Question 1

A chronometer is a timepiece that can be used to determine longitude.

Accepted Answer

A chronometer is a highly accurate clock that was invented in the 18th century and revolutionized navigation at sea, as it allowed sailors to determine longitude by measuring time accurately.

Question 2

The Hawaiian Islands were one of the last of the Pacific Islands to be colonized by the Polynesians because they are the farthest away, some 2,000 miles from other islands.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true.

Question 3

Eratosthenes was a scientist who was interested in the size of Earth and used methods of geometry to determine the circumference of our planet.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, geographer, and poet who lived in the 3rd century BCE. He is famous for his measurement of the Earth's circumference using the angle of the sun's rays at different locations.

Question 4

Which is a recent technology currently used in modern marine science?

Accepted Answer

ROVs are a recent technology used in modern marine science that allow scientists to remotely explore deep sea environments without the need for human divers. They are equipped with cameras, sensors, and manipulation tools that allow for data collection, image and video capture, and sample collection from the ocean floor.

Question 5

Captain Cook was the first scientist to drift in the ice pack of the Arctic.

Accepted Answer

Captain Cook made three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, but he never ventured into the Arctic. He did explore the Antarctic on his second voyage, but he did not drift in the ice pack as a scientist.

Question 6

Latitude is a measurement that uses the prime meridian (Greenwich, England)as a reference point for determining the exact location of a specific point on Earth.

Accepted Answer

Latitude is measured from the equator, not the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian is used as the reference point for longitude.

Question 7

Prince Henry the Navigator was a well-traveled explorer who was the captain on dozens of sea voyages.

Accepted Answer

Prince Henry the Navigator never actually captained sea voyages himself; instead, he sponsored numerous expeditions along the West African coast.

Question 8

Edward Forbes was an Edinburgh professor who thought that ____.

Accepted Answer

Edward Forbes believed that no life existed in the deep sea because of the high pressure and lack of light. This belief was later proven to be incorrect.

Question 9

The Library of Alexandria was an important gathering place for intellectuals, and a warehouse for written knowledge relating to trade, natural wonders, artistic achievements, and other items of interest to seafarers.

Accepted Answer

The Library of Alexandria was indeed an important gathering place for intellectuals and housed a vast collection of written knowledge on a variety of subjects.

Question 10

Which technology, available to modern oceanographers in the last few decades, has revolutionized our ability to study the ocean?

Accepted Answer

Remote sensing via ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) and satellites have revolutionized oceanography by providing a way to explore the depths of the ocean without sending humans down. This technology allows for detailed mapping, examination of marine habitats, and data collection from areas that were previously inaccessible. It has helped us to better understand marine life and ecosystems, as well as ocean currents, temperature, and salinity. Shipboard SONAR (Choice B) has been around for several decades and has been useful in mapping the seafloor, but it is not as revolutionary as remote sensing. Leadline soundings (Choice C) and compass/chronometers (Choice D) are historical tools that have been largely replaced by modern technology.

Question 11

The hybrid remotely-operated vehicle, Nereus , accomplished what feat in 2009?

Accepted Answer

Nereus reached the bottom of the world's deepest ocean trench, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, in 2009.

Question 12

During the Age of European Discovery, Henry the Navigator was the first to recognize that Earth was spherical.

Accepted Answer

The concept of a spherical Earth was recognized by scholars and philosophers long before Henry the Navigator, with ancient Greeks such as Pythagoras and Aristotle providing arguments for a spherical Earth centuries earlier.

Question 13

Viking ships were the fastest and longest ranging ships in Europe during the Dark Ages.

Accepted Answer

Viking ships were well-known for their speed and long-range capabilities, making them highly efficient for raiding and trading expeditions across the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas.

Question 14

Modern oceanography began with the efforts of ____, who trapped his ship in pack ice to explore the Arctic.

Accepted Answer

The statement refers to Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen, who intentionally allowed his ship, the Fram, to be trapped in pack ice in order to study Arctic currents and the properties of sea ice. This expedition, which took place between 1893 and 1896, is considered a landmark in oceanography. Forbes, Wilkes, and Thompson were all important figures in the history of oceanography, but none of them are associated with Nansen's Arctic expedition.

Question 15

What type of information about the ocean are satellites most likely to provide to scientists?

Accepted Answer

Satellites are able to measure sea surface height through the use of altimeters, which can provide information on the height and movement of sea level. This is important for understanding ocean currents, tides, and sea level rise due to climate change. Satellites are not able to measure pH, bathymetry or sedimentation rate.

Question 16

The first scientific expedition to use an echo sounder was the ____.

Accepted Answer

The Meteor expedition was the first scientific expedition to use an echo sounder, a significant advancement in the field of oceanography for mapping the ocean floor.

Question 17

Glomar Challenger is known mainly for ____.

Accepted Answer

Glomar Challenger is known for taking the first complete cores of sea-floor sediments, which revolutionized our understanding of oceanography and geology.

Question 18

The Challenger expedition (1872-1876)was a unique and historic voyage. Why?

Accepted Answer

The Challenger expedition is considered the longest continuous oceanographic expedition, lasting from 1872 to 1876, and it laid the foundation for modern oceanography.

Question 19

Humanity did not spread to nearly all of the inhabitable areas of Earth until after the European voyages of discovery in the late 1400s and early 1500s.

Accepted Answer

While the European voyages of discovery did lead to increased global trade, colonization, and the spread of European culture, humanity had already populated almost all inhabitable areas of Earth by that time through prehistoric migration and exploration.

Question 20

What device bounces sound waves off the ocean bottom to study the depth and contours of the seafloor?

Accepted Answer

An echo sounder is specifically designed to bounce sound waves off the ocean bottom in order to study the depth and contours of the seafloor. Satellites are used for remote sensing of the ocean surface, but do not provide information about the seafloor. Bathyscaphes and submersibles are manned vehicles that may be used for seafloor exploration but do not necessarily use echo sounding technology.

Quiz 2: A History of Marine Science