Oceanography Mid-term Test

Topics included: Introduction to Oceanography, Origins, Math Computations, Mapping and Hurricanes

Please put all answers on the answer sheet. Do not mark on the test copy.

Multiple choice. Select the best answer to each of the following questions.

  1. What is the mean (average) of the following set of numbers? (2, 8, 4, 6, 5)
  2. 7 b. 5 c. 6.5 d. 10
  3. What is the scientific notation for the following number? 378, 000, 000
  4. 378,000 x 10 b. 3.78 x 10 4 c. 3.78 x 10 8 d. 378

Use the graph above to answer the following questions.

  1. If location 1 is the farthest point from shore and distance 4 is the location closest to the shore, which of the following is a correct statement?
  2. Wave height increases as you get farther from shore.
  3. Waves are the same height no matter how close or how far you are from the shore.
  4. Wave height increases as you get closer to the shore.
  5. The highest waves are near sandbars.
  6. The approximate wave height at location 4 is ………….
  7. 4 meters b. 5 meters c. 10 meters d. 11 meters
  8. Which location has the shortest waves?
  9. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4
  10. What percent is 0.0145?
  11. 1.45% b. 14.5% c. 145% d. 0.145%
  12. Donald has 8 marbles. He trades 3 of them for a candy bar. What percent of Donald’s marbles did he trade?
  13. 25% b. 37.5% c. 50% d. 72.5%
  14. The theory by which researchers believe the universe began is called…..
  15. The Supernova Event c. The Big Bang
  16. Biosynthesisd. The Oxygen Revolution
  17. The clumping together of left over debris to form planets is called …..
  18. Gravity b. Nuclear Fusion c. Accretion d. Biosynthesis
  19. Stars are formed in clouds of gas and dust which are called….
  20. Novas b. Galaxies c. Protoplanets d. Nebulae
  21. Which of the following best describes the process known as “outgassing”?
  22. Trapped gas escaping the interior of the earth to form an atmosphere.
  23. Solar flares giving of gas which travels to planets to form an atmosphere
  24. Exhaust from hydrothermal vents deep on the ocean floor to form the first living cells.
  25. Steam from lava as it spills into ocean water along the Hawaii coast.
  26. Which of the following statements is true regarding the first living cells?
  27. The first living cells probably formed near hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor.
  28. The first living cells were heterotrophs.
  29. The first living cells were similar to bacteria.
  30. All of the above are true.
  31. The “Oxygen Revolution” refers to which of the following?
  32. Autotrophs changed Earth’s atmosphere by producing oxygen through photosynthesis.
  33. Heterotrophs changed Earth’s atmosphere by producing carbon dioxide through respiration.
  34. Outgassing from volcanoes during Earth’s protoplanet stage put oxygen into the atmosphere.
  35. Oxygen is released from the sun through nuclear fusion.
  36. Earth’s core is metal, the crust is lighter rock and the atmosphere is gases. This layering according to relative heaviness is called:
  37. Formation stratificationc. Rock layering
  38. Rock pilingd. Density stratification

Use the map below to answer the following questions.

  1. New Orleans is located about:
  2. 30 N and 90 Wc. 35 N and 85 W
  3. 45 N and 70 Wd. 30 S and 90 E
  4. Denver is located at about
  5. 40 N and 115 Wc. 40 N and 100 W
  6. 40 N and 105 Wd. 40 N and 105 E
  7. Newark is
  8. West of the Prime Meridianc. west of the Equator
  9. East of the Prime Meridiand. north of the Prime Meridian

  1. The continental United States covers approximately which of the following?
  2. 25 N to 50 N and 65 W to 125 W
  3. 30 N to 45 N and 70 W to 120 W
  4. 0 to 35 N and 0 to 90 W
  5. 0 to 90 N and 0 to 180 W
  6. The measure of how far north or south a place is from the equator is:
  7. Latitude b. Longitude c. Prime Meridian d. International Date Line
  8. The measure of how far east or west of the Prime Meridian a place is located is:
  9. Latitude b. Longitude c. Prime Meridian d. International Date Line
  10. The longitude of a place or how far it is from the Prime Meridian affects:
  11. The time zone a place is inb. How much rainfall a place receives
  12. The climate of the aread. How many hours of light or dark a place receives
  13. Which of the following is an example of non-point pollution?
  14. Fertilizer on a lawnc. Oil leaking from a car in a parking lot
  15. Pesticide runoff from cropsd. All of these are non-point pollution
  16. The calm center of a hurricane is called ….
  17. the eye b. the epicenter c. the focus d. the mark
  18. The greatest damage from a hurricane and the greatest loss of life is due to
  19. High winds b. Excessive rain c. Storm surge d. Flying debris
  20. Hurricane force is measured using the …..
  21. Beaufort wind scalec. Richter scale
  22. Saffir-Simpson scaled. Celsius scale
  23. Which hurricane is the strongest and most damaging?
  24. Category 1 b. Category 10 c. Category 4 d. Category 120
  25. The track or pathway of a hurricane is….
  26. a straight line b. a circle c. a parabola d. a triangle
  27. The peak of hurricane season is….
  28. early spring b. late summer c. mid winter d. Christmas time
  29. Atlantic hurricanes typically form off the west coast of….
  30. South America b. Iceland c. Africa d. Europe
  31. In the Pacific Ocean a hurricane is called a…..
  32. Willi-willi b. Typhoon c. Water spout d. Cyclone

Short Answer.

  • List 6 functions of the ocean.
  • Briefly outline the origin of the universe, star, planet, atmosphere, ocean and first life on planet Earth
  • Explain the economic costs of a category 4 hurricane such as Hurricane Katrina. Remember what you saw on the “Inside Hurricane Katrina” dvd.