97.5
The earliest known fossils were discovered in northwestern Australia and resemble modern-day: a. bacteria. b. animals. c. fungi. d. viruses.
A. bacteria
Humanity did not spread to all the inhabitable areas of Earth until after the European voyages of discovery in the late 1400s and early 1500s.
False
Scientific hypotheses are never revised or updated.
False
Subduction zones are areas where new seafloor is created.
False
The Hawaiian Islands were formed within the last 2 million years under a hot spot that is now inactive.
False
The asthenosphere is cooler than the lithosphere.
False
The average height of the continents above sea level is greater than the average depth of the ocean.
False
The first awareness of the spherical shape of the Earth developed in Europe around 1450 with the work of Henry the Navigator. During the European Age of Discovery, Henry the Navigator was the first to recognize that Earth was spherical.
False
The ocean is divided up into distinct natural divisions called oceans and seas.
False
Transform faults are never found at mid-ocean ridges.
False
Convection in the asthenosphere, in part, facilitates continental drift.
True
Density is a measure of relative heaviness and is defined as mass per unit volume.
True
The oceanic crust is made of basalt.
True
The universe began to form around 13 billion years ago.
True
There are 2 types of plate divergences: divergent oceanic crust and divergent continental crust.
True
There is convincing evidence that there was once water on Mars.
True
About how many kilometers (miles) is it from the Earth's center to the outer edge of the outer core? a. 12,523 kilometers (7,827 miles) b. 6,370 kilometers (3,980 miles) c. 1,264 kilometers (790 miles) d. 2,880 kilometers (1,800 miles)
b. 6,370 kilometers (3,980 miles)
Most of the floor of the North Pacific Ocean is covered with: a. manganese nodules. b. biogenous oozes. c. red and brown clays. d. evaporites.
c. red and brown clays.
The scientist who charted the Gulf Stream in 1769 was: a. Darwin b. Forbes c. Magellan d. Benjamin Franklin.
d. Benjamin Franklin.
After Earth's formation, the planet's ocean did not form for nearly: a. 13 billion years. b. 1 billion years. c. 4 billion years. d. 200 million years.
C. 4 billion years
The primary physical property that sorts the Earth, ocean, and atmosphere is ____. a. density stratification b. radioactive decay c. gravity d. mass
A. density stratification
Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding the scientific method? a. Hypotheses can never be revised. b. Hypotheses are commonly revised especially considering new technologies. c. Scientific laws summarize experimental observations. d. Science is a circular process.
A. hypotheses can never be revised.
Life on Earth probably evolved in the ocean. All of the following evidence supports this statement EXCEPT: a. the cellular makeup of all living organisms depends on a saline solution to dissolve and transport chemicals. b. biosynthesis cannot occur without high concentrations of free oxygen, similar to the condition of Earth's early atmosphere and ocean. c. the basic molecules of life (simple sugars and amino acids) form spontaneously in a solution similar to that of Earth's early ocean. d. the thermal and chemical characteristics of water allow intricate biochemical reactions to occur, such as those required for biosynthesis.
B. biosynthesis cannot occur without high concentrations of free oxygen, similar to the condition of Earth's early atmosphere and ocean.
A galaxy is a huge rotating aggregation of stars, dust, gas and other debris held together by ___________. a. nebulae b. gravity c. moons d. vapor
B. gravity
Planets other than Earth with liquid on or near the surface are _______. a. nonexistent b. less rare than we thought c. extremely common but only in the form of water d. extremely common but only as ice
B. less rare than we thought
To recreate an environment for biosynthesis, scientists included all of the following EXCEPT: a. unstable chemical conditions. b. oxygen. c. sparks. d. dissolved compounds and gases thought to be present in the early atmosphere.
B. oxygen
Based on evidence that supports the hypothesis regarding an ocean on Mars, which of the following statements is TRUE? a. Mars has an ocean today. b. Mars has an ocean, and it is probably hidden in vast caverns beneath the surface of the planet. c. Mars may have had an ocean in ancient times, perhaps 1-3 billion years ago. d. Mars may have had an ocean until very recently.
