Question 1

The best modern technique for obtaining high resolution bathymetry of the seafloor is______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  seismic reflection profiling 
B)  sidescan sonar 
C)  multibeam bathymetry 
D)  echo sounding 
A)  seismic reflection profiling 
B)  sidescan sonar 
C)  multibeam bathymetry 
D)  echo sounding

Question 2

The crests of mid- oceanic ridges______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  are geologically old features 
B)  lie at depths exceeding 6 kilometers 
C)  contain active rift zones 
D)  are heavily mantled with sediment 
A)  are geologically old features 
B)  lie at depths exceeding 6 kilometers 
C)  contain active rift zones 
D)  are heavily mantled with sediment

Question 3

Ocean floor topography can be estimated from space using______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  high resolution measurements of the earth's magnetic field 
B)  radar pulses that bounce off the ocean surface 
C)  laser beams that penetrate to the sea floor 
D)  powerful sound waves that echo to the satellite 
A)  high resolution measurements of the earth's magnetic field 
B)  radar pulses that bounce off the ocean surface 
C)  laser beams that penetrate to the sea floor 
D)  powerful sound waves that echo to the satellite

Question 4

Multibeam sonar provides the best modern technique for obtaining seafloor bathymetry, so why has it not been used for the entire ocean?

Accepted Answer

A)  Oceanographers simply have not had time to process all the data. 
B)  It does not work in deep water. 
C)  It is too expensive, requiring many ships many years to survey the entire ocean. 
D)  It does not work where there is ice. 
A)  Oceanographers simply have not had time to process all the data. 
B)  It does not work in deep water. 
C)  It is too expensive, requiring many ships many years to survey the entire ocean. 
D)  It does not work where there is ice.

Question 5

The seafloor spreading process at ridges produces what type of faults?

Accepted Answer

A)  normal faults 
B)  oblique- slip faults 
C)  thrust fault 
D)  strike- slip faults 
A)  normal faults 
B)  oblique- slip faults 
C)  thrust fault 
D)  strike- slip faults

Question 6

Concerning the distribution of land and water, which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Northern Hemisphere has much more water surface than the Southern Hemisphere. 
B)  The Southern Hemisphere has much more water surface than the Northern Hemisphere. 
C)  The percentage of land and water is about the same in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. 
D)  None of the above is true. 
A)  The Northern Hemisphere has much more water surface than the Southern Hemisphere. 
B)  The Southern Hemisphere has much more water surface than the Northern Hemisphere. 
C)  The percentage of land and water is about the same in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. 
D)  None of the above is true.

Question 7

Submerged, flat- topped seamounts are known as _______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  guyots 
B)  oceanic plateaus 
C)  nodule stacks 
D)  abyssal mounts 
A)  guyots 
B)  oceanic plateaus 
C)  nodule stacks 
D)  abyssal mounts

Question 8

Earlier we discussed the concept of isostasy, where lower density rocks rise higher than higher density rocks. How is the variation of water depth at spreading centers ridges. controlled by isostasy?

Accepted Answer

A)  Volcanic rocks are lighter than other rocks, and so the abundant volcanic rocks at the ridges are lower density features that produce the seafloor topography. 
B)  The lithosphere cools as it moves away from the ridge axis by sea floor spreading, and cooler rocks are lower density, so the sea floor gets deeper as the lithosphere gets more dense. 
C)  Oceanic ridges are sites where the lithosphere is carried into the mantle on one side aka subduction zones., and the volcanoes along these margins produce the ridge by buildup of lower density crust. 
D)  It has nothing to do with isostasy; the areas are simply high because there are chains of active volcanoes along the ridge crest, producing the topography. 
A)  Volcanic rocks are lighter than other rocks, and so the abundant volcanic rocks at the ridges are lower density features that produce the seafloor topography. 
B)  The lithosphere cools as it moves away from the ridge axis by sea floor spreading, and cooler rocks are lower density, so the sea floor gets deeper as the lithosphere gets more dense. 
C)  Oceanic ridges are sites where the lithosphere is carried into the mantle on one side aka subduction zones., and the volcanoes along these margins produce the ridge by buildup of lower density crust. 
D)  It has nothing to do with isostasy; the areas are simply high because there are chains of active volcanoes along the ridge crest, producing the topography.

Question 9

Which one of the following is not part of the continental margin?

Accepted Answer

A)  continental slope 
B)  continental rise 
C)  continental trench 
D)  continental shelf 
A)  continental slope 
B)  continental rise 
C)  continental trench 
D)  continental shelf

Question 10

Submarine canyons found on the continental slope are believed to have been created ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  by faulting 
B)  because of a plate plunging into the mantle 
C)  by rivers during the ice age 
D)  none of these 
A)  by faulting 
B)  because of a plate plunging into the mantle 
C)  by rivers during the ice age 
D)  none of these

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

A)  radar altimeters 
B)  sidescan sonar 
C)  echo sounder 
D)  Doppler radar 
A)  radar altimeters 
B)  sidescan sonar 
C)  echo sounder 
D)  Doppler radar

Question 12

The______ Ocean has more extensive abyssal plains than the Pacific Ocean because it has fewer trenches to trap sediments moving down the continental slope.

