Exam 1 Review Flashcards
At an equivalent depth (50m), there will be higher light levels at higher intensity in ________ waters and less light in _________ waters.
Open ocean, coastal
The maximum salinity levels in the world’s oceans and seas occurs in the Red Sea and reached about 40 parts per thousand.
True
List the five oceans in order from the smallest to the largest basin.
Arctic, Southern, Indian, Atlantic, Pacific
Which color of light can penetrate the deepest in the open ocean?
Blue
The level of dissolved oxygen in the oceans is generally highest in which of the following depth zones?
Epipelagic
The speed of sound is slower in water than in air.
False
What is one way in which the oceanic crust differs from the continental crust?
The oceanic crust is more dense (less buoyant), which causes it to lie lower on the mantle
The earth’s crust is made up of tectonic plates. On which major plate is Syracuse located?
North American Plate
Who first presented the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener
Which of the following cause tsunamis?
Movement along a fault that causes uplift or subsidence of the seafloor
An object in Quito, Ecuador is moving slower than on object in Oslo, Norway due to the
rotation of the earth.
False
Which of the following currents is the western boundary flow of the North Atlantic
Gyre?
Gulf Stream
Which two factors primarily drive circulation in the deep ocean, deeper than 100m?
Temperature and salinity
What is the primary cause of the trend for “ocean acidification” in the current ocean?
Increased carbon dioxide dissolved in the ocean
The connectedness of the world’s oceans produces a deep-water circulation system
called the Global Conveyor. How long (approximately) does it take for one specific
parcel of water to complete one lap on the Global Conveyor?
1000 years
The Coriolis force influences the rotation of which of the following?
Hurricanes
At night, when the water is relatively warmer than the land, wind generally flows
onshore toward the cooler land at sea level.
False
Based on climate models, what is the best estimate for global average temperature
increase by the end of this century?
3°C
How many meters would the global sea level need to rise to flood most of Miami,
Florida?
2
Due to varying prevailing wind speeds at different latitudes, which of the following
locations would be the best place to build an offshore wind energy farm?
Nova Scotia
How are the height and amplitude of a wave related?
The height is twice as large as the amplitude
A spring tide occurs when…
The sun is in line with the moon’s gravity
Why do waves break near shore?
Deep water waves are affected by the ocean bottom, causing the wave to steepen and subsequently break
The Beaufort Windforce Scale is based on significant wave height. Significant wave height is defined as…
The average height of the highest one-third of waves
Which of the following U.S. cities experiences diurnal tides?
Galveston, Texas
According to the NOAA Tides and Currents website, what time will the highest tide occur in Bar Harbor, Maine on Friday, September 25, 2015?
9:00 PM
What is the phenomenon that occurs when tidal flow moves against the direction of a river and creates traveling or standing waves?
Tidal bore
Approximately how many species of fish are found in the Great Barrier Reef?
1,500
What is the primary source of food for animal communities in deep-sea hydrothermal vents?
Chemosynthetic Bacteria
Which of the following groups of organisms has the largest number of species?
Bacteria
Which is the primary driver of the tidal cycle in the earth’s oceans?
Moon’s Gravity
Which of the following are wind generated waves?
Ocean Swell
How many daily high tides occur in locations with diurnal tides?
One
What is the normal tidal range in the head of the Bay of Fundy?
15 m
Which of the following are not a form of renewable energy from the
ocean?
Ocean oil drilling
The Coriolis force is directly related to what physical property of the
earth?
Rotation of the earth
Which of the following is not a major driver of ocean currents?
Tilt of earth’s axis
Hurricanes in both hemispheres rotate in a clockwise direction relative
to the North pole.
False
Which ocean does not have a major oceanic gyre?
Arctic
Where is the region referred to as the ‘doldrums’ located?
Near the equator
In Linnaean classification, which two terms are necessary to identify a unique species?
Genus & Species
Approximately how many new marine species are described in a single year?
2000
Which marine habitat does not experience regular exposure to air due to tides?
Sea mounts
The largest geologic formation built by living organisms was formed by…
Corals
Which of the following is not a characteristic of most of the deep sea habitat
High species density
List ocean zones
Epipelagic, Mesopelagic, Bathypelagic, Abyssopelagic, Hadalpelagic
Where do ocean currents come from?
Earth’s rotation, Prevailing wind pattern, Water density
Wind patterns are caused by what?
Solar heating and earth’s rotation
How many ocean gyres are there?
5 - 2 Atlantic, 2 Pacific, 1 Indian
Thermohaline Circulation
Density differences, deep water conveyor belt
Effects of warming on ocean life
Coral bleaching, Ecotherm migration, Loss of ice
why is biodiversity important?
Ecological resilience, ecosystem services, natural innovation, culture and aesthetics.
Linnaean Classification
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
