Q&A Hero

Q: The Bermuda high is a large, persistent high pressure system centered roughly on the island of Bermuda in the mid-Atlantic, hence the name. Air circulates clockwise around high pressure systems because of the Coriolis effect. Is there any connection between Atlantic ocean currents and this weather feature? A) No, the North Atlantic Ocean circulation is counterclockwise, like all Northern Hemisphere gyres. B) No, north Atlantic circulation is clockwise, but the connections to the Bermuda high circulation are only circumstantial; the ocean circulation is a bigger feature. C) Yes, north Atlantic circulation is approximately the same as the long term average circulation of the Bermuda high. D) Yes, they are crudely correlated, but the weather systems are so chaotic that the correlation is not meaningful.

Q: Coastal California is famous for fog and smog (fog mixed with smoke). Why is the California coast foggy/smoggy, whereas Houston, Texas, which is at similar latitude, might get occasional smog from too many cars, but fog is relatively rare? A) Cold currents along the Texas coast inhibit fog, whereas the ocean is warm off California. B) The ocean is warm off the Texas coast, but a cold current running offshore California generates fog when the cold, moist air is drawn ashore by a sea breeze. C) There isn't really any fog; it is all just smog from too many cars in California. D) Warm air in Texas rises to make clouds and not fog, whereas in California cold water from the ocean mixes with warm water from the land to generate fog.

Q: Why is it warmer in most of Europe than in northern California even though both are on the east side of an ocean and Europe is at higher latitude than California? A) California is affected by a cold offshore current, whereas Europe has the warm north Atlantic current, the continuation of the Gulf Stream. B) California weather is affected by the coastal mountains, which hold cold air along the west coast. C) Californians are just wimps; it really is warmer than Europe. D) The famous California surf stirs up the surface water, bringing deeper colder ocean water to the surface.

Q: When Europeans first came to the new world they would typically sail south and west to Canary Islands, then sail west to get to the West Indies and Spanish main. On their return, however, they would go north to the "Leeward Islands" of the Caribbean, to the Bahamas, Bermuda, etc. Why did they take this odd route rather than sail straight? A) The ships were affected by the Coriolis effect, so this was the natural route. B) Although this route was against the ocean currents, it followed the prevailing wind direction so sailing ships could follow this route downwindhence the name "Leeward Islands." C) They were attempting to follow the shortest distance, via what is called a great circle route. D) This route followed both the prevailing winds and ocean currents, speeding the trip despite longer distances.

Q: Because of the Coriolis effect, surface ocean currents are deflected to the ________ of their path of motion in the Northern Hemisphere. A) right B) left C) west D) east

Q: A poleward-moving ocean current is ________. A) warm B) cold C) warm only in the Northern Hemisphere D) warm only in the Southern Hemisphere

Q: The energy that drives surface ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream comes from ________. A) salinity variations B) Coriolis effect C) prevailing winds D) density differences

Q: At high latitudes the thermocline is ________. A) narrower than at low latitudes B) wider than at low latitudes C) about the same as at low latitudes D) There is no thermocline at high latitudes. E) There is no thermocline at low latitudes.

Q: Temperatures in the deep oceans are ________ at low latitudes compared to high latitudes. A) higher B) lower C) about the same D) highly variable E) very constant

Q: Thermoclines in the ocean are best developed at ________. A) lower latitudes B) higher latitudes C) both high and low latitudes D) regions close to continents

Q: The thermocline or area of rapid temperature change in the ocean is important because ________. A) different chemical compositions form at different temperatures B) it forms a barrier to many types of marine life that can only exist within certain temperature ranges C) the ability for the ocean to dissolve CO2 from the atmosphere is dependent on temperature over a range of depths. D) it controls the climate and rate of evaporation and precipitation near the oceans. E) none of the above

Q: In tropical regions the surface temperature of the oceans is high but decreases rapidly with depth between 300 and 1000 meters because ________. A) rapidly upwelling cold currents occur in these regions B) cold water from the polar regions flows just below the surface C) volcanic activity on the seafloor is rare in the tropics D) sunlight cannot penetrate much below the surface of the oceans E) tropical regions are areas of high rainfall and this rapidly lowers the temperature of seawater

Q: Seawater has become more acidic since the industrial revolution and this is commonly attributed to ________. A) the increase in CO2 being put into the atmosphere and then absorbed into the oceans. B) the loss of calcite-secreting organisms and reef-builders in the oceans due to pollution. C) a decrease in the amount of base compounds to neutralize the natural acids in seawater D) human dumping of large quantities of waste materials into the oceans that increase the acid content of the water E) global climate change, which is changing the temperature of seawater and producing a related change in the water chemistry

Q: The Atlantic Ocean is saltier than the other oceans on Earth because ________. A) it spans all of the latitudes B) it is getting smaller and this decrease the surface area for salt to evaporate. C) it is getting larger, and this increases the area where salt can flow into the ocean D) it has less rainfall and runoff and more evaporation than other oceans E) it has more rainfall and runoff and less evaporation than other oceans

Q: Between 25 and 35 latitude, salinity is likely to be ________. A) high B) low C) average D) seasonally variable

Q: Salinity in the ocean is highest in regions where ________ is high and ________ is low. A) evaporation; precipitation B) precipitation; evaporation C) temperature; evaporation D) precipitation; temperature

Q: Which of the following is not a process that removes dissolved components from seawater? A) evaporation B) chemical precipitation C) organisms building hard parts D) hydrothermal activity E) All of the above remove components from seawater.