Accepted Answer

A)  Indian 
B)  Arctic 
C)  Atlantic 
D)  none of these 
A)  Indian 
B)  Arctic 
C)  Atlantic 
D)  none of these

Question 13

In the present day, what is the most valuable non- living commodity obtained from sea floor?

Accepted Answer

A)  oil and gas 
B)  gas hydrate 
C)  sand and gravel 
D)  gold 
A)  oil and gas 
B)  gas hydrate 
C)  sand and gravel 
D)  gold

Question 14

Oil and gas resources are most common on the _______  .

Accepted Answer

A)  continental shelf 
B)  abyssal plains 
C)  mid- ocean ridge 
D)  guyots 
A)  continental shelf 
B)  abyssal plains 
C)  mid- ocean ridge 
D)  guyots

Question 15

The continental rise is located______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  at the top of the continental slope 
B)  between an abyssal plain and continental slope 
C)  at the seaward edge of a deep ocean trench 
D)  at the top of a mid- ocean ridge 
A)  at the top of the continental slope 
B)  between an abyssal plain and continental slope 
C)  at the seaward edge of a deep ocean trench 
D)  at the top of a mid- ocean ridge

Question 16

_______ continental margins occur where oceanic lithosphere is being subducted beneath the edge of a continent.

Accepted Answer

A)  Active 
B)  Passive 
C)  Deep sea 
D)  Turbidity 
A)  Active 
B)  Passive 
C)  Deep sea 
D)  Turbidity

Question 17

The deepest place in the world's oceans is known as the______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  Challenger Deep 
B)  Maldives Trench 
C)  Asuncion Hole 
D)  Aleutians Pit 
A)  Challenger Deep 
B)  Maldives Trench 
C)  Asuncion Hole 
D)  Aleutians Pit

Question 18

"Black smokers" are associated with______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  hot water 
B)  oceanic ridges 
C)  mineral- rich waters 
D)  all of these 
A)  hot water 
B)  oceanic ridges 
C)  mineral- rich waters 
D)  all of these

Question 19

Micro- organisms called foraminifera have tiny coiled shells with chambers. In modern oceans the coiling direction of foraminifera shells is correlated to temperature. Using coiling direction from foraminifera fossils is an example of ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  using the fossil as a paleo- depth indicator because water temperature varies with depth 
B)  using isotopes to fingerprint temperature 
C)  geomagic; the whole idea is preposterous 
D)  using the fossil's coiling direction is a proxy for climate because the surface water temperature would be highly correlated to surface temperature 
A)  using the fossil as a paleo- depth indicator because water temperature varies with depth 
B)  using isotopes to fingerprint temperature 
C)  geomagic; the whole idea is preposterous 
D)  using the fossil's coiling direction is a proxy for climate because the surface water temperature would be highly correlated to surface temperature

Question 20

The west coast of South America has an_______ continental margin and the east coast of North America has an. continental margins.

Accepted Answer

A)  active; active 
B)  passive; active 
C)  passive; passive 
D)  active; passive 
A)  active; active 
B)  passive; active 
C)  passive; passive 
D)  active; passive

Exam 13: The Ocean Floor

The best modern technique for obtaining high resolution bathymetry of the seafloor is______ .

The crests of mid- oceanic ridges______ .

Ocean floor topography can be estimated from space using______ .

Multibeam sonar provides the best modern technique for obtaining seafloor bathymetry, so why has it not been used for the entire ocean?

The seafloor spreading process at ridges produces what type of faults?

Concerning the distribution of land and water, which of the following statements is true?

Submerged, flat- topped seamounts are known as _______ .

Earlier we discussed the concept of isostasy, where lower density rocks rise higher than higher density rocks. How is the variation of water depth at spreading centers ridges. controlled by isostasy?

Which one of the following is not part of the continental margin?

Submarine canyons found on the continental slope are believed to have been created ______.

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

The______ Ocean has more extensive abyssal plains than the Pacific Ocean because it has fewer trenches to trap sediments moving down the continental slope.

In the present day, what is the most valuable non- living commodity obtained from sea floor?

Oil and gas resources are most common on the _______ .

The continental rise is located______ .

_______ continental margins occur where oceanic lithosphere is being subducted beneath the edge of a continent.

The deepest place in the world's oceans is known as the______ .

"Black smokers" are associated with______ .

Micro- organisms called foraminifera have tiny coiled shells with chambers. In modern oceans the coiling direction of foraminifera shells is correlated to temperature. Using coiling direction from foraminifera fossils is an example of ______.

The west coast of South America has an_______ continental margin and the east coast of North America has an. continental margins.

Introduction to Earth Science

Matter and Minerals

Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth

Plate Tectonics: a Scientific Revolution Unfolds

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity

Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building

Weathering, Soil, and Mass Movement

Running Water and Groundwater

Glaciers, Deserts, and Wind

Geologic Time

Earths Evolution Through Geologic Time

Ocean Water and Ocean Life

The Dynamic Ocean

The Atmosphere: Composition, Structure, and Temperature

Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

Air Pressure and Wind

Weather Patterns and Severe Storms

World Climates and Global Climate Change

Origins of Modern Astronomy

Touring Our Solar System

Light, Telescopes, and the Sun

Beyond Our Solar System

Filters