Deck 13: Global Oceans and Seas

Question 1

Areas with heavy freshwater runoff and low evaporation will have average salinity.

A)lower than
B)higher than
C)approximately the

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Within the deep cold zone,average temperature and salinity

A)increase with depth.
B)decrease with depth.
C)remain fairly constant with depth.
D)decrease within the mixing zone,but increase the thermocline.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The worldwide average salinity of seawater is

A)0)5%.
B)3)5%.
C)5)5%.
D)7)5%.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

According to the figure above,within the mixing zone and thermocline,the average temperature and salinity

A)decrease with depth.
B)increase with depth.
C)remain fairly constant with depth.
D)decrease within the mixing zone,but increase the thermocline.

Question 5

Which of the following is TRUE about seawater?

A)The chemical composition of seawater has great spatial variability.
B)Seawater is a solution.
C)The salinity of seawater is negligible.
D)Seawater is pure water (H20).

Question 6

What is the difference between an ocean and a sea?

A)An ocean is a vast body of water encompassing 70% of Earth,whereas a sea refers specifically to a large,inland,saline body of water.
B)The term sea is used to describe the global,interconnected water body covering 70% of Earthʹs surface,whereas oceans refer to the individual basins within this global sea.
C)Seas are generally smaller than an ocean and tend to be partially enclosed by land or large,inland,saline water bodies.
D)There is no difference,just a different term for the same physical feature.

Question 7

Which of the following is TRUE of the chemical composition of seawater?

A)Samples of ancient seawater suggest a great deal of chemical variation over Earthʹs history.
B)Seawater is very heterogeneous,varying across the vast oceans of the world.
C)Seawater contains dissolved gases,suspended and dissolved organic matter,and many trace elements.
D)Eighteen elements account for 75% of the dissolved waters in seawater.

Question 8

Approximately what percentage of the worldʹs population lives near the ocean?

A)25%
B)40%
C)70%
D)33%

Question 9

The coast extends inland

A)to the foreshore dune.
B)to the trough between the primary and secondary dune.
C)to the backshore dune.
D)from the high tide level to the first major landform change.
E)to the highest water line that occurs during a storm.

Question 10

Which of the following affect the chemical composition of seawater?

A)Marine organisms
B)Minerals
C)The atmosphere
D)Sediments
E)The atmosphere,marine organisms,minerals,and ocean sediments

Question 11

A general term for the coastal area and shallow offshore environment is

A)coastline.
B)littoral zone.
C)coast.
D)shoreline.

Question 12

On average,ocean water is

A)very basic (high pH).
B)slightly basic.
C)very acidic (low pH).
D)mildly acid (a pH slightly less than 7).

Question 13

Which of the following is TRUE of Earthʹs coastlines?

A)There are few inputs that directly affect them beyond tidal action.
B)Earthʹs coastlines show a remarkable degree of similarity across the planet.
C)They have the oldest landforms on the planet.
D)They are relatively young and undergoing continuous change.

Question 14

Seawater that exceeds the 3.5% average is termed

A)brine.
B)brackish.
C)freshwater.
D)mesohaline.

Question 15

Approximately what percentage of the United Statesʹ population live in coastal areas?

A)50%
B)10%
C)65%
D)25%

Question 16

Brine water may result from

A)stagnation of water in a floodplain swamp.
B)high evapotranspiration rates.
C)heavy rainfall and low temperatures.
D)the influx of river water into the ocean.

Question 17

Which of the following is INCORRECT regarding the littoral zone?

A)Seaward it extends to where water is too deep for storm waves to move sediments.
B)It spans both land and water.
C)Landward,it extends to the highest waterline reached on shore during a storm.
D)In general usage,it only includes the foreshore area of coastal environments.

Question 18

Seawater with less than 3.5% is termed

A)brine.
B)freshwater.
C)brackish.
D)metahaline.

Question 19

Worldwide salinity varies between and .

A)0)5%; 1.0%
B)3)4%; 3.7%
C)4)7%; 5.1%
D)6)5%; 6.7%

Question 20

In which of the following region would you expect to have the highest levels of seawater salinity?

