Question 1

Draw a representation of the motion of an ocean wave, including labels denoting the different parts of the motion in an ocean wave. Students should include the following labels: amplitude, wavelength, wave height, crest, trough, and directional arrows.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Draw a representation of the motion of...

Question 2

Thermohaline circulation carries __________ water from the poles to the equator, where the water becomes	__________

Accepted Answer

A)  warm; cold
B)  cold; warm
C)  low density; more dense
D)  low density; more salty B

Question 3

The prevailing global wind patterns influence

Accepted Answer

A)  atmospheric currents.
B)  frictional currents.
C)  ocean currents.
D)  Coriolis force. C

Question 4

If two wind-driven waves moving from different directions came together in such a way that the wave crests overlap to form a single crest, what would happen to the size of the waves? The newly formed wave would

Accepted Answer

A)  become larger than that of the two original waves.
B)  become smaller than that of the two original waves.
C)  triple in size.
D)  be destroyed by the two original waves.

Question 5

The Coriolis effect causes the apparent deflection of currents as a result of

Accepted Answer

A)  changes in wind speed.
B)  the rotation of Earth.
C)  changes in ocean currents.
D)  the location of the Moon.

Question 6

Major oceanic surface currents travel

Accepted Answer

A)  parallel to the prevailing wind direction in a region.
B)  in direct opposition to prevailing winds as a result of the Coriolis effect.
C)  in a similar direction to the prevailing winds as a result of the Coriolis effect.
D)  at an angle to prevailing winds as a result of the Doppler effect.

Question 7

What would happen to the continents if sea level were to rise significantly?

Accepted Answer

A)  Large volumes of water may fill up all the valleys of the continents, forming lakes.
B)  Ocean water may submerge large areas of continents, forming epicontinental seas.
C)  Large volumes of water may expose islands.
D)  An increase in volcanic eruptions would occur.

Question 8

Organisms that live on, just above, or just below the seafloor are known as benthos. The varied nature of benthos organisms can be explained by

Accepted Answer

A)  differences in depth.
B)  by differences in salinity.
C)  differences in the amount of available nutrients.
D)  all of the following: depth, salinity, sunlight penetration, density, and distance from coastal runoff.

Question 9

By the beginning of the 17th century, ocean voyages had helped map the basic layout of the

Accepted Answer

A)  orogeny.
B)  bathymetry.
C)  topography
D)  shorelines.

Question 10

Imagine you are an oceanographer mapping the sea surface temperature variations throughout the Atlantic Ocean for the Northern Hemisphere. What phenomenon best explains the difference in sea surface temperatures of two coastal cities located at the same latitude located on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean?

Accepted Answer

A)  Brazil current
B)  jet stream
C)  Guinea current
D)  gulf stream

Question 11

Phytoplankton __________and zooplankton __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  live on the ocean floor; live on the surface of the ocean
B)  carry out photosynthesis; ingest other organisms
C)  live on the surface of the ocean; live on the ocean floor
D)  ingest other organisms; carry out photosynthesis

Question 12

The interior of the North Pacific Gyre has collected vast quantities of floating plastic garbage and chemical sludge, so the region has come to be known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Explain how the marine debris became trapped in the relatively still water that lies in the center of the gyre.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The interior of the North Pacific Gyre...

Question 13

The early maps of the continental shorelines are distorted from what they really look like because early ocean navigators

Accepted Answer

A)  used a GPS device that was not accurate.
B)  knew how to find longitude but not latitude.
C)  knew how to find latitude but not longitude.
D)  were unable to sail close enough to the shorelines.

Question 14

The interior of the North Pacific Gyre has collected vast quantities of floating plastic garbage and chemical sludge referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. What impacts might this phenomenon have on the overall health of the ocean?

Accepted Answer

A)  It might become a part of our food web.
B)  It might be difficult to clean up.
C)  Consumers might mistake plastic for food and ingest the plastic.
D)  All of these answer choices are true.

Question 15

A streamlike flow of the ocean water is referred to as __________ , and the development of local undulations produce __________

Accepted Answer

A)  waves; tides
B)  tides; currents
C)  eddies; gyres
D)  currents; waves

Question 16

What caused the shapes and positions of today's ocean basins to differ from their appearance in the past?

Accepted Answer

A)  plate tectonics
B)  weather and climate
C)  ocean currents
D)  sea level rise

Question 17

The Ekman transport causes a slow drift of water to the center of the ocean. As a result of this converging flow, sea level in the center of the ocean becomes slightly __________ than at the ocean's margins.

Accepted Answer

A)  higher
B)  lower
C)  greater
D)  lesser

Question 18

Describe a rogue wave and explain the impact this type of wave can have on sailors, coastal infrastructure, and ocean enthusiasts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe a rogue wave and explain the...

Question 19

Outline the similarities and differences between plankton and nekton using a Venn diagram.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Outline the similarities and differences between plankton...

Question 20

Oceanographers distinguish between the aphotic and photic zone based on

Accepted Answer

A)  light penetration.
B)  amount of water above the seafloor.
C)  pressure differences.
D)  distance from coastline.

Exam 15: Ocean Waters: the Blue of the Blue Marble