C. Mars may have had an ocean in ancient times, perhaps 1-3 billion years ago.
All of the following statements are true about the formation of our solar system and planet EXCEPT: a. As a nebula contracts, stars are formed in the center of the spinning disc of gas and dust. b. Planets form as gases and materials condense. c. The Big Bang occurred about 5.6 billion years ago. d. Gaseous planets form on the outer regions of the solar system.
C. The Big Bang occurred about 5.6 billion years ago.
Which of the following statements is TRUE concerning the temperature of the ocean about 4 billion years ago? a. The temperature was about the same as today's ocean. b. The temperature was much colder than that of today's ocean. c. The temperature was extremely hot as compared with today's ocean. d. The temperature was only slightly warmer than today's ocean
C. The temperature was extremely hot as compared with today's ocean.
Evidence suggests the universe began about 13.7 billion years ago in a: a. slow accretion of atoms. b. very large galaxy. c. cataclysmic expansion of energy and matter. d. protostar.
C. cataclysmic expansion of energy and matter.
The inner core of the Earth is primarily made of__________. a. magnesium b. water c. iron d. silicates
C. iron
On a planetary scale, the ocean comprises about ________ of the Earth's mass. a. 8% b. 71% c. 20% d. 0.02%
D. 0.02%
The hypothesis that best explains how the universe was formed is called the ____. a. Condensation Theory b. Scientific Method c. Outgassing Theory d. Big Bang Theory
D. The Big Bang Theory
The most abundant form of matter in the universe appears to be: a. water molecules. b. planets and planet-like bodies. c. dust and debris. d. hydrogen.
D. hydrogen
Evidence suggests that the first biomolecules or "living" molecules may have formed near: a. the continents. b. subduction zones. c. the surface of the ocean. d. mineral-rich seeps on the ocean floor.
D. mineral-rich seeps on the ocean floor
About 1.5 billion years ago, oxygen began to accumulate as a byproduct of ____, drastically changing the composition of the Earth's atmosphere. a. biosynthesis b. cellular respiration c. methane synthesis d. photosynthesis
D. photosynthesis
The ocean originated from: a. volcanic gases. b. radioactive heating of the Earth's interior, and the heating of the surface by meteorites striking and melting the outer layers of the Earth. c. capture by the Earth's gravity of water molecules in space. d. volcanic gases, radioactive heating of the Earth's interior, and a barrage of icy comets or asteroids striking and melting the outer layers of the Earth.
D. volcanic gases, radioactive heating of the Earth's interior, and a barrage of icy comets or asteroids striking and melting the outer layers of the Earth.
One piece of evidence that suggests the existence of Pangaea is continuous mountain ranges spanning Australia and Antarctica.
False
A cartographer makes charts and maps.
True
A chronometer is a timepiece that can be used to determine longitude.
True
Abyssal plains and abyssal hills cover a quarter of the Earth's surface.
True
Alfred Wegener was a polar explorer who suggested that at one time, Earth's landmasses were joined into a supercontinent called Pangaea.
True
Which of the following statements accurately describes a turbidity current? a. A fast dense current of water that carries sediments offshore. b. The cause of mid-ocean trenches. 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.
a. A fast dense current of water that carries sediments offshore.
If two oceanic plates collide at a relatively fast speed, and one is much older and cooler (therefore more dense) than the other, what will happen? a. A deep trench will form. b. Continental mountains will form. c. Large earthquakes will occur. d. A volcano will erupt. .
a. A deep trench will form.
Which of the following is a major source of terrigenous sediments? a. Erosion. b. Dissolved organic material. c. Dissolved nutrients. d. Precipitation over the open ocean.
a. Erosion.
The Emperor Seamounts were formed: a. as islands formed over a hot spot. b. as an island arc that formed along a trench. c. as islands formed over a spreading center d. islands formed at a convergent zone.
a. as islands formed over a hot spot.
Geologists believe that a new ocean basin is forming: a. at the East African Rift Valley. b. in the Red Sea. c. along the divergent zone between India and Asia. d. along the divergent zone between the Nazca Plate and the South American Plate.
a. at the East African Rift Valley.
Underlying the unconsolidated sediments of the seafloor are: a. basalt pillows and basement rocks. b. granite crust. c. glacial deposits left from the Ice Age. d. ancient remnants of continental crust.
a. basalt pillows and basement rocks.
