Ocean 115 - Introduction to Oceanography » Fall 2021 » Midterm 2
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Question #1
Salt gets in the way of crystal formation, making it harder for water to freeze.
A.
TRUE
B.
FALSE
Question #2
The state of matter in which water is densest
A.
gas
B.
liquid
C.
solid
Question #3
The state of matter in which water molecules have the highest energy
A.
solid
B.
gas (vapor)
C.
liquid
Question #4
The state of matter of clouds
A.
liquid
B.
gas
C.
solid
Question #5
The state of matter in which water molecules have the maximum number of hydrogen bonds
A.
liquid
B.
gas
C.
solid
Question #6
Which of the following explains why water is so good at dissolving salts?
A.
Both pure water and salts are made of ions. The positive water molecules are attracted to negative salt ions, and the negative water molecules are attracted to positive salt ions.
B.
Both pure water and salts are made of ions. The positive water molecules are attracted to positive salt ions, and the negative water molecules are attracted to negative salt ions.
C.
Water molecules are polar. The positive end of water molecules are attracted to positive salt ions, and the negative end of water molecules are attracted to negative salt ions.
D.
Water molecules are polar. The positive end of water molecules are attracted to negative salt ions, and the negative end of water molecules are attracted to positive salt ions.
Question #7
Why are oceans usually saltier than lakes?
A.
Oceans are much older geologic features than lakes, thus they have had more time to accumulate salts from continents.
B.
Seawater has lower density than lake water.
C.
Oceans are larger than lakes, therefore they collect more rainfall and become saltier.
D.
Oceans have less evaporation compared to lakes.
Question #8
Why is the latent heat of vaporization for water so much higher than the latent heat of melting?
A.
For melting, covalent bonds are broken, whereas for vaporization, hydrogen bonds are broken
B.
The boiling point of water is higher than the freezing point.
C.
For melting, hydrogen bonds are broken, whereas for vaporization, covalent bonds are broken.
D.
For melting, only some hydrogen bonds need to be broken, whereas for vaporization, all hydrogen bonds must be broken.
Question #9
Which process releases heat and energy to the environment?
A.
condensation of water
B.
melting of ice
C.
vaporization of water
D.
evaporation of water
Question #10
In comparison to most other liquids, the heat capacity of liquid water is lower.
A.
FALSE
B.
TRUE
Question #11
Consider a substance that has low heat capacity. As compared to a substance with high heat capacity, when an equal amount of heat is applied to both, the low heat capacity substance will:
A.
heat up much more quickly
B.
explode
C.
heat up much more slowly
D.
turn to a liquid
Question #12
A water column at high latitudes is expected to be isopycnal for denisty.
A.
FALSE
B.
TRUE
Question #13
Which of the following processes increase seawater salinity?
A.
iceberg melting
B.
rain and snow
C.
Sea ice formation
D.
stream input
Question #14
What are the two controlling factors that affect seawater density?
A.
depth and pressure
B.
temperature and salinity
C.
sunlight and darkness
D.
the amount of living and dead organisms
Question #15
A.
basic; acidic
B.
acidic; acidic
C.
acidic; basic
D.
basic; basic
Question #16
Which of the following is most abundant in seawater?
A.
sodium (Na +)
B.
chloride (Cl-)
C.
calcium (Ca 2+)
D.
magnesium (Mg 2+)
E.
hydroxide (OH-)
F.
hydrogen (H+)
Question #17
An object will sink in a fluid that is less dense than the object and it will float on a fluid that is more dense than the object.
A.
FALSE
B.
TRUE
Question #18
A.
Earth is the only planet where the Coriolis effect exists
B.
Earth's rotation impacts the circulation of air
C.
Objects moving eastward along the equator will experience the most Coriolis effect
D.
Objects moving westward along the equator will experience the most Coriolis effect
Question #19
Like all fluids, air will flow (create wind) from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.
A.
FALSE
B.
TRUE
Question #20
Part of the air flow in a convection cell involves hot air rising because it is less dense, and cool air sinking because it is more dense.
A.
TRUE
B.
FALSE
Question #21
Climate describes atmospheric conditions at a particular time and place, whereas weather is the long-term average of climate.
A.
TRUE
B.
FALSE
Question #22
Weather (rain, snow, hot, cold,...) occurs on Earth because
A.
Earth's surface is heated unevenly by the Sun
B.
Earth's orbit around the Sun is elliptical, rather than circular
C.
Earth is tilted on its axis of rotation
D.
Solar activity changes over time
Question #23
The intensity of solar radiation received at lower latitudes (near the equator) compared to higher latitudes (near the poles) is:
A.
always greater
B.
sometimes higher, and sometimes lower
C.
the same
D.
always lower
Question #24
Water vapor in the air carries latent heat with it, which is released in other areas when it condenses.
A.
TRUE
B.
FALSE
Question #25
Light and variable winds, warm and humid conditions, and frequent rainfall are characteristic of __________ oceanic climate zones.
A.
subpolar
B.
equatorial
C.
tropical
D.
polar
E.
subtropical
Question #26
Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the anatomy of a hurricane?
A.
The Coriolis Effect curves the path of the hurricane to the left in the Northern Hemisphere.