Q: Scientists infer that chemical weathering of crustal rocks is not the only source of some minerals, such as chlorine, bromine, sulfur, and boron because ________. A) those minerals have the wrong isotopic composition for weathering products of crustal rocks B) there are more of those minerals in the oceans than can be derived from crustal rocks alone C) some of the minerals are only found in meteorites and must have an extraterrestrial source D) the minerals are highly reactive and are not found as compounds that would come from crustal material E) none of the above

Q: The dissolved materials in seawater are thought to originate from chemical weathering of rocks on the continents and also from ________. A) organisms B) evaporation of fresh water C) erosion D) outgassing of elements from Earth's interior E) meteorites

Q: The most abundant salt in seawater is ________. A) KCl B) MgCl2 C) NaCl D) SiO2

Q: The proportion of dissolved substances in seawater is expressed as 0/00, which is the same as ________. A) parts per hundred B) parts per thousand C) parts per million D) parts per billion

Q: The total amount of solid material dissolved in water is known as ________. A) load B) salinity C) solute D) insoluble residue

Q: The average salinity of seawater is ________. A) 0.01% B) 0.27% C) 3.5% D) 19.8% E) 30.0%

Q: Ocean life appears to be affected by a relatively small number of variables such as temperature, density, available sunlight, available nutrients. If any one of these variables changes how do you think it might it impact the human food web?

Q: What is the relationship of marine life zones to the distance from a given shoreline? Briefly discuss the factors that control or cause these different zones. Where are these factors on Figure 14.12 below and is one factor more important than the others?

Q: Discuss variations in temperature and density of seawater with depth in the oceans. Please use Figure 14.3 to help with your discussion. What are the key factors that influence or control temperature and density? Are these variations the same worldwide or are they specific to certain regions? Explain.

Q: ________ level refers to each of the feeding stages in the food chain.

Q: The ________ zone refers to areas of the ocean, regardless of depth, where animals swim or float freely.

Q: The ________ zone refers to the area where the land and ocean meet and overlap.

Q: Marine organisms are influenced by a variety of physical oceanographic factors including ________, ________, and ________.

Q: Clams, sponges, and crabs are all examples of ________ organisms.

Q: Among plankton, animals that drift on ocean currents are specifically known as ________.

Q: ________ refers to the mass of all living organisms on Earth.

Q: ________ include all organisms that drift with ocean currents.

Q: The pycnocline is a rapid change in ________ with depth in the ocean.

Q: Which has more of an impact on density in the oceans in general, temperature or salinity?

Q: Which is more dense, seawater or freshwater?

Q: ________ refers to the change in temperature with depth in the ocean.

Q: ________ refers to the total amount of dissolved materials in water.

Q: Only about 2 % of the light energy absorbed by algae is ultimately synthesized into food and made available to herbivores.

Q: Large Blue whales that are up to 30 meters long live primarily on krill that is only about 6 cm long.

Q: Most of the energy that is consumed is passed on to the next trophic level so there is no need for a huge biomass in some areas.

Q: Feeding stages in the food chain are known as trophic levels.

Q: Productivity in the oceans is highest in tropical regions.

Q: Salinity is the most important factor in the process of photosynthesis.

Q: The open ocean, regardless of depth, where animals swim or float freely is called the abyssal zone.

Q: The neritic zone is where the land and ocean meet and overlap.

Q: The aphotic zone is the near-surface zone of the ocean where light is strong enough for photosynthesis to occur.

Q: The upper part of the ocean into which sunlight penetrates is called the photic zone.

Q: Clams, sponges, and other bottom-dwelling animals are called benthos organisms.

Q: Plankton are organisms that swim freely in the ocean.

Q: The density of seawater is controlled by temperature and salinity.

Q: Thermoclines in the ocean are best developed at lower latitudes.

Q: Halite (sodium chloride) is the most abundant salt found in seawater.

Q: Salinity refers to all of the solid materials in seawater, both dissolved and visible.

Q: Seawater contains all of the natural occurring elements on earth.