The discovery and study of ocean floor contours is called: a. bathymetry. b. abyssomethry. c. stratigraphy. d. paleoceanography.
a. bathymetry.
The deep-ocean basin includes all of the following features EXCEPT: a. continental shelf. b. abyssal hills. c. abyssal plains. d. mid-ocean ridges.
a. continental shelf.
One force that drives plate movement is: a. convection. b. winds. c. ocean currents. d. conduction.
a. convection.
Scientists can derive all of the following types of information from observing deep ocean cores EXCEPT: a. how much light penetrates the ocean b. the presence or absence of mineral resources c. historical water temperatures d. ancient current patterns.
a. how much light penetrates the ocean
The origin of submarine canyons is not well understood, but most likely a. is erosional, started by streams during periods when the sea level was lower. b. is tectonic, and represents down-folds of rock within the continental shelf. c. is organic, resulting from the activities of burrowing organisms. d. is glacial, the work of glaciers depositing rock debris on the shelf.
a. is erosional, started by streams during periods when the sea level was lower.
Japan is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences many earthquakes. Almost all of the earthquakes around Japan occur: a. only on the east side of the island where the Pacific plate subducts. b. only on the west side of the island where the Eurasian plate subducts. c. near the Pacific spreading center. d. Near the Mid-Atlantic ridge.
a. only on the east side of the island where the Pacific plate subducts.
Sediments that originate in the ocean are called: a. pelagic sediments. b. abyssal sediments. c. biogenous sediments. d. neritic sediments.
a. pelagic sediments.
A depression along the boundary of a seamount where sediment has built-up is a: a. scour moat. b. guyot. c. island arc. d. abyssal plain.
a. scour moat.
Abyssal hills are small extinct volcanoes commonly associated with: a. seafloor spreading. b. convergent zones. c. active continental margins. d. continental shelves.
a. seafloor spreading.
The analysis of layered sedimentary deposits in the ocean is: a. stratigraphy. b. oceanography. c. marine biology. d. ecology.
a. stratigraphy.
Which of the following arrive in the ocean from continents via rivers? a. terrigenous sediments b. biogenous sediments c. hydrogenous (or authigenic) sediments d. cosmogenous sediments
a. terrigenous sediments
Which of the following is the most abundant sediment in neritic deposits? a. terrigenous sediments b. biogenous sediments c. hydrogenous (or authigenic) sediments d. cosmogenous sediments
a. terrigenous sediments
the widest continental shelf is located in: a. the Arctic Sea north of Siberia. b. the western edge of South America. c. the margin surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. d. the Emperor Seamounts.
a. the Arctic Sea north of Siberia.
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.
a. the continental rise.
The average elevation of the continents is: a. 8,848 meters (16,000 feet) b. 840 meters (2,760 feet) c. 3,800 meters (12,000 feet) d. 5,000 meters (15,000 feet)
b. 840 meters (2,760 feet)
The oldest and best-known deep-diving submarines is the: a. Geostat b. Alvin c. TOPEX/Poseidon d. Challenger
b. Alvin
Which of the following would be considered oozes? a. Terrigenous sediments. b. Biogenous sediments. c. Hydrogenous (or authigenic) sediments. d. Cosmogenous sediments.
b. Biogenous sediments.
How can a satellite sense the contours of the ocean bottom from space? a. By shining a laser through the ocean to see the bottom. b. By using radar to sense the height of the sea surface over submerged features. c. By using sonar to measure ocean bottom contours directly. d. By sensing changes in gravity as it flies over trenches and mountain ranges.
b. By using radar to sense the height of the sea surface over submerged features.
The leading 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.
b. active continental margins.
In the process of lithification, sediments: a. are subducted into the mantle at a deep trench. b. are converted into solid rock. c. slip into the center of the mid-ocean ridges and become new seafloor. d. are uplifted to form the edges of continents.
b. are converted into solid rock.
The hot, partially melted, slowly flowing layer of the earth is called the: a. core. b. asthenosphere. c. lithosphere. d. mantle.
b. asthenosphere.
