Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

MRSC 321 > Intro into Physical Processes > Flashcards

Intro into Physical Processes Flashcards

1
Q

What are the five major ocean basins in order of size?

A
  1. Pacific
  2. Atlantic
  3. Indian
  4. Sourther
  5. Arctic
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the average depth of the ocean basins?

A

4000m

Similar for all basins due to the abyssal plain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

In general, what are the different bodies of water named based on size?

A

Ocean > Sea > Gulf

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the five main layers of the earth?

A
  1. Inner core - solid, iron and nickel rich
  2. Outer core - liquid
  3. Mantle - thickest with magnesium-iron silicates
  4. Crust - thinnest, coolest, outermost
  5. Asthenosphere - region of mantle below the crust
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is continental drift? And what causes it?

A

The forces that drive continental movement.

Seafloor spreading causes continental drift.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How does magma move?

A

By convection currents

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are convection currents?

A

They occur when a fluid is heated and becomes less dense causing it to rise. The heated fluid displaces the cold fluid that is more dense which gets pushed down and heated.

Ex. Magma - core of the earth heats the magma

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are midocean ridges?

A

A long mountain range that forms along cracks on the ocean floor where erupting magma breaks through the earth’s crust due to weak points

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What happens at subduction zones?

A

Old crust sinks into the mantle where it is recycled.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Why is there a great amount of earthquakes and volcanoes at subduction zones?

A

Due to the great amount of force created as crust is pushed down and recycled.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What two events are common at subduction zones?

A

Earthquakes

Volcanes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is some evidence that continental drift occurs?

A
  • Fit of continental boundaries
  • Earthquakes
  • Seafloor temperatures highest near ridges
  • Age of crust

Nowadays, the rate that continents are moving can be measured.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Where is a subduction zone found and what type of fault is it?

A

Eurasian Plate and Pacific plate

Convergent fault

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Where is a divergent fault found?

A

Pacific plate and antarctic plate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is a magnetometer?

A

As the basalt solidifies from magma, ions within it will orient based on the earth’s magnetic field. Earth’s magnetic field shifts every few hundred thousand years therefor using a magnetometer we can see the change from north to south bands of rock.

Magnetic orientation of ion particles within basalt shows the crusts age and the spreading of the plates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is basalt?

A

It is the name of the rock that forms as magma hardens.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is an example of a midocean ridge that rises to the ocean surface?

A

Grimsvotn

A volcano in Iceland

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the two types of volcanoes?

What are the key differences between these types of volcanoes?

A

Stratovolcanoes

  • Typically found at subduction zones and in island chains. Long plate boundaries

Shield volcanoes

  • A weak point in the crust, not located at a plate boundary
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are some key properties of water?

A
  • Water is a very polar molecule therefore it holds together as a gel
  • Because of polarity it is an excellent solvent
  • Hydrogen bonding of water molecules occurs due to its polarity
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are some commonly charged ions found in sea water?

A 
Cl-
Na+
SO42-
Mg2+
Ca2+
K+
HCO3-
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the ion composition of oceans?

A

Each ocean has a different composition of the ions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What percentage of salt is found in seawater?

A
  1. 5% - salt

96. 5% - water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Describe the salinity of surface water at:

  • 10 degrees N & S of the equator
  • 30 degrees N & S of the equator
  • 50 degrees
  • Poles
A

Between 10 degrees N and S of equator → low salinity (heavy rainfall)

Between 30 degrees N and S → high salinity (evaporation > precipitation)

From 50 degrees → low salinity (heavy rainfall)

Poles → High salinity (freezing removes water from sea) but low salinity at surface summer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What affects the salinity of surface water?

A
  • Evaporation
  • Precipitation
  • Freezing
  • Thawing
  • Freshwater runoff from land
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is the difference between the salinity of the Capian Sea and the Dead Sea?

A

Capian Sea - 1.2 g/ kg

Dead Sea - 276 g/kg

26
Q

Do all wavelengths of light penetrate to the same depth?

A

No they penetrate to different depths.

Blue penetrates deeper than reds and other long wavelengths.

Reds and longer wavelengths are absorbed in the top layer of the ocean.

27
Q

What is the ocean’s pH?