B.
Rotation is counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
C.
Torrential rain and thunderstorms are common within the eye of the storm
D.
Cold, moist air rises form the ocean surface, creating a low pressure system
Question #27
Which of the following is NOT a "tropical cyclone"?
A.
cyclone
B.
hurricane
C.
tornado
D.
typhoon
Question #28
What is a front?
A.
the boundary between two air masses of different temperatures
B.
the boundary between two water masses of different temperatures
C.
the boundary between two land masses of different temperatures
D.
E.
the boundary between two water masses of different size
F.
the boundary between two air masses of different size
Question #29
Hurricanes frequently make landfall on the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, but rarely, if ever, occur on the Pacific coast. The primary reason for the rarity of west coast hurricanes is that __________.
A.
the Coriolis effect, necessary for the rotation of hurricanes, does not exist outside the tropics
B.
the Rocky Mountains serve as a barrier to keep storms away from the coast
C.
the western deserts keep the humidity too low for hurricanes to form
D.
the ocean water does not get warm enough to supply the needed heat energy for hurricanes
Question #30
Surface ocean currents are driven primarily by wind, while deep ocean currents are driven primarily by density differences.
A.
FALSE
B.
TRUE
Question #31
How many subtropical gyres exist in the Northern Hemisphere?
A.
3
B.
4
C.
2
D.
5
Question #32
Ocean gyres in the Southern Hemisphere rotate counterclockwise.
A.
TRUE
B.
FALSE
Question #33
The South Equatorial Current is an example of which of the following types of currents?
A.
Eastern Boundary Current
B.
Western Boundary Current
C.
Northern Boundary Current
D.
Southern Boundary Current
E.
Equatorial Current
Question #34
Water piles up within subtropical gyres and is associated with upwelling at the center of the gyre.
A.
FALSE
B.
TRUE
Question #35
Which ocean current is the strongest and fastest ocean current in the world?
A.
California Current
B.
Agulhas Current
C.
Gulf Stream
D.
Canary Current
Question #36
Deep water currents move ______________ volumes of water and are much ____________than surface currents.
A.
larger; faster
B.
larger; slower
C.
smaller; slower
D.
smaller; faster
Question #37
A.
More typhoons hit Southeast Asia
B.
The Pacific Warm Pool moves West
C.
Fisheries off South America are very productive
D.
Heavy rain and flooding in California
Question #38
Which of the following currents completely circles the planet?
A.
Gulf Stream
B.
North Equatorial Current
C.
South Equatorial Current
D.
Antarctic Circumpolar Current
Question #39
Ocean surface waves are:
A.
transverse waves
B.
orbital waves
C.
capillary waves
D.
refracted waves
E.
longitudinal waves
Question #40
The movement of sea water at a pycnocline creates ________ waves.
A.
turbidity
B.
splash
C.
internal
D.
tidal
E.
ocean
Question #41
The uplift or downdropping of large areas of the sea floor creates ________ waves.
A.
tsunami
B.
splash
C.
internal
D.
ocean
E.
tidal
Question #42
Most ocean waves form as a result of:
A.
The gravity between the Moon and the Earth
B.
Earth's rotation
C.
winds blowing across the ocean surface
D.
seismic evenets
E.
landslides
Question #43
The ratio of wave height to wavelength is called the ________.
A.
waveform
B.
wave steepness
C.
wave base
D.
wave period
E.
wave drift
Question #44
Which of the following is the correct description of the period of an ocean wave?
A.
the vertical distance between a wave crest and an adjacent trough
B.
it's the same as the wave frequency
C.
the number of waves that pass a given point in a certain amount of time
D.
the horizontal distance between adjacent wave crests
E.
wave height divided by wavelength
F.
the time it takes for one full wavelength to pass a given point
Question #45
As a deep water wave enters shallow water, its height___________________________________________________.
A.
decreases because the wavelength of the wave must be contained within a smaller water column in shallow water.
B.
increases because the energy of the wave must be contained within a smaller water column in shallow water.
C.
decreases because the energy of the wave must be contained within a smaller water column in shallow water.
D.
increases because the wavelength of the wave must be contained within a smaller water column in shallow water.
Question #46
A.
SOFAR channel for safe navigation
B.
principle of constant proportions
C.
thermohaline stratification
D.
principle of decreasing orbital motion with depth
E.
wave refraction in deep water
Question #47
"Whitecaps" form when _____________________.
A.
water depth is greater than 1/2 the wavelength
B.
a wave train overtakes another wave train
C.
waves approach the shore at an angle
D.
waves are reflected off an obstruction
E.
wave steepness exceeds a critical value
Question #48
The first wave that forms when the wind begins to blow across the ocean surface is a:
A.
tide.
B.
capillary wave.
C.
tsunami.
D.
reflected wave.
Question #49
A vast majority of all large tsunamis are generated in the ________ Ocean.
A.
Atlantic
B.
Southern
C.
Arctic
D.
Indian
E.
Pacific
Question #50
Which ocean typically experiences the largest (highest) waves?
A.
Arctic
B.
Pacific
C.
Southern
D.
Indian
E.
Atlantic
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