Which of the following is of organic origin; i.e., made by organisms? a. terrigenous sediments b. biogenous sediments c. hydrogenous (or authigenic) sediments d. cosmogenous sediments
b. biogenous sediments
Which of the following sediments cover the greatest area of seabed? a. terrigenous sediments b. biogenous sediments c. hydrogenous (or authigenic) sediments d. cosmogenous sediments
b. biogenous sediments
Neritic sediments are found on the: a. deep ocean floor mostly in the Atlantic Ocean. b. continental shelf. c. continental rise. d. abyssal plains.
b. continental shelf.
More than 75% of the total ocean floor is considered: a. continental shelf. b. deep ocean floor. c. continental slope. d. continental rise.
b. deep ocean floor.
Which of the following are hydrogenous sediments? a. quartz sand b. evaporites c. siliceous oozes d. tektites
b. evaporites
A layer of sediment that contains a mixture of sediments with various sizes is referred to as: a. homogeneous. b. poorly sorted. c. well-sorted. d. eroding sediments.
b. poorly sorted.
Which of the following voyages would qualify as the first 100 percent pure scientific oceanographic expedition? a. Columbus' 1496 trip b. the Challenger expedition c. Benjamin Franklin's first voyage across the Atlantic to take up his post as American Ambassador to France d. Captain Cook's voyage to Tahiti in the ship Endeavour
b. the Challenger expedition
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.
b. the continental slope and rise.
All of the following are valid methods for classifying sediments EXCEPT: a. the size and settling rate of sediment grains. b. the thickness of sediment layers. c. the source material of the sediment. d. the location on the sea floor where the sediment accumulates.
b. the thickness of sediment layers.
The characteristics of deep trenches indicate: a. they are submerged erosional features. b. they are elongated depressions 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 depressions in the oceanic crust.
All of the following statements are true concerning subduction zones EXCEPT: a. they are belts of deep-focus earthquakes. b. they are sites where lithospheric plates are diverging or pulling apart. c. they are marked by the presence of deep-sea trenches. d. they are zones where old seafloor descends into the crust and mantle.
b. they are sites where lithospheric plates are diverging or pulling apart.
Which of the following metals is not usually found in manganese nodules? a. iron b. uranium c. nickel d. cobalt
b. uranium
Hydrothermal vents are located near: a. passive continental margins. b. zones of rapid seafloor spreading. c. the edges of the deep sea trenches. d. the margins of the Hawaiian chain.
b. zones of rapid seafloor spreading.
Which statement characterizes sediments of the North Pacific? a. The sediments of the North Pacific are primarily composed of radiolarian deposits. b. The sediments of the North Pacific are thicker than the sediments of the Atlantic. c. The sediments of the deep North Pacific are mainly pelagic clays. d. The sediments of the North Pacific are mostly calcareous oozes.
c. The sediments of the deep North Pacific are mainly pelagic clays.
Which of the following statements accurately describes active 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 lithospheric plates are converging or are in collision. d. They are areas where lithospheric plates are actively moving apart.
c. They are areas of frequent earthquakes and volcanoes, where lithospheric plates are converging or are in collision.
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 composed of folded and faulted marine sedimentary rocks. c. are constructed of volcanic basalt. d. are similar in size and features to most continental mountains.
c. are constructed of volcanic basalt.
Submarine canyons occur: a. at the part of an ocean basin nearest the poles. b. at the part of an ocean basin nearest the equator. c. at the junction between continental shelf and continental slope. d. at the center of an ocean basin, at the edges of the mid-ocean ridge.
c. at the junction between continental shelf and continental slope.
Over millions of years, natural gas and oil can be formed from: a. erosion. b. volcanic ash. c. biogenous sediments. d. terrigenous sediments.
c. biogenous sediments.
Select the finest particles in this list. a. sand b. silt c. clay d. granules
c. clay
Radiolarians and diatoms are both examples of: a. multicellular organisms. b. single-celled animals. c. creatures whose shells form siliceous oozes. d. calcareous oozes in the deepest parts of the ocean.
c. creatures whose shells form siliceous oozes.
The mid-ocean ridges are: a. subduction zones. b. transform or lateral plate boundaries. c. divergent plate boundaries. d. convergent plate boundaries.
c. divergent plate boundaries.
Flat-topped seamounts that rise from the ocean floor are called: a. ridges. b. island arcs. c. guyots. d. abyssal hills.
c. guyots.
