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Ocean Systems Mid-term
Ocean Systems
115
Other
Undergraduate 3
11/06/2012
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Term
The Inner Core of the Earth is composed of:
 Definition
Iron and Nickel
Term
It is hypothesized that Mars previously had active plate tectonics, but that the planet has cooled down to the point where there is no longer sufficient heat to drive the process, and plate tectonics has become inactive.
 Definition
True
Term
Earth’s Moon was formed as a medium-sized asteroid was captured into orbit by Earth’s gravity.
 Definition
False
Term
Which of the following primordial or 'primitive' atmospheric gases increased significantly in concentration over a short period of time during Precambrian time (beginning about 2.5 billion years ago), and had significant impact on life as we know it?
 Definition
O2
Term
Which of the following is an example of Uniformitarianism?
 Definition
Sediment being carried downstream by a river
Term
The scientific method is used for finding irrefutable absolute truth in nature.
 Definition
False
Term
Which one of the following best describes a person who studies and observes wave dynamics, currents, and ocean-atmosphere interactions.
 Definition
2)
Physical oceanographer
Term
The early steps in the evolution of living organisms from simple organic building, blocks is a process known as ______________.
 Definition
2)
biosynthesis
Term
A nautical trade route for commerce between Europe and Asia made the arduous overland journey nearly obsolete. The development of this nautical route was necessitated by ______________, and finally realized by ______________________.
 Definition
1)
transference of power in Constantinople to the Turks in 1453.
3)
a marine science and navigational center established in Sagres, Portugal.
5)
a and c
Term
More than ___________ % of water on or near Earth’s surface is contained in the world ocean; less than _________% is held in land ice, ground water, and all the freshwater lakes and rivers.
 Definition
1)
97.3
Term
The magnetic compass, a very important navigational instrument because it points to the magnetic north pole, was invented in Greece in the fourth century BCE.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
The process of clumping of small particles into large masses, is known as _________.
 Definition
3)
accretion
Term
The atoms and basic molecules that compose life are different from the molecules in nonliving materials.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
How many million square kilometers does the ocean cover on earths surface?
 Definition
3)
361 million square kilometers
Term
Who established a center at Sagres, Portugal for the study of marine science and navigation for great wealth and successful trade?
 Definition
4)
Prince Henry the Navigator
Term
The first elements to form were:
 Definition
1)
Simple (light) elements
Term
Marine science (Oceanography) is the study of determining the true ages of the oceans.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
According to the condensation theory, stars and planets formed in celestial nebulae, which are clouds of galactic gas, dust, and debris.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
How old is Earth thought to be?
 Definition
4)
4.6 billion years old
Term
Today, outgassing adds all the oxygen to Earth’s atmosphere.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
The Oceans contain  _______% of the Earth's surface water?
 Definition
4)
97.3 %
Term
Which one of the following is a characteristic of planets?
 Definition
5)
a & d
Term
The primary goal of the famous marine science expedition of 1872 aboard the HMS Challenger was to ________________.
 Definition
test the idea that life could not exist below about 1800 feet (550m).
Term
The Core of the Earth is due to:
 Definition
3)
Density Stratification
Term
Aboard the schooner Fram in 1893, Fridtjof Nansen discovered that ____________.
 Definition
4)
the arctic region is not a continent.
Term
The Library of Alexandria, which was established in the third century BCE (before common era), was the locus for the study of marine science in the western hemisphere.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
When the material of a spinning nebula collapses due to gravitational attraction, heat due to friction raises the temperature. When the temperature of this shrinking mass of increasingly dense gaseous material reaches about ____________ degrees Celsius, the process of nuclear fusion begins.
 Definition
2)
10,000,000
Term
Which has a smoother surface?
 Definition
1)
Earth
Term
The Big Bang, thought to be the beginnings of our Universe, occurred sometime around 13.7 Billion Years Ago.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
What elements are ejected from stars during cataclysmic supernova explosions?
 Definition
5)
all of the above
Term
The oldest fossils yet found are from northwestern Australia. They are between _______ and ___________ years old.
 Definition
3)
3.4 billion, 3.5 billion
Term
The Library of Alexandria, which was established in the third century BCE (before common era), was the locus for the study of marine science in the western hemisphere.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
cientists are interested in oceanographic conditions at Earth’s poles. One of the reasons being that the permanent ice found deep below the surface in the polar regions might contain ancient organisms which might help to understand the history of Earth.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
Large, diffuse ‘clouds of dust’ and gas within galaxies are known as _______ in which stars form.
 Definition
3)
nebulae
Term
Medium-sized stars become:
 Definition
2)
White dwarfs
3)
Red giants
4)
b and c
Term
About how many years ago was most of the world ocean in place?
 Definition
4)
6 billion years ago
Term
Mars has become much ____________ in the past few billion years, perhaps because of the loss of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.
 Definition
4)
colder
Term
James Cook, captain of the British Royal Navy, was also the first marine scientist to accurately record his observations while on extended voyages of discovery. He also avoided the common pitfall of exaggeration while reporting those results.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
Which of the following is an example of Uniformitarianism?
