Deck 1: The Origin of the Ocean

Question 1

How much of the Earth's water is found in the ocean?

A) 3%
B) 67%
C) 71%
D) 97%

Answer 1

D
Approximately 97% of the Earth's water is contained in the ocean. An ocean, in general, is a term used to describe a vast body of saline water that occupies depressions on Earth's surface. Information can be found in the section Earth is an Ocean World.

Question 2

How long did the process of density stratification of Earth last?

A) 100 million years
B) 100 thousand years
C) 10 billion years
D) 1 billion years

Answer 2

A
The density stratification of Earth lasted approximately 100 million years. Then the Earth began to cool down. Information can be found in the section Earth, Ocean, and Atmosphere Accumulated in Layers Sorted by Density.

Question 3

A(n) ____ is a test involving manipulations made on conditions of a particular observation.

A) hypothesis
B) experiment
C) theory
D) scientific method

Answer 3

B
The simplification of an observation in nature or in a laboratory is conducted by manipulating conditions. Often times, one aspect is manipulated at a time to narrow possible reasons for an observation. Information can be found in the section Marine Scientists Use the Logic of Science to Study the Ocean.

Question 4

The composition of the Milky Way does not include:

A) stars
B) gases
C) dust
D) galaktos

Question 5

What key characteristic marks the beginning stages of the collapse of a star?

A) The increase in temperature
B) The depletion of carbon and oxygen
C) The depletion of hydrogen
D) The expulsion of energy

Question 6

What had the most influence in irreversibly changing the Earth's atmosphere?

A) Formation of carbonic acid in the ocean
B) Production of oxygen from photosynthesis
C) Chemical breakup of water vapor by sunlight
D) Fluctuation in the atmospheric composition

Question 7

Why is biosynthesis unlikely to occur today as it did in Earth's youth?

A) Living organisms have altered oceanic and atmospheric conditions
B) There is less available oxygen in the atmosphere
C) Ozone is less protective from the sun's influence
D) The ocean's do not contain enough free iron

Question 8

The life history of a star is dependent upon what?

A) The amount of helium present
B) The speed of conversion of hydrogen to carbon or oxygen
C) The initial mass
D) The amount of energy output

Question 9

What process accounts for the layers found in Earth?

A) Plate tectonics
B) Accretion
C) Density stratification
D) Subduction

Question 10

Since the formation of our ocean, Earth has made approximately ____ orbits around the galaxy.

A) 20
B) 42
C) 230
D) 280

Question 11

A(n) ____ is an explanation that can be tested by additional observations or controlled experiments.

A) question
B) science
C) hypothesis
D) scientific method

Question 12

There were multiple sources of water that contributed to the ocean. How was the majority of the ocean's water formed?

A) The condensation of a cloud composed of dust and gas from exploded stars
B) The condensation and cooling of water vapor
C) The infiltration of comets
D) Run-off from continental land masses

Question 13

How old are fossils that indicate the first life forms on Earth?

A) Between 1.2 and 1.5 billion years old
B) Between 2.6 and 2.7 billion years old
C) Between 3.4 and 3.5 billion years old
D) Between 4 and 4.2 billion years old

Question 14

____ is a critical aspect of science.

A) The ability to operate in reverse
B) The ability to be refined with new information
C) Looking at data rather than being told
D) All of these choices are critical aspects of science

Question 15

What caused Earth to partially melt when being formed?

A) Impact of asteroids, comets, and debris
B) Gravitational compression
C) Accumulation of decaying radioactive elements
D) A combination of all of these choices

Question 16

Which is not necessarily a characteristic of a red giant?

A) The engulfing of inner planets
B) The expansion of atmosphere
C) Becoming a supernova
D) Materials sent into space from shattering

Question 17

A marine scientist is studying the amount of dissolved oxygen in a particular area. They are attempting to connect the data with the type of organisms found in that area. What kind of marine scientist might they be classified as?

A) Physical oceanographer
B) Chemical oceanographer
C) Marine biologist
D) Marine geologist

Question 18

What was the main requirement for the development of life on Earth?

A) Exposure to sunlight
B) Absence of free oxygen
C) Simple sugars
D) Energization from electrical sparks

Question 19

What created Earth's moon?

A) The expulsion of rocky mantle after a collision with a planetary body
B) The initial big bang expansion event
C) The formation of a new star
D) The collision between two older moons

Question 20

What planet is an example that others planets besides Earth have a plethora of water?

A) Mars
B) Jupiter
C) Saturn
D) Neptune

Question 21

What forms heavy elements such as gold, mercury, and uranium?

A) A protostar
B) Condensation
C) A supernova
D) A solar nebula

Question 22

The scientific method is characterized as:

A) an orderly process in which theories are proved to be absolutely true.
B) an orderly process in which a test simplifies an observation in nature by controlling the conditions in which they are made.
C) an orderly process in which theories are verified or rejected.
D) a testable speculation or explanation of a theory.

Question 23

How long ago did the big bang catalyze the beginning of the universe?

A)13.7 billion years ago
B)1.37 billion years ago
C) 4 billion years ago
D) 40 billion years ago

Question 24

What type of marine scientist studies the Earth's ocean, continents, and climate?

A) Physical oceanographer
B) Marine climatologist
C) Chemical oceanographer
D) Marine geologist

Question 25

In the Insight into National Geographic Explorer, Dr. Hand suggests that studying life in extreme environments is important for what reason?

A) It can improve our understanding of earth's early evolution
B) Extreme environments have highly adapted organisms
C) These environments could mimic conditions on other planets
D) New species of organisms are being discovered

Question 26

The expansion of the universe that began during the big bang event continues to this day.

Question 27

High levels of ____ could indicate life on other planets.

A) free nitrogen
B) carbon dioxide
C) free oxygen
D) bound nitrogen

Question 28

The scientific method is a useful tool beyond the confines of science fields. It can be used in everyday life, by any person.

Question 29

Earth was most likely chemically homogenous when it was young.

Question 30

What process involves the clumping of small particles into larger masses?

A) Condensation
B) Coagulation
C) Secretion
D) Accretion

Question 31

Oceanography encompasses aspects of many other science fields such as geology, physics, biology, and chemistry.

Question 32

Scientists believe that some answers to proposed question will ultimately never be known.

Question 33

Which does not describe a law?

A) A law summarizes observations.
B) A law explains observations.
C) A law is the largest construct to summarize experimental observations
D) A law explains unvarying uniformity under the same conditions.

Question 34

The spinning of a shrinking nebula marks the transition from a protostar to a star.

Question 35

The outermost gases of early Earth were initially destroyed by radiation from the sun, but the underlying atmosphere remained intact.

Question 36

Amino acids, sugars, proteins, and nucleotides are considered the building blocks of life.

Question 37

Water in its liquid state is common in our solar system.

Question 38

Despite a multitude of names given to describe portions of the ocean, it is more accurate to call it a single dynamic world ocean.

Question 39

What could ultimately be linked to the lack of water on Mars?

A) The large decrease in carbon dioxide.
B) The proximity to the sun.
C) The lack of free oxygen in the atmosphere.
D) The lack of outgassing from the interior of the planet

Question 40

Although it currently does not have an ocean, ____ is thought to have had one in the distant past.

A) Europa
B) Saturn
C) Jupiter
D) Mars

Question 41

What was the composition of the early atmosphere of Earth? What changes occurred to the early atmosphere? What was the key factor in creating an atmosphere similar to today?

Question 42

The only aspect of science is the gathering of information and the studying of that information.

Question 43

Experiments involving early atmospheric conditions were able to produce amino acids, sugars, and even microscopic bacteria.

Question 44

Describe how the Earth's ocean accumulated. What aspects of the initial atmospheric conditions prohibited the formation of liquid water? Once in place, how did the water become saline?

Question 45

Studying microbes in extreme environments is tricky because when you retrieve the rocks they often change what they are doing.

Question 46

How did the Earth form? How did the ocean form? Include relevant terminology, dates, and processes.

Question 47

What conditions are necessary to maintain an ocean of liquid water permanently? Why is having a liquid ocean so important?

Question 48

The Earth was formed by the condensation of a cloud comprised of dust and gas.

Question 49

Eventually our sun will become a red giant. Explain what this means. What would happen to Earth and our universe if this were to happen?

Question 50

The ocean was mostly in place by 4 billion years ago.