Q: Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the pattern. photic zone intertidal zone neritic zone oceanic zone

Q: Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the pattern. plankton nekton neritic benthos

Q: Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the pattern. sodium chloride magnesium chloride sodium sulfate carbon dioxide

Q: The advantage for fishers to choose a population that feeds close to the primary producing population is that ________. A) it is easier to recover more biomass from the fish because they have not wasted energy swimming after food B) there will be a bigger variety of food available in those locations because there will be several trophic levels available C) they will be close to shore so it is easier to fish those regions D) energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient and this will increase the available biomass E) none of the above

Q: Organisms that feed through a food web instead of a food chain are more likely to survive because ________. A) there is more biomass in a food web than in a food chain B) food webs may contain organisms from different trophic levels C) if a member of the food web diminishes in availability, there are still many other things to eat D) the variety of food in a web is healthier so the organisms are more likely to live a long time

Q: In the food chain, each feeding stage is called a ________ level. A) trophic B) bios C) replenishment D) none of these

Q: What limits productivity in polar regions? A) low temperatures of the surface waters B) high density of the surface waters C) The thermocline acts as a barrier to mixing of surface and deep waters. D) the lack of sunlight year round E) all of the above

Q: Why is productivity low in tropical regions? A) because there is too much sunlight B) because the low density of the water makes it hard for plankton to float near the surface C) because the thermocline acts as a barrier to the mixing of surface and deep waters D) because the deep waters are too warm to maintain a healthy biomass E) All of the above are problems.

Q: Productivity is the amount of carbon fixed by organisms through the synthesis of organic matter using energy derived from ________ and ________. A) chemosynthesis, photosynthesis B) chemosynthesis, hydrothermal C) photosynthesis, hydrothermal D) hydrothermal, available nutrients E) none of these

Q: Productivity is highest in ________. A) polar oceans B) tropical oceans C) temperate oceans D) none of the above

Q: Productivity in temperate oceans is determined by ________. A) latitude B) seasons C) ocean currents D) all of these

Q: Major fisheries are concentrated in the neritic zone (above the continental shelf) because of all of the following except ________. A) there is an abundance of sunlight to support photosynthesis B) there are rapid changes in oxygen concentrations, temperature, and salinity that encourage diversity C) nutrients wash in from land D) the sea bottom provides shelter and habitat

Q: Hydrothermal vents provide a unique deep sea environment that supports abundant life because ________. A) the hydrothermal vents support photosynthesis so there is abundant food B) the density of the seawater is less and this allows organisms more mobility C) the heat from the hydrothermal vents provides a more hospitable environment to support life D) food carried in the hydrothermal fluids provides a hospitable environment to support abundant life

Q: On the deep seafloor, organisms are widely distributed ________. A) because there is little variation and no photosynthesis B) to avoid predators C) because they have eaten most of their near neighbors D) because it is too cold to move and reproduction is slow

Q: Seaweed (large marine algae) grows in shallow coastal regions because ________. A) they feed on the organisms washed into the ocean from nearby land B) they require fresh water to reproduce C) there is more sunlight reaching the seafloor in those regions D) the surf is an important part of their mobility

Q: Fish most commonly live ________. A) in the deepest parts of the ocean B) near islands and continents C) far from islands and continents D) in the upper part of the oceans E) in the thermoclines

Q: ________ organisms live on or in the ocean bottom. A) Nektonic B) Planktonic C) Scavenging D) Benthonic E) none of these

Q: One disadvantage to living near the surface of the ocean is ________. A) strong currents bring rapid changes to the environment B) maneuvering in the water can be difficult and make it a problem to avoid predators C) waves create difficulty in finding abundant food D) too many other marine organisms live near the surface so competition for food is difficult.

Q: Most marine animals live near the surface of the ocean because of ________, which supports photosynthesis by marine algae that form the basis of the food chain. A) sunlight B) air C) warmer temperatures D) thermocline

Q: Animals capable of moving independent of the ocean currents, by swimming or other means of propulsion, are called ________. A) nekton B) plankton C) benthos organisms D) biomass

Q: Organisms, such as algae and bacteria, that drift with ocean currents are known as ________. A) nekton B) plankton C) benthos organisms D) biomass E) none of these

Q: Density in seawater is determined by ________. A) temperature B) salinity C) both temperature and salinity D) none of these

Q: The deep zone makes up about 80% of the ocean waters and it is characterized by ________. A) water that gradually decreases in temperature and density with depth B) water that gradually increases in temperature and density with depth C) water that gradually increases in temperature and decreases in density with depth D) water that gradually decreases in temperature and increases in density with depth E) water with relatively uniform temperature and density throughout

Q: The surface mixed zone is characterized by ________. A) nearly constant temperatures to a depth of about 300 meters B) a rapid change from warm temperatures on top to cold temperatures at a depth of about 300 meters C) high density water near the surface that rapidly decreases in density with depth D) low density water near the surface that rapidly increases in density with depth E) a mixture of temperatures and densities to a depth of about 300 to 450 meters depth.