A)Subtropical oceans
B)Midlatitude oceans
C)Equatorial oceans
D)Polar oceans

Question 21

When the Sun and Moon are on the same side Earth or on opposite sides of earth,the tide occurs and results in the tidal range between low and high tides.

A)spring; greatest
B)spring; lowest
C)neap; lowest
D)neap; greatest

Question 22

Particles of sand,gravels,and shells that move along the shore form

A)beach drift.
B)longshore current.
C)translation effects.
D)breakers.

Question 23

Regular patterns of smooth,rounded waves are called

A)wave trains.
B)wave ripples.
C)swells.
D)breakers.

Question 24

When the Sun and Moon are neither in conjunction or opposition,the tide occurs and results in the tidal range between low and high tides.

A)neap; lowest
B)spring; lowest
C)neap; greatest
D)spring; greatest

Question 25

A wave-cut platform is the erosional remnant of a

A)cliff.
B)tombolo.
C)spit.
D)barrier island.

Question 26

An earthquake,a submarine landslide,or a volcanic eruption is capable of producing a

A)tidal wave.
B)slow-moving giant swell.
C)tsunami.
D)wave in the open ocean of great height.

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT correct regarding tides?

A)They are influenced by shoreline configuration and latitude.
B)They are complex twice daily oscillations in sea level.
C)They are influenced by the size,depth,and topography of ocean basins.
D)They are produced solely by the gravitational pull of the Sun.

Question 28

As a wave approaches the shoreline and enters shallower water,energy and water move forward causing the water to rise and cascade down from the wave crest as a breaker.These waves are called

A)tidal waves.
B)swells.
C)waves of translation.
D)waves of transition.

Question 29

When the height of a wave exceeds its vertical stability,the wave is called a

A)rip current.
B)wave of transition.
C)tidal wave.
D)breaker.

Question 30

In deep water,a wave is not really migrating but is transferring energy through the water in simple cyclic undulations.These waves are called

A)waves of transition.
B)tidal waves.
C)swells.
D)waves of translation.

Question 31

A longshore current involves all of the following EXCEPT

A)waves of transition.
B)effective wind direction.
C)transportation of large amounts of sand and coastal materials.
D)effective wave direction.

Question 32

In the movie The Poseidon Adventure,a cruise ship is overturned by a tsunami while at sea.This plot is NOT valid because

A)tsunamis do not occur in the open ocean.
B)tsunamis do not form high waves while in the open ocean.
C)the tsunami in the movie didnʹt occur in a tectonically active area.
D)tsunamis do not have the energy to overturn a ship of that size.

Question 33

Which of the following occurs when the Sun,Moon,and Earth are in alignment (i.e.,in opposition or conjunction)?

A)A lower tidal range
B)Maximum tidal ranges
C)Ebb tides
D)Neap tides

Question 34

Which of the following is CORRECT regarding waves that travel in wave trains?

A)They are produced in stormy areas far distant from the shores where they may finally break.
B)They experience refraction by the deep seafloor.
C)They usually form relatively close to the affected coastline.
D)They are called breakers as they travel in the open sea.

Question 35

Undercutting action of the sea results in

A)tombolos.
B)barrier splits.
C)sea cliffs.
D)lagoons.

Question 36

Which of the following is NOT an example of an erosional coastal landform?

A)Notched cliff
B)Tombolo
C)Wave-cut platform
D)Sea arch

Question 37

High tides are known as whereas low tides are kown as .

A)flood tides; ebb tides
B)spring tides; neap tides
C)neap tides; spring tides
D)ebb tides; flood tides

Question 38

The height of a tsunami grows as it approaches a coastline primarily because

A)its wavelength shortens.
B)its energy level increases.
C)the height of the surf is added to the height of the tsunami.
D)the height of a tsunami remains constant from the time of its origin.

Question 39

Which of the following is CORRECT regarding mean sea level?

A)A consistent value has yet to be determined due to all the variables involved in producing the tides.
B)It is calculated based on average tidal levels recorded hourly at a given site over a period of many years.
C)It is at the same level along the entire North American coast.
D)It has very little variability across all ocean basins and,therefore,is treated as an absolute value.