Which of the following is generated in place, on the spot where we find them? a. terrigenous sediments b. biogenous sediments c. hydrogenous (or authigenic) sediments d. cosmogenous sediments
c. hydrogenous (or authigenic) sediments
An example of a continental rise that is extraordinarily wide is found: a. in the Red Sea. b. in the Pacific at the active margin called the "Ring of Fire." c. in the Bay of Bengal. d. off the east coast of Florida.
c. in the Bay of Bengal.
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. on the west coasts of both North and South America.
The Emperor Sea Mounts are found in: a. the Sagasso Sea. b. the South Pacific. c. the North West Pacific. d. the coastal region of Australia.
c. the North West Pacific.
Carbonate sediments are rare in deep sea sediments because: a. the organisms providing shells do not live in the deep sea. b. the abundance of muds and clays cover the carbonate shells. c. the carbonate shells are dissolved in deep water. d. the organisms do not live beyond the edge of the continental shelf.
c. the carbonate shells are dissolved in deep water.
The future of oceanographic research appears to lie: a. with single, isolated individuals working alone. b. with epic voyages. c. with the cooperative efforts of the great private, institutional, and national oceanographic institutions. d. with the military agencies of the world.
c. with the cooperative efforts of the great private, institutional, and national oceanographic institutions
The landscape of the seafloor could 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. huge abyssal plains containing ridges, trenches, seamounts.
d. huge abyssal plains containing ridges, trenches, seamounts.
With the use of radiometric dating, one would expect to find the OLDEST rock to be found: a. in the center of the Earth's core. b. near the middle of the Pacific plate. c. in the center of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. d. in the center of continents.
d. in the center of continents.
The continental shelf: a. is a narrow strip on the East Coast of the United States. b. is a steep zone dropping off to the deep seafloor like a cliff. c. is a featureless plain unlike the neighboring continent. d. is a gently sloping platform with a variable landscape.
d. is a gently sloping platform with a variable landscape.
One cubic meter of which of these would weigh the most? a. seawater b. granite rock c. basaltic rock d. mantle
d. mantle
The oozes on the seafloor mostly consist of: a. boulders and cobbles from glaciers oozing off the land. b. bones and teeth of bottom-dwelling fishes. c. fine muds washed down the continental slope to the seafloor. d. microscopic hard parts of single-celled living organisms.
d. microscopic hard parts of single-celled living organisms.
The deepest parts of the Pacific Basin are located: a. in the center of the Pacific Ocean near the Hawaiian Islands. b. in the eastern part of the basin, off North America. c. in the rift valley of the East Pacific Rise. d. near the margins of South America, Japan, and the Marianas Islands.
d. near the margins of South America, Japan, and the Marianas Islands.
The age of most marine sediments is: a. no older than about 10,000 years old. b. about 1 million years old. c. rarely older than about 180 million years old. d. not possible to determine.
d. not possible to determine.
One area in the ocean that has an extreme abundance of sediment deposition is: a. the shallow waters around Alaska. b. the waters around the tip of Africa. c. the deep ocean floor in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. d. the waters near the Gulf Coast of North America.
d. the waters near the Gulf Coast of North America.
Large volumes of bottom sediments may be transported long distances by: a. storm waves. b. icebergs. c. tidal action. d. turbidity currents.
d. turbidity currents.
A seamount is a volcanic projection that does not rise above the surface.
true
An example of a siliceous ooze are those formed from radiolarian shells.
true
Hydrothermal vents such as black smokers are found at spreading centers.
true
The first life forms on Earth arose: a. more than 3.5 billion years ago. b. at the same time as the formation of the Earth. c. relatively recently - about 250,000,000 years ago. d. about 10,000 years ago.
A. more than 3.5 billion years ago
In the scientific method, scientific theories: a. must be tested and verified by observations. b. must be verified by the leading authorities in the field. c. must be consistent with previous, universally accepted scientific concepts. d. must be consistent with the fact that the ocean is of great age.
A. must be tested and verified by observations.
Which of the following best describes biosynthesis? a. The discovery of organic molecules in space. b. The evolution of living organisms from simple organic building blocks. c. The evolution of inorganic molecules in seawater. d. Experiments that show that early organisms lived in an oxygen-free environment.
