OCN 150 Final Exam

if sea A has a wave height of 1m and sea B has a wave height of 3m, what would the height of the waves resulting from destructive interferance be?

2m

where do arid regions (deserts) occur?

30 degrees north/south

if sea A has a wave height of 1m and sea B has a wave height of 3m, what would the height of the waves resulting from constructive interferance be?

4m

Amplitude

Height of a wave

gyre

a large system of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and forces driven by earths rotation

What is the El Nino Southern Oscillation? (ENSO)

a periodic shift of the ocean atmosphere system in the tropical pacific that impacts weather around the world.

ions are removed from the oceans through which processes?

adsorption and precipitation, sea spray, biological processes, and hydrothermal activity at the mid ocean ridge.

the nebular hypothesis suggests that

all bodies in the solar system are created from an enormous gas cloud

The Mariana Trench is an example of ________ plate boundary.

an oceanic-oceanic convergent

which ocean is the smallest and the shallowest?

arctic ocean

where on earth is centripetal force towards the moon the greatest?

at the zenith

which category of sediment does calcareous ooze fall into?

biogenous

which category of sediment does siliceous ooze fall into?

biogenous

lithosphere

both the solid rock that undergoes brittle deformation (crust) and the solid iron-rich rock that udergoes brittle deformation (upper part of the mantle)

which fin is used in fish to propel it to a high speed?

caudal fin

eustatic sea level change

caused by a change in the volume of the ocean

Eckman Transport

caused by friction and the coriolis effect, describes the direction and flow of surface water at different depths. runs perpindicular to the wind, to the right in the north and to the left in the south.

anti-cyclonic flow

clockwise around a high pressure system in the north and counterclockwise around a low pressure system in the south

heat is transferred from the liquid outer core to the rigid mantle by:

conduction

calcerous ooze

contains greater than or equal to 30% hard remains of calcium carbonate secreting organims. Does not acculmate below the CCD.

siliceous ooze

contains greater than or equal to 30% remains of silica secreting organisms. acculmates in areas of high primary productivity.

where are the thickest sediments deposited worldwide?

continential margins

cyclonic flow

counterclockwise around a low pressure system in the north and clockwise around a low pressure system in the south

ITCZ (intertropical convergence zone)

curved line that varies based on season. a lot of rain in this location

what best characterizes the east coast of the contiguous united states?

depositional

deep currents

driven by differences in density caused by differences in temperature and salinty. vertical and horozontial motion

About 300 million years ago, the Appalachian Mountains in North America were matched up with the identical rocks from which area?

europe.

the intensity of solar radation recieved at lower latitudes (near the equator) compared to higher latitiudes (near the poles) is:

greater

rapid changing salinity with depth is called the:

halocline

the shape of the caudal fin of a shark is referred to as

heterocercal

if the side of the earth facing the moon experiences high tide, then the side opposite from the moon will have a ______ tide

high

which of the following does NOT limit coral growth?

high concentrations of calcium carbonate in the water

which category of sediment do manganese nodules fall into?

hydrogenous

which layer of the earth generates the earth's magnetic field?

inner core

crust

just the solid rock that undergoes brittle deformation

what fuels a hurricane?

latent heat stored in water vapor

which category of sediment does volcanic ash fall into?

lithogenous

throughout earth's history, periods of rapid tectonic activity (and therefore climate change) often caused significant:

mass extinctions

Coriolis effect

objects in the northern hemishpere are deflected to the right and in the southern hemisphere deflected to the left

most large-magnitude earthquake occur along which of the following?

ocean trenches

what do prevailing offshore winds produce in terms of the salinity of coastal waters?

offshore winds cause a high rate of evaporation and thus high surface salinities

the two most significant human sources of oil pollution in the marine environment are:

petroleum consumption and transportation

fossils of ancient polar plants are currently found near the equator because

plants lived near the poles, but their landmasses have drifted to their recent locations.

the relative productivity in the worlds oceans from most productive to least productive is

polar, mid latitudes, tropical

the difference between centripetal forces and gravitational forces is called the:

resultant force

which tidal pattern has two high tides and two low tides of equal height per tidal day?

semi-diurnal

spreading centers have _______ earthquakes, while trenches have _______ earthquakes.

shallow, deep

_______ is generated by the pull of the weight of a plate as it sinks underneath an overlying plate

slab pull

old ocean lithosphere is recycled back into the mantle at

spreading centers

when is the tidal range of the oceans the greatest?

spring tides, full and new moon

the intertidal zonation of sediment covered shores is best developed on a _____ sloping, ______-sand beach.

steep, coarse

surging breakers

steepest sea floor, energy spread over shortest distance, best for body surfing, waves break on shore.

wavelength

the horizontal distance between crests

Halocline

the range of sea water depth where the seawater salinity reduces rapidly with the increase of water depth

Pycnocline

the range of sea water depths where the density increases rapidly with the increase of water depth

wave height

the vertical distance from the crest of a wave to the trough

compared to the granitic continental crust, the basaltic ocean crust is

thinner and denser

thermocline

transition from water temp at surface to water temp in the deep ocean

which parameter is similar between open-ocean and nearshore tsumani waves?

wave period

how does wave refraction at headlands affect deposition and erosion?

wave refraction causes depostion of sediments in bays and headland erosion at the point.

shoaling

wave speed and length decreases, wave height and steepness increases.

the muscle tissues of a lunger is predominantly:

white

surface currents

wind driven, primarily horozontial motion