Deck 24: The Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climatic Effects

Question 1

Fresh water enters the ocean by runoff from stream and rivers,

A)precipitation of rain over the ocean, and evaporation of coastal waters.
B)evaporation of surface water, and melting of glacial ice.
C)precipitation, and melting of glacial ice.
D)none of these

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Earth's first atmosphere was composed of

A)oxygen, hydrogen, and helium.
B)hydrogen and helium, with trace amounts of ammonia and methane.
C)gases from volcanic eruptions.
D)oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The process of photosynthesis is important because it

A)converts carbon and water to hydrocarbon and free oxygen.
B)contributed to the development of an ozone layer.
C)is an energy source that drives the geologic process.
D)allowed increased infiltration of solar energy.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The Earth's oceans evolved

A)from condensation of water vapor in a hydrogen-oxygen rich atmosphere.
B)from condensation of water vapor from volcanic eruptions.
C)with accumulation of rainfall.
D)as Earth warmed.

Question 5

The average salinity of ocean water is

A)96.5 parts per thousand.
B)16 parts per thousand.
C)35 parts per thousand.
D)3.5 parts per thousand.

Question 6

Earth's atmosphere probably developed from gases escaping from its interior during volcanic eruptions. This outgassing also produced Earth's

A)protective ozone layer.
B)oceans.
C)numerous mountain belts.
D)ionosphere.

Question 7

What impact does the formation of the ozone layer have on our planet?

Question 8

Fresh water leaves the ocean by evaporation,

A)and seawater freezing.
B)precipitation, and runoff.
C)sublimation, seawater freezing.
D)and formation of ice.

Question 9

The origin of Earth's oceans is from

A)comet debris.
B)melting of polar ice caps.
C)volcanic eruptions.
D)comets and volcanic eruptions.

Question 10

Earth's earliest atmosphere was lacking in

A)carbon dioxide.
B)hydrogen.
C)free oxygen.
D)photosynthesis.

Question 11

Plants evolved the ability of photosynthesis during the

A)Cambrian period.
B)Precambrian.
C)Paleozoic era.
D)Pleistocene.

Question 12

Earth's original atmosphere was

A)very similar to the atmosphere we have today.
B)rich in both O₂ and O₃.
C)obliterated after the birth of the Sun.
D)a mixture of N₂, CO₂, and O₃.

Question 13

Compared with San Francisco, California, winter air temperatures and air density in Denver, Colorado, are

A)the same.
B)cooler and thinner.
C)cooler and denser.
D)warmer and denser.

Question 14

Factors that increase ocean salinity are

A)runoff from streams and rivers.
B)formation of sea ice.
C)precipitation.
D)glacial melting.

Question 15

What is the significance of the ozone layer?

Question 16

Most of Earth's water is in the

A)oceans.
B)polar ice caps.
C)rivers, lakes, and stream.
D)ground.

Question 17

Earth's earliest atmosphere was most likely composed of hydrogen, helium,

A)oxygen, and nitrogen.
B)methane, and nitrogen.
C)methane, and ammonia.
D)oxygen, and ozone.

Question 18

Coastal lands bordering the oceans generally have

A)colder temperatures than lands away from the ocean.
B)more moderate temperature variations than inland areas.
C)more scenery than land in the continental interior.
D)tropical temperatures due to the high heat capacity of water.

Question 19

Going from continental land toward the deep ocean basin, the continental margin consists of the

A)slope, the shelf, and the rise.
B)rise, the slope, and the shelf.
C)shelf, the slope, and the rise.
D)shelf, abyssal plain, and the mid-ocean ridge.

Question 20

Why are temperature fluctuations greater over land than water?

Question 21

In a swell, wavelength is constant. As a swell nears the shore and touches bottom, the wavelength

A)shortens, wave speed slows, and wave height increases.
B)shortens, wave speed slows, and wave height decreases.
C)and wave height increase as wave speed slows.
D)and wave height increase as wave speed quickens.

Question 22

As waves enter shallow water, wave speed

A)decreases, causing the wave to bend perpendicular to the shore.
B)increases, causing the wave to bend parallel to the shore.
C)decreases, causing the wave to bend parallel to the shore.
D)increases, causing the wave to bend perpendicular to the shore.

Question 23

Waves are altered when they enter shallow water. They change

A)direction by refraction, they steepen and break.
B)direction by refraction, they increase in speed, steepen, and break.
C)direction by reflection, they increase in energy, steepen, and break.
D)intensity by refraction, they lose energy, steepen and break.

Question 24

The movement of water in a wave travels

A)with the wave.
B)in a circular path at and just below the water surface.
C)in a circular path at a depth of one-half the wavelength.
D)in both a longitudinal and circular path.

Question 25

Compared with equatorial open ocean waters, open ocean water in the northern Pacific

A)is colder and less dense
B)has a higher salinity content.
C)is colder and more dense.
D)has a lower salinity content.

Question 26

What factors increase salinity in the ocean? What factors decrease salinity?

Question 27

As a water wave approaches a shoreline, wave speed

A)increases.
B)decreases.
C)is unchanged.
D)and wavelength increase.