 Definition
2)
Sediment being carried downstream by a river
Term
Who was the first person in western history to accurately calculate the circumference of the Earth?
 Definition
2)
Eratosthenes
Term
The composition of Earth’s early atmosphere, from its inception till about 2.5 billion years ago, differed from its present atmosphere. The early atmosphere, which contained high concentrations of water and carbon dioxide, with traces of methane and ammonia, had no appreciable free oxygen.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
What is the name for lines drawn parallel to the equator at equal intervals of 60 nautical miles?
 Definition
3)
Latitude
Term
A _________ summarizes in principle observations of events in nature that occur with unvarying uniformity; a ___________ is a statement that provides an explanation for the observations.
 Definition
1)
hypothesis, experiment
Term
The atoms and basic molecules that compose life are different from the molecules in nonliving materials.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
The most abundant form of detectable matter in the universe is oxygen.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
Outgasing is responsible for all oxygen in the present-day atmosphere.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
The Crab Nebula is the remains of a star whose supernova stage was witnessed, and the position marked, by Chinese astronomers in A.D. 1054.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
Based largely on rock evidence obtained during Apollo space missions, it is theorized that the Moon was formed about 4.6 billion years ago by ____________.
 Definition
3)
a mass of ejecta that coalesced into a sphere after a planetary body about the size of Mars collided with the Earth.
Term
Based on geological evidence Earth’s first crustal surface is believed to have formed about 4.6 billion years ago; therefore, we can estimate Earth is 4.6 billions years old.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
Sea power is the means by which a nation extends its ______ onto the world ocean.
 Definition
2)
military capacity
Term
The magnetic compass, which points to the north magnetic pole was invented in __________ in the fourth century B.C.
 Definition
3)
China
Term
The Universe is currently:
 Definition
1)
Expanding
Term
The "Scientific Method" could be described as all of the following EXCEPT:
 Definition
5)
Something only scientists can use
Term
The universe is composed of galaxies, massive rotating aggregates of stars, planets, moons, and other celestial material that maintain their shape due to the force of gravity. The term galaxy comes from the Greek word 'galaktos' meaning __________.
 Definition
3)
Milk
Term
The average salinity of the World Ocean is_______? (Clue: There's more than one right way to wash dishes as long as they come out clean, or, as Shakespeare explains, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet." Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
 Definition
4)
All of the above
Term
Determing longitude needs _______________________.
 Definition
5)
b, c, & d
Term
The boundaries of the North Atlantic Ocean are clearly defined by a United Nations International Treaty agreed to in 1968.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
The magnetic compass, a very important navigational instrument because it points to the magnetic north pole, was invented in Greece in the fourth century BCE.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
Who stressed the interdependence of military and commercial control of seaborne commerce, and the ability of safe lines of transportation and communication to influence the outcomes of conflicts? His book had profound consequences for the development of the modern world.
 Definition
3)
Alfred Thayer Mahan
Term
Which one of the following is a satellite which carries a color scanner called SeaWiFS. It measures the distribution of chlorophyll at the ocean surface, which gives a measure of marine productivity?
 Definition
3)
SEASTAR
Term
________________ suggests that stars and planets accumulated from contracting, accreting clouds of galactic gas, dust and debris.
 Definition
1)
Condensation theory
Term
Radioactive decay is a major source of heat within the Earth’s Mantle.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
What is the order of the scientific method?
 Definition
3)
Question, hypothesis, experiment, theory, laws
Term
The ocean holds more than 97 % of the water on or near Earth’s surface, whereas, the Earth’s fresh water sources (near-surface water, glaciers, lakes and rivers, and atmospheric water) comprise less than 3%.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
The United States is a world leader in creating sustainable fisheries.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
Most of today’s world ocean was in place about 4.6 billions years ago, making it as old as the Earth itself.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
The scientific method is used for finding irrefutable absolute truth in nature.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
Jupiter is:
 Definition
3)
a frozen-gas planet
Term
The oxygen in today’s atmosphere has been provided by photosynthetic plants and plantlike organisms, such as algae.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
About how many years ago is the Big Bang theory said to have occurred?
 Definition
2)
14 billion
Term
Between 1405 and 1433 who commanded the greatest fleet of ships to ply the world ocean on a voyage of peace and discovery that the world had ever known?
 Definition
4)
Admiral Zheng He of China
Term
Density stratification is layering by density; the lighter material coalesces near the center, while the heaviest material aggregates near the surface.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
How many million square kilometers does the ocean cover on earths surface?
 Definition
3)
331 million square kilometers
Term
The largest Earth source of H2O is/are the ________.
 Definition
4)
Earth's interior
Term
According to the condensation theory, stars and planets formed in celestial nebulae, which are clouds of galactic gas, dust, and debris.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
Which has a smoother surface?
 Definition
1)
Earth
Term
The process by which Earth's composition became layered in concentric spheres of progressively heavier material is known as _____________.