B. The evolution of living organisms from simple organic building blocks.
The world ocean: a. plays a minor role in the weather and shape of landmasses of the Earth. b. does not influence the way organisms live on land. c. is the dominant feature of the Earth and most of its living organisms. d. represents over half of the Earth's radius.
C. is the dominant feature of the Earth and most of its living organisms.
The death of a star is characterized by a massive release of energy called a ____. a. nebula b. protostar c. supernova d. comet
C. supernova
Captain Cook was the first scientist to drift in the ice pack of the Arctic.
False
Deep-sea fossils suggest that life evolved within the last million years.
False
Latitude is a measurement that uses the prime meridian (Greenwich, England) as a reference point for determining the exact location of a specific point on Earth.
False
Gravity was important in the formation of our planet because it pulled dense metals such as iron and nickel inward, forming the Earth's core.
True
Marine science draws on information from disciplines of geology, biology, chemistry, and physics.
True
A compass is a navigational tool that points to magnetic north.
True
Eratosthenes was a scientist who was interested in the size of Earth and used methods of geometry to determine the circumference of our planet.
True
The Hawaiian Islands were one of the last of the Pacific Islands to be colonized by the Polynesians because it is the farthest away, some 2,000 miles from other islands.
True
The Library of Alexandria was an important gathering place for intellectuals, stored the works of scholars, and contained current information about discoveries in trade and navigation.
True
The ocean holds more than 97 percent of Earth's water.
True
The navigator in the early 1500s who was influential in charting and opening a trade route from Europe to the Orient was: a. Ferdinand Magellan. b. Captain James Cook. c. Christopher Columbus. d. Prince Henry the Navigator.
a. Ferdinand Magellan
Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding latitude and longitude? a. Longitude lines are drawn parallel to the equator while latitude lines are drawn from pole to pole. b. Latitude and longitude is a system of imaginary lines dividing the Earth's surface into a grid. c. The distance between the lines of longitude varies with latitude while the lines of latitude are always equidistant. d. Zero latitude is the equator and zero longitude is Greenwich, England, or the prime meridian.
a. Longitude lines are drawn parallel to the equator while latitude lines are drawn from pole to pole.
The Portuguese explorer who first attempted to circumnavigate the world in the early 1500's was: a. Magellan. b. Forbes. c. Thompson. d. Cook.
a. Magellan.
Earlier than 200 million years ago, the continents were joined into one supercontinent called: a. Pangaea. b. Panthalssa. c. Oceanus. d. Tethys.
a. Pangaea.
The first technology to replace weighted lines for making detailed measurements of the contours of the ocean floor was: a. echo sounders b. satellites c. bathyscaphes d. submersibles
a. echo sounders
Which of these is most abundant on or in the Earth? a. mantle material b. granite rock c. liquid water d. basalt
a. mantle material
Which of the following technologies available to modern oceanographers in the last few decades has revolutionized our ability to study the ocean? a. remote sensing via ROV's and satellites b. shipboard SONAR c. leadline soundings d. the compass and chronometer
a. remote sensing via ROV's and satellites
A boundary in which crustal plates move past one another is called a: a. transform fault. b. convergent zone. c. divergent zone. d. rift valley.
a. transform fault.
Why is the inside of the Earth still hot? a. Because the outer layers have prevented the escape of heat trapped during the planet's initial formation, and no new heat has been formed. b. Because the decay of large radioactive elements is creating heat in the Earth's inner layers. c. Because a nuclear process like that found in stars is at work in Earth's interior. d. Because huge quantities of oil and natural gas occasionally burn deep within the Earth.
b. Because the decay of large radioactive elements is creating heat in the Earth's inner layers.
Which of the following people would probably be given the title of "first ocean scientist"? a. Matthew Maury b. Captain James Cook c. Christopher Columbus d. Wyville Thompson (of the Challenger expedition)
b. Captain James Cook
The invention of the compass is attributed to the: a. Americans b. Chinese c. Spanish d. British
b. Chinese
The first person to develop a picture of the large-scale wind and current systems of the Earth was: a. Ben Franklin. b. Matthew Maury. c. Eratosthenes of Cyrene. d. Wyville Thomson.
b. Matthew Maury.
