Deck 1: The Origin of the Ocean

Question 1

The ocean originated from ____.

A)water vapor produced by cellular respiration in early living organisms
B)radioactive heating of Earth's interior, and the heating of the surface by meteorites striking and melting the outer layers of Earth
C)capture by Earth's gravity of water molecules in space
D)volcanic gases, radioactive heating of Earth's interior, and a barrage of icy comets or asteroids striking and melting the outer layers of Earth

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The death of a star is characterized by a massive release of energy called a ____.

A)nebula
B)protostar
C)supernova
D)comet

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The world ocean ____.

A)plays a minor role in the weather and shape of landmasses of Earth
B)does not influence the way organisms live on land
C)dramatically influences weather, nurtures life, and provides crucial natural resources
D)has an average depth that represents over half of Earth's radius

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Volcanic venting of substances including water vapor is called ____.

A)outgassing
B)fissure
C)fusion
D)condensation

Question 5

Evidence suggests the universe began about 13.7 billion years ago in a ____.

A)slow accretion of atoms
B)very large galaxy
C)cataclysmic expansion of energy and matter
D)protostar

Question 6

About ____ percent of Earth's water is found in the ocean.

A)97
B)71
C)67
D)30

Question 7

During its initial formation by the accretion of particles, the young Earth was ____.

A)shrouded in a thick atmosphere
B)density stratified with a core, mantle, and crust
C)likely chemically homogenous throughout
D)completely covered by an ocean

Question 8

What theory best explains how the universe was formed?

A)condensation theory
B)scientific method
C)outgassing theory
D)big bang theory

Question 9

In the scientific method, scientific theories must be ____.

A)tested and consistently supported by observations or experiments
B)verified by the leading authorities in the field
C)consistent with previous, universally accepted scientific concepts
D)consistent with the fact that the ocean is of great age

Question 10

Which statement is true about the formation of our solar system and planet?

A)As a nebula contracts, stars are formed along the outer edges of the spinning disc of gas and dust.
B)Planets form as gases and materials condense.
C)The Big Bang occurred about 5.6 billion years ago.
D)Gaseous planets form in the innermost regions of the solar system.

Question 11

Our sun and its family of planets were formed about _____.

A)6,000 to 10,000 years ago
B)5 billion years ago
C)45 million years ago
D)40 billion years ago

Question 12

The average depth of the ocean is approximately ____.

A)760 meters (2,500 feet)
B)3,700 meters (12,000 feet)
C)200 meters (650 feet)
D)1,200 meters (4,000 feet)

Question 13

Which statement is most consistent with the scientific method?

A)Hypotheses cannot be revised after they are proposed.
B)Hypotheses are tested through observation and controlled experiments.
C)Scientific laws always arise fully formed and in correlating groups.
D)Theories cannot be modified after they are tested.

Question 14

The inner core of Earth is primarily made of ____.

A)magnesium
B)water
C)iron
D)silicates

Question 15

On a planetary scale, the ocean comprises about ____ of Earth's mass.

A)8%
B)71%
C)20%
D)0.02%

Question 16

The primary physical process responsible for the formation of Earth's layers, the inner and outer core, mantle, and crust is ____.

A)density stratification
B)radioactive decay
C)outgassing
D)mass

Question 17

What is the most abundant form of matter in the universe?

A)water molecules
B)planets and planet-like bodies
C)dust and debris
D)hydrogen

Question 18

Oxygen first began to accumulate in Earth's atmosphere as a result of ____.

A)biosynthesis
B)cellular respiration
C)methane synthesis
D)photosynthesis

Question 19

A galaxy is a huge rotating aggregation of stars, dust, gas and other debris held together by ____.

A)nebulae
B)gravity
C)moons
D)vapor

Question 20

The temperature of the ocean about four billion years ago was ____.

A)about the same as today's ocean
B)much colder than that of today's ocean
C)extremely hot compared with today's ocean
D)only slightly warmer than today's ocean

Question 21

Scientists predict that our planet in its current form will exist for about another ____.

A)5 billion years
B)1 million years
C)500 million years
D)13 billion years

Question 22

Saturn's moon, Titan, is known to possess liquid hydrocarbons on its surface.

Question 23

There is convincing evidence that water once flowed on the surface of Mars.

Question 24

The universe began to form around 13 billion years ago.

Question 25

Which phrase best describes biosynthesis?

A)The discovery of organic molecules in space
B)The evolution of living organisms from simple organic building blocks
C)The evolution of inorganic molecules in seawater
D)Experiments that show that early organisms lived in an oxygen-free environment

Question 26

Evidence suggests that the first living molecules may have formed near ____.

A)the continents
B)subduction zones
C)the surface of the ocean
D)mineral-rich seeps on the ocean floor

Question 27

To recreate an environment for biosynthesis, scientists included which element in their experiments?

A)extremely cold temperatures
B)oxygen
C)ocean water
D)mixtures of dissolved compounds and gases thought to be similar to Earth's early atmosphere

Question 28

Life on Earth probably evolved in the ocean. Which statement supports this view?

A)The cellular makeup of all living organisms depends on saline water within their cells to dissolve and transport chemicals.
B)Biosynthesis cannot occur without high concentrations of free oxygen, similar to the condition of Earth's early atmosphere and ocean.
C)In laboratory experiments, complex life formed spontaneously in a solution similar to that of Earth's early ocean.
D)The oldest fossils yet found are remnants of land-based organisms.

Question 29

Based on supporting evidence of the Mars "ocean" hypothesis, which statement is true?

A)Mars has an ocean today.
B)Mars has an ocean, and it is probably hidden in vast caverns beneath the surface of the planet.
C)Mars may have had an ocean in the distant past, between 3.2 and 1.2 billion years ago.
D)Mars may have had an ocean until very recently.

Question 30

Carbon-based residues found in rocks near Greenland suggest that the first life forms on Earth may have arisen ____.

A)more than 3.8 billion years ago
B)at the same time as the formation of Earth
C)relatively recently - about 250,000,000 years ago
D)about 10,000 years ago

Question 31

Scientific hypotheses are never revised or updated.

Question 32

Planets other than Earth with liquid on or near the surface are ____.

A)nonexistent
B)less rare than we thought
C)extremely common but only in the form of water
D)extremely common but only in the form of ice

Question 33

The ocean holds more than 97 percent of Earth's water.

Question 34

Deep-sea fossils suggest that life evolved within the last million years.

Question 35

The oldest known fossils were discovered in northwestern Australia and resemble modern-day ____.

A)bacteria
B)animals
C)fungi
D)viruses

Question 36

Gravity was important in the formation of our planet because it pulled dense metals such as iron and nickel inward, forming Earth's core.

Question 37

An example of another body in our solar system that has an ocean is ____.

A)the moon of Earth
B)Europa
C)Mars
D)Saturn

Question 38

Marine science draws on information from disciplines of geology, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering.

Question 39

The average land elevation on Earth is greater than the average depth of the ocean.

Question 40

Of all the planets in the solar system, Earth is the only planet to currently have large quantities of liquid water on its surface.

Question 41

Describe the general steps involved in the scientific method.

Question 42

Describe the basic processes and timeline that led to the formation of Earth and its ocean and atmosphere.

Question 43

Describe the big bang theory.

Question 44

What is meant by a "single world ocean"?

Question 45

Discuss the early atmosphere and how it could have lead to the evolution of life on Earth.