A

Slightly alkaline.

Average about 8 due to bicarbonate and carbonate ions.

28
Q

Has the pH of the ocean changed?

A

Yes

Between 1751 and 1994 the surface ocean pH has decreased from approximately 8.179 to 8.104.

Likely due to a change in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere.

29
Q

Where is the oxygen-minimum zones located?

A

Just below sunlit surface waters

30
Q

Where does oxygen and carbon dioxide come from in the ocean?

A

Oxygen - byproduct of photosynthesis

CO2 - released from respiration

31
Q

What is the relative solubility of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the ocean?

A

CO2 > O > N

32
Q

What two things are higher in seawater than in the atmosphere?

O, N or CO2

A

Higher O and CO2 than N in seawater vs. the atmosphere

33
Q

Why does the equator receive more energy?

A

Because the sun is striking at a right angle so there is less reflecting off the earth’s surface

34
Q

What is the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn?

A

23.5 degrees N and S (respectively) of the equator. Marks the northernmost and southernmost extent of the tropics.

35
Q

Why does the temperature of the sea vary from one region to the next?

A
  • Amount of solar radiation received
  • Loss of heat via evaporation
  • Heat energy transferred by ocean currents and the atmosphere
36
Q

What are winds?

A

They are the earths rotation and friction with the atmosphere that result from horizontal air movements caused by temperature, density, etc.

37
Q

What are the typical wind patterns?

A

Upper air flow from the equator towards the north and south

38
Q

What drives the earths weather patterns?

A

Convection cells

39
Q

What drives trade winds?

A

They are driven by the rotation of the earth and convection cells

40
Q

What are the doldrums?

A

Where the trade winds meet, they deflect upwards creating a jet steam air movement. Where this occurs is called the doldrums.

41
Q

What are the three convection cells that occur in each hemisphere?

A
  • Northest and southeast trade winds
  • Westerlies
  • Polar easterlies
42
Q

What are the two areas of vertical air movement between wind belts?

A
  • Doldrums (at the equator)

- Horse latitudes (at 30 degrees N & S)

43
Q

What are surface currents mainly driven by?

A

Trade winds (easterlies and westerlies) in each hemisphere.

44
Q

What is the Coriolis effect?

A

Currents deflected to the right of the prevailing wind direction in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere

Deflection can be as much as 45-degree angle from wind direction

45
Q

What are gyres?

A

They are a water flow in a circular pattern around the edge of an ocean basin.

46
Q

What direction do gyres spin?

A

CCW in Southern Hemisphere

CW in Northern Hemisphere

47
Q

What are tides?

A

Periodic changes in water level occurring along coastlines

48
Q

Why do tides occur?

A

They result from the gravitational pull of the moon and sun.

Though smaller, the moon is closer to Earth so its gravitational pull is greater.

Water moves towards the moon, forming a bulge at the point directly under it. The centrifugal force opposite to the moon forms another bulge. Areas of low water form between bulges

49
Q

What are the three forces that affect tides?

A

Moon (gravitational)
Sun (gravitational)
Centripetal force

50
Q

What are spring tides?

A

The times of highest and lowest tides where the earth, moon and sun are in line and act together creating highest and lowest tides.

51
Q

What are neap tides?

A

When the sun and moon are at right angles, the sun’s pull offsets the moon’s, resulting in neap tides, which have the smallest change between high and low tides.

52
Q

Describe the lunar events that are associated with neap and spring tides.

A

Full moon and New moon –> Spring tide

First quarter and third quarter moon –> neap tide

53
Q

What is a diurnal tide?

A

One high tide and one low tide each day.

54
Q

What is a semidiurnal tide?

A

Two high tides and two low tides each day (most common)

55
Q

What are mixed semidiurnal tides?

A

High and low tides are at different levels.

56
Q

What are flood tides?

A

Rising tides - moving toward land

57
Q

What are ebb tides?

A

Falling tides - moving away from land

58
Q

What are tidal currents associated with?

A

Tidal cycle

59
Q

What occurs during the change of tides?

A

Slack water

60
Q

Where is the greatest tidal flux?

A

In New Brunswick - around 10 m

MRSC 321 (1 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions