Ocean 115 - Introduction to Oceanography » Fall 2021 » Midterm 2
Need help with your exam preparation?
Get Answers to this exam for $6 USD.
Get Answers to all exams in [ Ocean 115 - Introduction to Oceanography ] course for $25 USD.
Existing Quiz Clients Login here
Question #1
Salt gets in the way of crystal formation, making it harder for water to freeze.
A.
FALSE
B.
TRUE
Question #2
The state of matter in which water is densest
A.
gas
B.
solid
C.
liquid
Question #3
The state of matter in which water molecules have the highest energy
A.
gas (vapor)
B.
liquid
C.
solid
Question #4
The state of matter of clouds
A.
gas
B.
solid
C.
liquid
Question #5
The state of matter in which water molecules have the maximum number of hydrogen bonds
A.
gas
B.
solid
C.
liquid
Question #6
Which of the following explains why water is so good at dissolving salts?
A.
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.
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.
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.
D.
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.
Question #7
Why are oceans usually saltier than lakes?
A.
Oceans are larger than lakes, therefore they collect more rainfall and become saltier.
B.
Oceans are much older geologic features than lakes, thus they have had more time to accumulate salts from continents.
C.
Seawater has lower density than lake water.
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.
For melting, hydrogen bonds are broken, whereas for vaporization, covalent bonds are broken.
C.
For melting, only some hydrogen bonds need to be broken, whereas for vaporization, all hydrogen bonds must be broken.
D.
The boiling point of water is higher than the freezing point.
Question #9
Which process releases heat and energy to the environment?
A.
condensation of water
B.
evaporation of water
C.
vaporization of water
D.
melting of ice
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.
turn to a liquid
B.
explode
C.
heat up much more slowly
D.
heat up much more quickly
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.
rain and snow
B.
stream input
C.
Sea ice formation
D.
iceberg melting
Question #14
What are the two controlling factors that affect seawater density?
A.
sunlight and darkness
B.
depth and pressure
C.
the amount of living and dead organisms
D.
temperature and salinity
Question #15
A.
acidic; basic
B.
basic; basic
C.
acidic; acidic
D.
basic; acidic
Question #16
Which of the following is most abundant in seawater?
A.
calcium (Ca 2+)
B.
sodium (Na +)
C.
hydroxide (OH-)
D.
hydrogen (H+)
E.
magnesium (Mg 2+)
F.
chloride (Cl-)
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
Which of the following statements is correct regarding the Earth's rotation and the Coriolis Effect?
A.
Earth's rotation impacts the circulation of air
B.
Earth is the only planet where the Coriolis effect exists
C.
Objects moving westward along the equator will experience the most Coriolis effect
D.
Objects moving eastward 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.
TRUE
B.
FALSE
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.
FALSE
B.
TRUE
Question #22
Weather (rain, snow, hot, cold,...) occurs on Earth because
A.
Earth's orbit around the Sun is elliptical, rather than circular
B.
Earth's surface is heated unevenly by the Sun
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 lower
B.
always greater
C.
sometimes higher, and sometimes lower
D.
the same
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.
subtropical
B.
subpolar
C.
tropical
D.
polar
E.
equatorial
Question #26
Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the anatomy of a hurricane?
A.
Rotation is counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
B.
Torrential rain and thunderstorms are common within the eye of the storm
C.
The Coriolis Effect curves the path of the hurricane to the left in the Northern Hemisphere.
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.
tornado
B.
cyclone
C.
hurricane
D.
typhoon
Question #28
What is a front?
A.
the boundary between two air masses of different size
B.
C.
the boundary between two air masses of different temperatures
D.
the boundary between two water masses of different size
E.
the boundary between two land masses of different temperatures
F.
the boundary between two water masses of different temperatures
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 ocean water does not get warm enough to supply the needed heat energy for hurricanes
B.
the Coriolis effect, necessary for the rotation of hurricanes, does not exist outside the tropics
C.
the western deserts keep the humidity too low for hurricanes to form
D.
the Rocky Mountains serve as a barrier to keep storms away from the coast
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.
5
C.
2
D.
4
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.
Southern Boundary Current
B.
Equatorial Current
C.
Northern Boundary Current
D.
Eastern Boundary Current
E.
Western Boundary 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.
Canary Current
B.
Agulhas Current
C.
Gulf Stream
D.
California Current
Question #36
Deep water currents move ______________ volumes of water and are much ____________than surface currents.
A.
smaller; slower
B.
larger; faster
C.
larger; slower
D.
smaller; faster
Question #37
Which of the following occurs during strong El Nino events?
A.
Heavy rain and flooding in California
B.
The Pacific Warm Pool moves West
C.
More typhoons hit Southeast Asia
D.
Fisheries off South America are very productive
Question #38
Which of the following currents completely circles the planet?
A.
North Equatorial Current
B.
Antarctic Circumpolar Current
C.
Gulf Stream
D.
South Equatorial Current
Question #39
Ocean surface waves are:
A.
longitudinal waves
B.
capillary waves
C.
transverse waves
D.
orbital waves
E.
refracted waves
Question #40
The movement of sea water at a pycnocline creates ________ waves.
A.
internal
B.
turbidity
C.
tidal
D.
ocean
E.
splash
Question #41
The uplift or downdropping of large areas of the sea floor creates ________ waves.
A.
splash
B.
internal
C.
tidal
D.
tsunami
E.
ocean
Question #42
Most ocean waves form as a result of:
A.
winds blowing across the ocean surface
B.
seismic evenets
C.
landslides
D.
The gravity between the Moon and the Earth
E.
Earth's rotation
Question #43
The ratio of wave height to wavelength is called the ________.
A.
wave period
B.
wave base
C.
wave drift
D.
waveform
E.
wave steepness
Question #44
Which of the following is the correct description of the period of an ocean wave?
A.
the horizontal distance between adjacent wave crests
B.
the time it takes for one full wavelength to pass a given point
C.
it's the same as the wave frequency
D.
wave height divided by wavelength
E.
the vertical distance between a wave crest and an adjacent trough
F.
the number of waves that pass a given point in a certain amount of time
Question #45
As a deep water wave enters shallow water, its height___________________________________________________.
A.
increases because the energy of the wave must be contained within a smaller water column in shallow water.
B.
decreases because the wavelength 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.
thermohaline stratification
B.
principle of constant proportions
C.
SOFAR channel for safe navigation
D.
principle of decreasing orbital motion with depth
E.
wave refraction in deep water
Question #47
"Whitecaps" form when _____________________.
A.
wave steepness exceeds a critical value
B.
a wave train overtakes another wave train
C.
waves approach the shore at an angle
D.
water depth is greater than 1/2 the wavelength
E.
waves are reflected off an obstruction
Question #48
The first wave that forms when the wind begins to blow across the ocean surface is a:
A.
tsunami.
B.
reflected wave.
C.
tide.
D.
capillary wave.
Question #49
A vast majority of all large tsunamis are generated in the ________ Ocean.
A.
Indian
B.
Pacific
C.
Arctic
D.
Atlantic
E.
Southern
Question #50
Which ocean typically experiences the largest (highest) waves?
A.
Atlantic
B.
Arctic
C.
Indian
D.
Pacific
E.
Southern
Need help with your exam preparation?
Get Answers to this exam for $6 USD.
Get Answers to all exams in [ Ocean 115 - Introduction to Oceanography ] course for $25 USD.
Existing Quiz Clients Login here