Question 28

In a swell, wavelength is constant. As a swell touches bottom the wavelength

A)increases and velocity decreases.
B)shortens and velocity decreases.
C)shortens and velocity increases.
D)and velocity increase.

Question 29

The orbital motion of a wave is greatest (has the largest "diameter")at

A)the wave base.
B)about one-half the depth of the wave base.
C)a depth of one-half the wavelength.
D)the surface.

Question 30

Ocean waves refract due to

A)wave interference.
B)ocean swells.
C)shallow water.
D)transverse motion.

Question 31

When evaporation at the ocean surface exceeds precipitation, the salinity of seawater

A)increases.
B)decreases.
C)stays the same.

Question 32

At what water depth is an ocean wave affected by the ocean floor?

A)It depends on the wave's angle of approach to the shoreline.
B)The ocean floor has no impact on ocean waves.
C)At the depth equal to one-half the wave's wavelength.
D)At the depth where transverse motion dominates.

Question 33

Ocean waves and currents generally form as a result of

A)swells.
B)the rotation of the Earth.
C)differences in ocean density.
D)wind.

Question 34

Common erosional shoreline features include sea stacks,

A)beaches, and barrier islands.
B)wave-cut platforms, sea caves, and sea arches.
C)sea caves, sea arches, and atolls.
D)wave-cut platforms, sea caves, and sea spits.

Question 35

The two most abundant elements that make up the salinity of seawater are

A)sodium and potassium.
B)chlorine and sulfur.
C)calcium and sulfur.
D)chlorine and sodium.

Question 36

When precipitation at the ocean surface exceeds evaporation, the salinity of seawater

A)increases.
B)decreases.
C)stays the same.

Question 37

When a wave moves, the water

A)moves along with the wave.
B)follows a straight up and down path.
C)follows a roughly circular path.
D)moves with the wave to a depth of one-half the wavelength, while deeper water follows a circular orbit.

Question 38

One of the results of wave refraction is that

A)wave energy is concentrated at headlands that project into the water.
B)wave energy is concentrated in the recessed parts of the coast between headlands.
C)sediment is deposited in the vicinity of headlands, making them larger.
D)wave energy is dissipated before the waves reach the shoreline.

Question 39

Water movement in a wave in the surf zone is characterized by

A)steepened wave height and longer wavelength.
B)steepened wave height and shorter wavelength.
C)a surfable wave crest and increased wavelength.
D)shallow water depth and a steepened long wavelength.

Question 40

Where do the ocean's salts originate?

Question 41

Sand spits are formed from sand

A)carried along the coast by longshore transport.
B)swept up from the seafloor and heaped up along the shore by wave action.
C)swept up from the continental rise.
D)swept into a heap by tidal currents.

Question 42

The main reason ocean tides exist is that the pull of the Moon

A)and Sun are in conjunction at high tides and in opposition at low tides.
B)is greater on oceans closer to the Moon and less on oceans farther from the Moon.
C)is greater on Earth because the Moon is closer to Earth.
D)and the Sun on the oceans are in opposite directions.
E)none of these

Question 43

There are no tides to be seen in the community swimming pool because

A)gravitation on the small mass of water is negligibly small.
B)it is shallow compared to the ocean.
C)all parts of it are practically the same distance from the Moon.
D)they are masked by the much stronger pull of Earth's gravity.
E)But there are, at nighttime.

Question 44

If the Moon were covered with water, tidal effects by Earth would find the Moon with

A)1 tidal bulge.
B)2 tidal bulges.
C)3 tidal bulges.
D)4 tidal bulges.
E)no tidal bulges.

Question 45

Which pulls on the oceans of Earth with the greater force?

A)The Moon.
B)The Sun.
C)The Sun and the Moon both pull the same.

Question 46

Warm climates favor carbonate deposition because carbonates dissolve more easily in cold water than in warm water. Name two types of carbonate depositional environments.

Question 47

Suppose the Moon had twice as much mass as it does now and still orbits Earth at the same distance. In that case, the ocean bulges on Earth would be

A)larger.
B)smaller.
C)unequal in size.
D)not significantly different.
E)none of these

Question 48

For lunar tides to occur in the human body,

A)most of the body would have to be in the liquid state.
B)Earth's gravitation would have to be incredibly small.
C)parts of the body would have to be appreciably closer to the Moon than other parts.
D)but there are lunar tides in the body, as evidenced by women's monthly menstrual cycles.
E)none of these

Question 49

Tidal forces in general are the result of

A)two or more sources of gravitation.
B)a combination of any kind of forces acting on a body.
C)unequal forces acting on different parts of a body.
D)the inverse-square law.
E)unequal fluid flow.

Question 50

Which would have the greater effect on Earth's ocean tides-a Moon with a greater diameter, or Earth with an increased diameter? Explain.

Question 51

Which of the following shoreline features does not belong in association with the others?

A)Sea stack
B)Sea caves
C)Spit
D)Sea arch

Question 52

Which is most responsible for the ocean tides?

A)The Moon.
B)The Sun.
C)Both contribute equally.