What do these things have in common: Paleomagnetism, seafloor spreading, Pangaea, Wadati-Benioff zones, transform faults, fracture zones, seamount chains, Pacific hotspots. a. They are used to study earthquakes. b. They are involved with plate tectonics. c. They are used to investigate the potential for undersea mining and mineral resource exploitation. d. They are used to predict earthquake activity and warn people of imminent danger.
b. They are involved with plate tectonics.
Evidence for plate tectonics can be seen in: a. the distribution of marine microbes. b. ancient glaciers. c. the distribution of dissolved compounds in isolated regions of the ocean. d. modern snail species.
b. ancient glaciers.
The Earth's youngest rocks are found: a. in the deepest part of the flat ocean bottom. b. at the mid-ocean ridges. c. at the cores of the continents. d. in trenches.
b. at the mid-ocean ridges.
Current technologies used in modern marine science include all of the following Except: a. remotely operated vehicles. b. chronometers. c. echo sounders. d. oceanographic satellites.
b. chronometers.
A "mystery" in our understanding of plate tectonics has been, until recently, the nature of the power source capable of moving the plates and the continents embedded within them. Recent evidence indicates the power source to be: a. the readjustment of the surface to continual shrinking of the whole Earth. b. convection currents within the Earth's mantle is moving the plates. c. the action of ocean currents is dragging along the seafloor, causing the seafloor and the continents to move. d. the continual vibration from earthquakes and volcanoes slowly moves the continents equatorward under the influence of centrifugal force.
b. convection currents within the Earth's mantle is moving the plates.
Buoyancy is the ability of an object to float in a fluid by: a. weighing less than the water surrounding it. b. displacing a volume of water equal in weight to its own weight. c. displacing a volume of water which weighs slightly more than its own weight. d. displacing a volume of water which weighs slightly less than its own weight.
b. displacing a volume of water equal in weight to its own weight.
The outermost solid layer of the Earth that comprises both continental and oceanic crust is called the: a. hydrosphere. b. lithosphere. c. asthenosphere. d. outer core.
b. lithosphere.
The youngest seafloor rocks are found: a. nearest the continental slopes. b. near the rift valleys of the mid-ocean ridges. c. beneath the deep sea trenches. d. evenly distributed over the ocean basins.
b. near the rift valleys of the mid-ocean ridges.
The word "oceanography" was first coined in association with: a. Cook's third voyage. b. the Challenger expedition. c. Columbus' fourth and final voyage. d. Captain James Cook's first voyage.
b. the Challenger expedition.
The Challenger expedition (1872-1876) was a unique and historic voyage. Which of the following statements about the expedition is NOT true? a. it is the single longest continuous oceanographic expedition ever. b. the Challenger scientists developed the first reliable navigational charts to indicate current and wind patterns. c. it led to the development of two new fields of science - marine biology and oceanography. d. the data collected on the expedition was published in an astonishing 50 volume set that is still used today.
b. the Challenger scientists developed the first reliable navigational charts to indicate current and wind patterns.
The first scientific expedition to use an echo sounder was: a. the Challenger expedition. b. the Meteor expedition. c. the United States Exploring expedition. d. the voyage of Trieste.
b. the Meteor expedition.
Scientific contributions made by the Challenger expedition that influenced our understanding of marine science include all of the following EXCEPT: a. the discovery of new species and life in the deep sea. b. the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. c. detailed analysis of seawater samples from all over the world. d. new information on ocean currents and the distribution of sediments.
b. the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands.
A cross section of Earth reveals a layered structure that has different thicknesses and densities. How do geologists know this? a. From drilling and digging down into the various layers. b. From observing the characteristics of lava and gas issuing from volcanic vents. c. From observing the transit times through the Earth of waves generated by large earthquakes. d. From comparisons with drill cores taken by robot spacecraft on Mars and Venus.
c. From observing the transit times through the Earth of waves generated by large earthquakes.
The Navy Officer who first compiled information about winds and currents was: a. Edward Forbes. b. Charles Darwin. c. Matthew Maury. d. Tim Folger
c. Matthew Maury.
