Question 1

The world's ocean is a significant transporter of heat from:&#10;A) polar to equatorial regions&#10;B) equatorial to polar regions&#10;C) mostly west to east in most latitudes&#10;D) none of these

Accepted Answer

The world's ocean plays a crucial role in transporting heat from equatorial regions, where sunlight is most intense, to polar regions, helping to regulate the Earth's climate.

Question 2

The N. Pacific gyre causes the California Current to flow _______.&#10;A) from north to south&#10;B) from south to north&#10;C) warm water from Baja northward&#10;D) west to east

Accepted Answer

The N. Pacific gyre is a clockwise rotating current system in the northern Pacific Ocean. This causes the California Current, which runs along the western coast of North America, to flow from north to south.

Question 3

Deep ocean currents are driven by ______.&#10;A) winds&#10;B) density differences&#10;C) bottom topography&#10;D) Earth's rotation

Accepted Answer

Deep ocean currents are driven by density differences, which are caused by variations in temperature and salinity in the water masses. The denser, colder, and saltier water sinks down and starts moving along the ocean floor, while the less dense, warmer, and fresher water rises and moves towards the surface. This convectional circulation, also known as thermohaline circulation, can extend across the entire ocean basin and take centuries to complete a single cycle. While winds, bottom topography, and Earth's rotation can influence the direction and speed of deep ocean currents, they do not generate the primary driving force.

Question 4

The densest (heaviest) water has:&#10;A) warm temperature, high salinity&#10;B) warm temperature, low salinity&#10;C) cold temperature, high salinity&#10;D) cold temperature, low salinity

Accepted Answer

Cold temperature and high salinity result in the formation of dense water. Density of water increases as temperature decreases and salinity increases. Therefore, the densest water would have a cold temperature and high salinity.

Question 5

Freshest (low salinity) water would be found:&#10;A) in the subtropics&#10;B) in cooler, dry climates&#10;C) near glacier melt coastlines&#10;D) in warmer climates

Accepted Answer

The freshest water with low salinity would be found near glacier melt coastlines. As glaciers melt, the water that is released is fresh and has a low salt concentration. Therefore, the closer one is to the glacier melt source, the fresher the water would be.

Question 6

In normal years, the _____ region is the warmest portion of the equatorial Pacific Ocean.&#10;A) western&#10;B) eastern&#10;C) central&#10;D) entire

Accepted Answer

In normal years, the western region of the equatorial Pacific Ocean is typically the warmest portion due to the accumulation of warm water pushed westward by the trade winds.

Question 7

During El Nino events, the ______ equatorial Pacific Ocean are unusually warm.&#10;A) western&#10;B) eastern and central&#10;C) western and central&#10;D) entire

Accepted Answer

El Nino events are characterized by unusually warm waters in the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean. The western equatorial Pacific Ocean may or may not be affected.

Question 8

During La Nina events, the equatorial trade winds are:&#10;A) stronger than normal&#10;B) normal&#10;C) weaker than normal

Accepted Answer

During La Nina events, the equatorial trade winds are stronger than normal, which leads to increased upwelling of cold water along the western coast of South America, resulting in cooler sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific.

Question 9

During strong El Nino events, _________.&#10;A) there are droughts in Australia, Malaysia&#10;B) there are wet conditions in Peru&#10;C) there are wet conditions in the southern US&#10;D) all the above

Accepted Answer

During strong El Nino events, there are droughts in Australia and Malaysia, wet conditions in Peru, and wet conditions in the southern US.

Question 10

Upwelling and cold surface ocean currents occur generally along:&#10;A) mid-latitude east coasts of continents&#10;B) mid-latitude west coasts of continents&#10;C) both mid-latitude coasts of continents&#10;D) none of these

Accepted Answer

Upwelling is a process where deep, cold water rises to the surface, usually caused by wind patterns and ocean currents. Cold surface ocean currents also flow along the coast in the same direction as the wind, bringing cold water from high latitudes towards lower latitudes. This occurs generally along the mid-latitude west coasts of continents, such as the California Current off the west coast of North America and the Benguela Current off the west coast of southern Africa. Therefore, the best choice is B, mid-latitude west coasts of continents.

Question 11

With ocean currents along California and Peru moving towards lower latitudes, Ekman transport causes ________along the coast.&#10;A) warmer water to sink&#10;B) downwelling&#10;C) upwelling&#10;D) cool water to sink

Accepted Answer

The answer of With ocean currents along California and Peru...

Question 12

The thermocline is a region _______.&#10;A) of warm surface water&#10;B) of cold deep water&#10;C) of rapid change from warm to cold water&#10;D) none of these

Accepted Answer

The answer of The thermocline is a region _______.&#10;A) of...

Question 13

Like the Gulf Stream, the Kuroshio Current is a warm ocean current off the coast of Japan.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Like the Gulf Stream, the Kuroshio Current...

Question 14

In the Northern Hemisphere, south-flowing ocean currents pull water (Ekman transport) to the ____.&#10;A) west&#10;B) east&#10;C) south&#10;D) north

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the Northern Hemisphere, south-flowing ocean currents...

Question 15

The large &#34;Garbage Patch&#34; of the Pacific occurs:&#10;A) off the west coast, near cities&#10;B) in the North Pacific gyre&#10;C) in the South Pacific gyre&#10;D) in the San Francisco Bay

Accepted Answer

The answer of The large &#34;Garbage Patch&#34; of the Pacific...

Question 16

What is the Southern Oscillation?&#10;A) another name for El Nino&#10;B) an ocean temperature oscillation off South America&#10;C) oceanic gyres in the Southern Hemisphere&#10;D) none of these

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the Southern Oscillation?&#10;A) another name...

Question 17

The North Atlantic Oscillation:&#10;A) brings colder than normal weather to eastern U.S. during the negative phase.&#10;B) brings colder than normal weather to eastern U.S. during the positive phase.&#10;C) brings warmer than normal weather to eastern U.S. during the negative phase.&#10;D) does not affect weather in the eastern U.S.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The North Atlantic Oscillation:&#10;A) brings colder than...

Question 18

There is hardly any thermocline in polar ocean water.

Accepted Answer

The answer of There is hardly any thermocline in polar...

Question 19

Ocean currents that are moving poleward are usually considered cold currents.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Ocean currents that are moving poleward are...

Deck 10: Circulation of the World Ocean