Question 53

Along the open ocean, barrier islands are zones of

A)relatively quiet waters.
B)intense erosion.
C)intense vegetation growth.
D)surf resistant sand ridges.

Question 54

The Sun exerts almost 200 times more force on the oceans of the Earth than the Moon does. Why then, is the Moon more effective in raising tides?

Question 55

Identify erosional features of the shoreline. Identify depositional features of the shoreline.

Question 56

The best time for digging clams (when low tide is extra low)is during the time of the

A)new or full moon.
B)half moon.
C)quarter moon.
D)none of these times.

Question 57

If the Moon were four times as massive but twice as far from Earth, high tides on Earth would be

A)higher.
B)lower.
C)no different.

Question 58

The most common depositional shoreline feature is a

A)beach.
B)wave-cut platform.
C)barrier island.
D)seamount.

Question 59

What is the most common depositional feature created by the work of the oceans?

Question 60

With respect to the stars, the Moon

A)circles the Earth.
B)and the Earth circle each other.
C)remains stationary while the Earth circles about it.
D)does not rotate about its own axis as the Earth does.

Question 61

The extremely hot temperature of the thermosphere has very little significance because

A)the dense air molecules in this region move too quickly to absorb much solar radiation.
B)there is very little ozone in the air to absorb the solar radiation.
C)there are not enough air molecules and atoms colliding with one another to generate heat energy.
D)the thermosphere is very far from Earth's surface.

Question 62

The lower atmosphere is directly warmed

A)by incoming solar radiation.
B)by the emission of terrestrial radiation.
C)from the weight of the atmosphere above.
D)by the absorption of terrestrial radiation.

Question 63

Your ears "pop" when you ascend to higher altitudes because

A)air pressure is greater at higher altitudes.
B)air temperature is lower at higher altitudes.
C)air pressure is lower at higher altitudes.
D)air is dryer at higher altitudes.

Question 64

The ionosphere is an electrified ion-rich area

A)in the uppermost troposphere.
B)where atoms lose their electrons and are negatively charged.
C)where air density and solar radiation is low.
D)within the uppermost mesosphere and thermosphere .

Question 65

At lower elevations the air is generally

A)warm and heavy.
B)warm and light.
C)cool and heavy.
D)cool and light.

Question 66

Temperature decreases with altitude in the

A)troposphere.
B)stratosphere.
C)thermosphere.
D)all of these

Question 67

The tilt of Earth's axis greatly affects the

A)change of Earth's seasons.
B)hours of daylight.
C)intensity of sunlight that reaches Earth's surface.
D)distribution of heat energy, hours of daylight, and the change in seasons.

Question 68

Why do your ears pop when you ascend to higher altitudes? Explain.

Question 69

The angle of the Sun's rays striking Earth's surface greatly affects the

A)Earth's seasons.
B)equatorial and polar regions.
C)intensity of solar energy received at Earth's surface.
D)distribution of solar energy -from the poles to the equator, hours of daylight, and the seasons.

Question 70

The layers of Earth's atmosphere, from top to bottom, are the

A)troposphere, stratosphere, ozonosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere, and exosphere.
B)exosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere.
C)exosphere, ionosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, ozonosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere.
D)troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and the exosphere.

Question 71

The ionosphere is an electrified ion-rich area

A)within the stratosphere and uppermost thermosphere.
B)where atoms lose their electrons and become negatively charged.
C)where nitrogen and oxygen atoms gain electrons and become positively charged.
D)where atoms lose their electrons and become positively charged.

Question 72

The temperature of the mesosphere decreases from 0°C at the bottom to -90°C at the top. This change in temperature is a result of

A)a decrease in air pressure.
B)low absorption of solar radiation-air molecules emit more energy than they absorb.
C)low air density.
D)all of these

Question 73

Going from Earth's surface up toward space, the atmospheric layers are the troposphere,

A)stratosphere, ionosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
B)stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
C)stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere, exosphere, and thermosphere.
D)thermosphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and exosphere.

Question 74

Air temperature and pressure with increasing elevation and as you approach sea level.

A)decrease; increase
B)increases; decreases
C)cools and thins; warms and thins
D)cools and becomes denser; warms and becomes more dense

Question 75

The ozone layer is a region within the

A)troposphere.
B)stratosphere.
C)mesosphere.
D)ionosphere.

Question 76

The ionosphere

A)is produced by the action of solar radiation and atmospheric atoms.
B)consists of ozone ions.
C)reflects solar ultraviolet and atmospheric atoms.
D)occurs at roughly the same altitude as high clouds.

Question 77

At lower elevations the air is generally

A)warm and heavy.
B)warm and light.
C)cool and heavy.
D)cool and light.

Question 78

Temperature increases with altitude in the

A)troposphere.
B)thermosphere.
C)mesosphere.
D)all of these

Question 79

In which atmospheric layer does all our weather occur?

Question 80

The atmosphere is divided into several layers. The troposphere is the

A)lowest and thickest layer, where Earth's weather occurs.
B)lowest and thinnest layer, where Earth's weather occurs.
C)atmosphere's third and thickest layer.
D)lowest and least dense layer in the atmosphere, where Earth's weather occurs.