 Definition
3)
density stratification
Term
Outgassing is responsible for:
 Definition
2)
The Atmosphere and Ocean
Term
Marine science is also an important pursuit for military interests. Alfred Mahan, an American naval officer and historian, analyzed the importance of sea power which helped to develop the naval hardware, strategy, and tactics for modern warfare.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
Who discovered worldwide patterns of surface winds and ocean currents?
 Definition
1)
Matthew Maury
Term
What is the name for the Sun and its family of planets?
 Definition
2)
Solar system
Term
The Core of the Earth is due to:
 Definition
3)
Density Stratification
Term
Finding new sea routes for trade and exploration helped to expand people’s understanding of the ocean. Fueled by potential material goals rather than “pure” science, Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal was able to establish a marine school of navigation. Henry’s students were among the first since the ancient Greeks to be correct in assessing Earth’s round shape, as well as estimating its circumference.
 Definition
2)
False
Term
It is hypothesized that Mars previously had active plate tectonics, but that the planet has cooled down to the point where there is no longer sufficient heat to drive the process, and plate tectonics has become inactive.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
The Inner Core of the Earth is compose of:
 Definition
3)
Iron and Nickel
Term
A(n) ______ is a test that simplifies observation in nature or in the laboratory by manipulating or controlling the conditions under which the observations are made.
 Definition
4)
Experiment
Term
The Library of Alexandria, which was established in the third century BCE (before common era), was the locus for the study of marine science in the western hemisphere.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
The early steps in the evolution of living organisms from simple organic building, blocks is a process known as ______________.
 Definition
2)
biosynthesis
Term
More than 95% of all U.S. foreign trade passes through a U.S. port or harbor.
 Definition
1)
True
Term
Which one of the following is a satellite which carries a color scanner called SeaWiFS. It measures the distribution of chlorophyll at the ocean surface, which gives a measure of marine productivity?
 Definition
3)
SEASTAR
Term
Condensation theory explains (section 1.3)
 Definition
how planets form in our solar system
Term
Stratified layers of earth formed because (section 1.4)
 Definition
more dense materials moved to the center as less dense materials moved outward.
Term
Life on Earth is believed to have originated from: (section 1.5)
 Definition
bacteria-like organisms living and photosynthesizing in the oceans
Term
Hydrothermal vents are of significance because they: (Section 1.5)
 Definition
provide heat and nutrients for organisms living on the sea floor
Term
How does the Earth's early atmospheric composition differ from today's composition? (section 1.4)
 Definition
Oxygen levels have increased
Term
In respect to the formation of the Earth's oceans, which of the following is false (Section 1.4)
 Definition
Early oceans were filled with frozen water, melting when the Earth's temperature rose.
10 / 10 points
Term
The moon was formed from: (section 1.4)
 Definition
scientists are unsure how the moon was formed
10 / 10 points
Term
A star will become a red giant when (section 1.3)
 Definition
when it gains mass
Term
Accretion occurs when:
 Definition
small particles clump into larger masses
Term
According to Oceanography, Which of the following was the greatest obstacle to acceptance of Wegener's theory? [Section 3.1]
 Definition
The view of the earth's mantle as a solid scaffold
Term
What physical property determines the arrangement (stratification) of the Earth's layers? [Section 3.2]
 Definition
Density
Term
Earthquake P-waves move from side to side, like a shaken rope. [Section 3.3]
 Definition
False
Term
P-waves are deflected or "bent" as they travel through the Earth's mantle. [Section 3.3]
 Definition
True
Term
Like enormous icebergs, mountains "float" on the underlying material (water for icebergs, the lithosphere for mountains).  Which of the following is also true of both icebergs and mountains? [Section 3.4]
 Definition
In both, a point of equilibrium has been reached between the displaced mass and the submerged mass.
Term
According to Oceanography, Which of the following was the greatest obstacle to acceptance of Wegener's theory? [Section 3.1]
 Definition
The view of the earth's mantle as a solid scaffold
Term
P-waves are deflected or "bent" as they travel through the Earth's mantle. [Section 3.3]
 Definition
True
Term
Earthquake P-waves move from side to side, like a shaken rope. [Section 3.3]
 Definition
False
Term
Like enormous icebergs, mountains "float" on the underlying material (water for icebergs, the lithosphere for mountains).  Which of the following is also true of both icebergs and mountains? [Section 3.4]
 Definition
In both, a point of equilibrium has been reached between the displaced mass and the submerged mass.
Term
What physical property determines the arrangement (stratification) of the Earth's layers? [Section 3.2]
 Definition
Density
Term
What kind of motion in the lithosphere produces a fault as a result of isostatic adjustment? [Section 3.4]
 Definition
Vertical
Term
Lines of Latitude are parallel to the equator.
 Definition
True
Term
Lines of longitude are parallel to the polar axis.
 Definition
True
Term
What is the approximate diameter of Earth at the equator?
 Definition
About 8,000 miles.
Term
"Time" can be used to calculate latitude.
 Definition
False
Term
Why is it difficult to produce a 2-dimensional map of the earth that will faithfully reproduce the entire earth surface without distortion?
 Definition
There is no way to produce such a map because of the shape of the earth.
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