Question 1

Why is the West Wind Drift not considered a gyre?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is too large to be a gyre. 
B)  It is a closed circuit current. 
C)  It is driven by westerly winds. 
D)  It does not flow around the margins of an ocean basin. 
A)  It is too large to be a gyre. 
B)  It is a closed circuit current. 
C)  It is driven by westerly winds. 
D)  It does not flow around the margins of an ocean basin.

Question 2

The Antarctic Bottom Water in the Pacific retains its characteristics for up to 1,600 years.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

What mechanism is being used to gain new information regarding deep sea circulation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Acoustic tomography 
B)  ACDP systems 
C)  Electromagnetic field detectors 
D)  Drift cards 
A)  Acoustic tomography 
B)  ACDP systems 
C)  Electromagnetic field detectors 
D)  Drift cards

Question 4

Why are fisheries heavily impacted by ENSO events?

Accepted Answer

A)  Upwelling ceases 
B)  Nutrient-rich currents are interrupted when the trade winds shift 
C)  Low pressure systems create downwelling events rather than the normal upwelling 
D)  Rise in sea level effects migration patterns 
A)  Upwelling ceases 
B)  Nutrient-rich currents are interrupted when the trade winds shift 
C)  Low pressure systems create downwelling events rather than the normal upwelling 
D)  Rise in sea level effects migration patterns

Question 5

Surface currents move water vertically which thoroughly mixes the uppermost 400 meters of the ocean's surface.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

How long does it take most deep water to rise to the surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  100 to 200 years 
B)  200 to 300 years 
C)  500 to 600 years 
D)  1,500 to 1,600 years 
A)  100 to 200 years 
B)  200 to 300 years 
C)  500 to 600 years 
D)  1,500 to 1,600 years

Question 7

El Niño Southern Oscillation events can cause flooding from both a rise in sea level and high precipitation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

What is La Niña?

Accepted Answer

A)  A warmer than normal circulation event 
B)  A circulation due to density and salinity 
C)  A colder than normal circulation event 
D)  The result of volcanic eruptions 
A)  A warmer than normal circulation event 
B)  A circulation due to density and salinity 
C)  A colder than normal circulation event 
D)  The result of volcanic eruptions

Question 9

What does not affect surface currents?

Accepted Answer

A)  Gravity 
B)  Coriolis Effect 
C)  Wind 
D)  Density 
A)  Gravity 
B)  Coriolis Effect 
C)  Wind 
D)  Density

Question 10

What is responsible for the large-scale global ocean circulation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Surface currents 
B)  ENSO events 
C)  Thermohaline circulation 
D)  Langmuir circulation 
A)  Surface currents 
B)  ENSO events 
C)  Thermohaline circulation 
D)  Langmuir circulation

Question 11

What is used to visualize ocean layering?

Accepted Answer

A)  A caballing chart 
B)  A circulation histogram 
C)  A layering table 
D)  A temperature-salinity diagram 
A)  A caballing chart 
B)  A circulation histogram 
C)  A layering table 
D)  A temperature-salinity diagram

Question 12

If the gradual rise of deep water at temperate and tropical zones were to stop, the thermocline would rise, making the difference in water layers steeper.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

When a large amount of dense water sinks at polar ocean basins, the same quantity rises elsewhere in the world ocean.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

The global conveyer belt transports juvenile organisms, mixes nutrients, and distributes gases and solids.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Caballing is the mixing of two water masses with the same density but different temperatures and salinity, resulting in a new water mass with lower density.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Where is density stratification the least pronounced?

Accepted Answer

A)  Temperate latitudes 
B)  Polar latitudes 
C)  Tropical latitudes 
D)  Areas where there is upwelling 
A)  Temperate latitudes 
B)  Polar latitudes 
C)  Tropical latitudes 
D)  Areas where there is upwelling

Question 17

What is the Ekman spiral?

Accepted Answer

A)  The movement of water in the same direction as the wind above 
B)  The decreasingly slower movement of water as it gets further away from the wind source 
C)  The sum of all water directions in wind affected layers 
D)  The friction created on the ocean's surface layer from wind 
A)  The movement of water in the same direction as the wind above 
B)  The decreasingly slower movement of water as it gets further away from the wind source 
C)  The sum of all water directions in wind affected layers 
D)  The friction created on the ocean's surface layer from wind

Question 18

What is a gyre?

Accepted Answer

A)  A type of vertical circulation 
B)  A circular flow of water around the periphery of an ocean basin 
C)  A type of thermohaline current 
D)  A type of current along the western margins of ocean basins 
A)  A type of vertical circulation 
B)  A circular flow of water around the periphery of an ocean basin 
C)  A type of thermohaline current 
D)  A type of current along the western margins of ocean basins

Question 19

What is the behavior of the Ekman spiral? What occurs when the friction depth is reached?

Accepted Answer

Answer should include:
•	Water moves at

Question 20

What is the global conveyer belt referring to? How does this thermohaline flow transport heat throughout the world ocean? Include aspects of upwelling and downwelling.

Accepted Answer

Answer should include:
•	Thermohaline ci

Why is the West Wind Drift not considered a gyre?

The Antarctic Bottom Water in the Pacific retains its characteristics for up to 1,600 years.

What mechanism is being used to gain new information regarding deep sea circulation?

Why are fisheries heavily impacted by ENSO events?

Surface currents move water vertically which thoroughly mixes the uppermost 400 meters of the ocean's surface.

How long does it take most deep water to rise to the surface?

El Niño Southern Oscillation events can cause flooding from both a rise in sea level and high precipitation.

What is La Niña?

What does not affect surface currents?

What is responsible for the large-scale global ocean circulation?

What is used to visualize ocean layering?

If the gradual rise of deep water at temperate and tropical zones were to stop, the thermocline would rise, making the difference in water layers steeper.

When a large amount of dense water sinks at polar ocean basins, the same quantity rises elsewhere in the world ocean.

The global conveyer belt transports juvenile organisms, mixes nutrients, and distributes gases and solids.

Caballing is the mixing of two water masses with the same density but different temperatures and salinity, resulting in a new water mass with lower density.

Where is density stratification the least pronounced?

What is the Ekman spiral?

What is a gyre?

What is the behavior of the Ekman spiral? What occurs when the friction depth is reached?

What is the global conveyer belt referring to? How does this thermohaline flow transport heat throughout the world ocean? Include aspects of upwelling and downwelling.

The Origin of the Ocean

A History of Marine Science

Earth Structure and Plate Tectonics

Ocean Basins

Ocean Sediments

Water and Ocean Structure

Ocean Chemistry

Circulation of the Atmosphere

Waves

Tides

Coasts

Life in the Ocean

Plankton, Algae, and Plants

Marine Animals

Marine Communities

Marine Resources

The Ocean and The Environment

Filters

Exam 9: Circulation of the Ocean

Why is the West Wind Drift not considered a gyre?

The Antarctic Bottom Water in the Pacific retains its characteristics for up to 1,600 years.

What mechanism is being used to gain new information regarding deep sea circulation?

Why are fisheries heavily impacted by ENSO events?

Surface currents move water vertically which thoroughly mixes the uppermost 400 meters of the ocean's surface.

How long does it take most deep water to rise to the surface?

El Niño Southern Oscillation events can cause flooding from both a rise in sea level and high precipitation.

What is La Niña?

What does not affect surface currents?

What is responsible for the large-scale global ocean circulation?

What is used to visualize ocean layering?

If the gradual rise of deep water at temperate and tropical zones were to stop, the thermocline would rise, making the difference in water layers steeper.

When a large amount of dense water sinks at polar ocean basins, the same quantity rises elsewhere in the world ocean.

The global conveyer belt transports juvenile organisms, mixes nutrients, and distributes gases and solids.

Caballing is the mixing of two water masses with the same density but different temperatures and salinity, resulting in a new water mass with lower density.

Where is density stratification the least pronounced?

What is the Ekman spiral?

What is a gyre?

What is the behavior of the Ekman spiral? What occurs when the friction depth is reached?

What is the global conveyer belt referring to? How does this thermohaline flow transport heat throughout the world ocean? Include aspects of upwelling and downwelling.

The Origin of the Ocean

A History of Marine Science

Earth Structure and Plate Tectonics

Ocean Basins

Ocean Sediments

Water and Ocean Structure

Ocean Chemistry

Circulation of the Atmosphere

Waves

Tides

Coasts

Life in the Ocean

Plankton, Algae, and Plants

Marine Animals

Marine Communities

Marine Resources

The Ocean and The Environment

Filters