Question 40

Wave action works to straighten a coast as wave energy focuses around headlands in a process called

A)tidal bore.
B)breakers.
C)wave refraction.
D)longshore current.

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT a ʺhardʺ shoreline protection measure?

A)Jetties
B)Breakwater
C)Beach nourishment
D)Groins

Question 42

A terrace is

A)an uplifted foreshore dune.
B)an erosional surface created by a massive tsunami.
C)an uplifted sea stack.
D)an uplifted wave-cut platform.

Question 43

Material deposited in a long ridge extending out from a coast is called a

A)tombolo.
B)barrier spit.
C)lagoon.
D)barrier island.

Question 44

Long,narrow deposits of sand that form offshore roughly parallel to the coast are called

A)baymouth bar.
B)tombolos.
C)groins.
D)barrier beaches.

Question 45

These features on the shore of Lake Michigan disrupt sediment movement along a coast.

A)Breakwaters
B)Groins
C)Jetties
D)Tombolos

Question 46

Barrier islands make sites for real estate development because .

A)good; they provide excellent scenery
B)poor; they can be unstable,mobile,and overrun by storm surges.
C)poor; they can be overrun by storm surges
D)poor; they are unstable and often mobile
E)good; they are made of rock and are quite stable

Question 47

If the material deposited in a long ridge extending out from a coast grows to completely cut off the bay from an ocean,it becomes a

A)barrier spit.
B)lagoon.
C)tombolo.
D)baymouth bar.

Question 48

A coral is a type of that secretes to form a hard external skeleton.

A)polyp; calcium carbonate
B)algae; silica
C)algae; calcium carbonate
D)polyp; silica

Question 49

These features create zones of still water near coastlines.

A)Breakwaters
B)Groins
C)Jetties
D)Tombolos

Question 50

A major difference between a barrier island and a barrier spit is

A)one of regional terminology,a barrier island and a barrier spit are the same thing.
B)barrier spits are anthropogenic,modeled after natural barrier islands.
C)a barrier spit is connected to the mainland,whereas a barrier island is not.
D)a barrier spit is a depositional feature that connects the barrier island to the mainland.

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT an example of a depositional coastal landform?

A)Wave-built terrace
B)Wave-cut platform
C)Barrier spit
D)Bay barrier

Question 52

Human structures that are built to interrupt beach drift include all of the following EXCEPT

A)breakwaters.
B)jetties.
C)groins.
D)tombolos.

Question 53

A is deposited sediment that connects a shoreline with an offshore island.

A)barrier spit
B)lagoon
C)tombolo
D)baymouth bar

Question 54

On average,the beach zone spans the area

A)from several meters above high tide to several meters below low tide.
B)from the high tide line during a spring tide to the low tide line during a neap tide.
C)between high and low spring tides.
D)between high and low neap tides.

Question 55

A shallow saltwater body cut off from the ocean by a bay barrier is known as a

A)barrier spit.
B)lagoon.
C)tombolo.
D)baymouth bar.

Question 56

The artificial replacement of sand along a beach is called

A)jetties.
B)beach nourishment.
C)groins.
D)breakwater.

Question 57

These features block material from blocking harbor entrances.

A)Breakwaters
B)Groins
C)Jetties
D)Tombolos

Question 58

Coral formations

A)tend to occur poleward of 30° latitude.
B)are made of the skeletons of animals that lived symbiotically with simple algae.
C)require water that is high in sediment concentration.
D)survive in a broad ecological range because they are tolerant of temperature,salinity,and depth variation.

Question 59

Beaches are

A)always composed of sand.
B)permanent coastal features.
C)places where sediment is stable and unchanging.
D)places along the coast where sediment is in motion.

Question 60

Barrier beaches and islands occur worldwide,lying offshore of nearly of Earthʹs coastlines.

A)10 percent
B)50 percent
C)70 percent
D)90 percent

Question 61

The removal and lifting of individual loose particles by the wind is termed

A)deflation.
B)deposition.
C)abrasion.
D)saltation.