Which of the following statements is true about Christopher Columbus and his explorations? a. His goal was to discover new lands. b. Like many early explorers, Columbus thought the Earth was flat. c. One of Columbus' biggest mistakes is that he estimated the Earth to be only about half of its true size. d. He was the first explorer to see the mainland of North America.
c. One of Columbus' biggest mistakes is that he estimated the Earth to be only about half of its true size.
A(n) ____ is a graphic representation that depicts information about the ocean and ocean features including depth. a. map b. echo sounder c. chart d. atlas
c. chart
Longitude can be determined with the use of a(n) ______________. a. pendulum clock b. echo sounders c. chronometer d. remote operated vehicle
c. chronometer
Contributions by early Chinese scientists and philosophers include all of these EXCEPT: a. developing seagoing methods that allowed them to stay at sea for nearly four months. b. retrofitting their ships with multi-masts to sail more efficiently with changing winds. c. development of the chronometer. d. designing and developing rudders and watertight compartments.
c. development of the chronometer.
Captain James Cook accomplished all of these tasks EXCEPT: a. first European to contact the Hawaiian Islands b. first to circumnavigate the world near Antarctica c. first European to explore the South Pacific d. mapped the coasts of Australia and New Zealand
c. first European to explore the South Pacific
New crust is being generated: a. in the deep trenches. b. in submarine canyons. c. in the rift valleys of the mid-ocean ridges. d. at the centers of large continents.
c. in the rift valleys of the mid-ocean ridges.
Edward Forbes was an Edinburgh professor who thought that: a. life was plentiful in the deep sea. b. there was an easy route to the orient from Europe. c. no life existed in the deep sea because of high pressure and no light. d. the Pacific Ocean was much smaller than it truly is.
c. no life existed in the deep sea because of high pressure and no light.
Which of the following lists represents the main components of the Earth's crust? a. oxygen, uranium, thorium. b. oxygen, silicon, uranium. c. oxygen, silicon, aluminum. d. iron, aluminum, carbon.
c. oxygen, silicon, aluminum.
Polar oceanography began with: a. Forbes. b. Wilkes. c. Thompson. d. Nansen.
d. Nansen.
The Hawaiian Islands formed as they pass over a hot spot in the middle of the: a. Mid-Atlantic ridge. b. Nazca Plate. c. Mariana Trench. d. Pacific Plate.
d. Pacific Plate.
Why did the Chinese abandon ocean exploration in 1433? a. They were too slow in developing ships that would allow them to stay at sea for long periods of time. b. They were distracted by the Dark Ages. c. They were not interested in showing the wealth or power of the Ming Dynasty to other peoples of the world. d. Political winds changed, and the cost of the exercise was deemed too great.
d. Political winds changed, and the cost of the exercise was deemed too great.
As early as the 1700s, scientists and explorers notice a remarkable coincidence of shape of the Atlantic coasts of Africa and which continent? a. North America b. Australia c. Asia d. South America
d. South America
The magnetic striping of the seafloor is considered evidence of seafloor spreading and: a. subduction down the rift valleys. b. spreading centers in the trenches. c. changes in the Earth's axis of rotation. d. periodic reversals in the polarity of the Earth's magnetic field.
d. periodic reversals in the polarity of the Earth's magnetic field.
Information about the ocean that satellites can provide to scientists include all of the following EXCEPT: a. sea surface height. b. sea surface temperature. c. wave height. d. sea floor sedimentation rate.
d. sea floor sedimentation rate.
Glomar Challenger is known mainly for: a. being the first modern scientific survey ship to circumnavigate the globe. b. being the first nuclear powered scientific research vessel. c. being owned and operated simultaneously by four governmental agencies. d. taking the first complete cores of deep-sea sediments.
d. taking the first complete cores of deep-sea sediments.
The importance of Matthew Maury's work included: a. the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. b. the formulation of a working hypothesis for the formation of coral reefs. c. the invention of a chronometer for the determination of longitude. d. the charting of ocean currents that sailors used to significantly shorten their travel time.
d. the charting of ocean currents that sailors used to significantly shorten their travel time.
Polynesian navigators depended on all of the following unique strategies for accurate navigation EXCEPT: a. the direction and characteristics of waves b. navigational charts made with bamboo and shells c. the positions of stars d. the chronometer
d. the chronometer