Question 62

Elongated,streamlined ridges aligned parallel to the most effective wind direction are called

A)alluvial rock structures.
B)ventifacts.
C)yardangs.
D)desert pavements.

Question 63

The grinding and shaping of rock surfaces by the ʺsandblastingʺ action of particles carried by wind is

A)saltation.
B)deflation.
C)deposition.
D)abrasion.

Question 64

Which of the following is an example of a coastal wetland?

A)Mangrove swamp
B)Playa lake
C)Saltwater marshes
D)Both mangrove swamp and saltwater marsh
E)Playa lake,mangrove swamp,and saltwater marsh

Question 65

Which of the following is NOT a possible cause of the ejection of nutrient-providing algae from coral?

A)Oceanic acidification
B)Pollution
C)Warming sea-surface temperatures
D)Sedimentation
E)Pollution,sedimentation,acidification,and warming temperatures all contribute to this phenomenon.

Question 66

Rocks that are pitted,fluted,or polished from eolian erosion are called

A)pumice.
B)ventifacts.
C)desert pavement.
D)deflation hollows.

Question 67

A depression created by deflation is known as a

A)bolson.
B)structural basin.
C)playa.
D)blowout

Question 68

When coral expel their own nutrient-supplying algae,a phenomena called often follows.

A)coloration
B)bleaching
C)massive coral mortality (mcm)
D)symbiosis

Question 69

The sinuous,branching channels that characterize a salt marsh result from

A)manmade drainage canals.
B)animal paths through the marsh.
C)the ebb and flow of tides.
D)storm tracks.

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT correct regarding coral bleaching?

A)The 1998 El Niño event caused the die-off of an estimated 30% of the worldʹs reefs
B)Coral reefs are under pressure from overfishing,pollution,sedimentation,and global warming.
C)Scientists have identified the reasons polyps eject their algae.
D)The warming of sea-surface temperatures is a great threat to coral.

Question 71

The ability of the wind to move materials

A)increases with decreased wind speed.
B)is small compared to other transporting agents,such as water and ice.
C)is greater than that of water because of the higher density of air compared to water.
D)exceeds that of other transporting agents,such as water and ice.

Question 72

The term eolian refers to

A)weathering and mass movement in humid regions.
B)glacial processes in areas outside polar regions.
C)erosion,transportation,and deposition by wind.
D)stream-related processes.

Question 73

Coral bleaching refers to

A)the loss of algae from the coral.
B)the killing of coral formations by chlorine bleach pollution.
C)the replacement of normal,colored algae by white algae.
D)the process whereby coral change color to avoid detection by predators.

Question 74

Pebbles can be moved by in a process known as .

A)saltating particles; surface creep
B)deflation; saltation
C)deflation; surface creep
D)saltating particles; deflation

Question 75

Large,lithified formations of calcium carbonate formed from both living and skeletal coral colonies are called

A)barrier islands.
B)atolls.
C)coral reefs.
D)tombolos.

Question 76

Wind is effective at eroding and transporting materials than other geomorphic agents because its density is that of other geomorphic agents.

A)less; lower
B)less; higher
C)more; higher
D)more; lower

Question 77

For purposes of discussing eolian processes,wind acts like a

A)fluid.
B)gas.
C)plasma.
D)solid.

Question 78

The destruction of a mangrove swamp might lead to

A)the erosion of the coast.
B)the loss of aquatic species.
C)sediment accumulation on nearby reefs,and their consequent death.
D)loss of species and coastal erosion
E)there is no evidence of the loss of mangrove swamps

Question 79

Coral and algae have a reciprocal relationship in which the algae perform photosynthesis,providing the coral with some nutrients and helping with the calcification process.In return,the coral provide the algae with certain nutrients and a place to live in a lighted environment.This is an example of a relationship.

A)opportunistic
B)parasitic
C)symbiotic
D)predator/prey

Question 80

An atoll is approximately in shape because it forms .

A)circular; around submerged volcanic islands
B)linear; along barrier islands
C)linear; along continental shorelines
D)circular; around seastacks