Science, Technology and Public Affairs 35

Society and the Sea, Fall 1998

Exam 1, Thursday, October 29, 1998

 

(closed book - closed notes, answer all questions-no penalty for guessing)

 

Multiple choice--circle your answer

 

1. Matthew Fountaine Maury is best known for: (a) erroneous theory of deep-ocean biology, (b) exploration of the Pacific and Antarctica, (c) early map of the Gulf Stream, (d) development of the chronometer, (e) contributions to the science of oceanography.

 

2. Benjamin Franklin mapped the Gulf Stream to (a) locate new fishing grounds, (b) speed mail ship transits, (c) purely scientific purposes, (d) develop new trade routes for the colonies.

 

3. The Challenger Expedition was organized (a) for scientific exploration, (b) to develop new trade routes, (c) to map submarine cable routes, (d) for naval defense purposes.

 

4. Fisheries research was supported in the nineteenth century in order to (a) develop new markets for fish, (b) protect fish stocks, (c) improve quality of fish products, (d) develop means of culturing fish.

 

5. Chinese ocean expeditions in the Ming Dynasty were intended for (a) conquest, (b) religious purposes, (c) trading, (d) glory of China.

 

6. The Law of the Sea Conference DID NOT result in: (a) Exclusive Economic Zones, (b) the doctrine of mare liberum, (c) restriction of right of passage through straits.

 

7. The hypsometric curve shows one of the following (a) Profile of typical ocean bottom topography, (b) Relative abundance of land elevations and oceanic depths, (c) Formation of shoreline features, (d) none of the above.

 

8. Continental blocks and their submerged margins constitute what percentage of earth's surface? (a) 29.2 (b) 70.8 (c) 40.7 (d) 59.3 (e) 23.1

 

9. The average depth of the entire world ocean is about (a) 3800 meters, (b) 2430 meters, (d) 300 meters, (e) 5000 meters.

 

10. Which of the following statements is NOT correct? (a) The East Pacific Rise is extremely rugged. (b) The MidAtlantic Ridge has a conspicuous rift valley. (c) The MidIndian Ridge resembles the MidAtlantic Ridge. (d) Midocean ridges surround Antarctica.

 

11. Island arc systems are NOT commonly associated with one of the following: (a) Abundant atolls, (b) Deep-focus earthquakes, (c) Trenches, (d) Active volcanoes, (e) Mountain building.

 

12. Which is the most important source of energy for plate tectonics? (a) earthquakes, (b) the sun, (c) radioactive decay of materials in the earth's interior, (d) hurricanes.

 

13. Continental crust rocks have a composition resembling (a) limestone, (b) granite, (c) basalt, (d) sandstone.

 

14. The place on the earth's surface directly above the location of an earthquake is (a) focus, (b) epicenter, (c) Moho, (d) zenith.

 

15. Midocean ridges have high heat flows because of (a) frequent earthquakes, (b) frequent volcanic activity, (c) they mark plate boundaries, (d) they are shallow parts of the ocean floor.

 

16. Deep-focus earthquakes are most common near (a) Continental margins, (b) Trenches, (c) Volcanoes, (d) Mid-Ocean ridges, (e) Transform faults.

 

17. Hawaii: (a) piece of continent that broke off, (b) coral reefs, (c) top of actively forming mountain chain at plate margin, (d) built up by volcano over hot spot in middle of lithospheric plate.

 

18. Most of the earth's active volcanoes are located (a) in central regions of continents, (b) at plate margins, (c) in high latitude areas, (d) near major rivers.

 

19. The theory of isostasy explains the (a) recurrence of glacial periods, (b) relative elevation of mountains, (c) origin of life, (d) formation of the earth.

 

20 A radioactive substance with a halflife of 1000 years will (a) totally disappear in 1000 years, (b) lose half its radioactivity in 1000 years, (c) explode in 1000 years, (d) have its original radioactivity but lost half its weight after 1000 years.

 

21. Seismic surveys reveal a salt dome located 300 miles off the shore of nation X and 150 miles off the shore of nation Y. To whom does this resource belong? (a) The UN petroleum commission, (b) nation X, (c) nation Z that discovered it, (d) nation Y.

 

22. Japan: (a) piece of continent that broke off, (b) coral reefs, (c) top of actively forming mountain chain at plate margin, (d) formed by build up by volcano at mid-ocean ridge, (e) build up by volcano over hot spot in middle of lithospheric plate.

 

23. Which is the best definition for the density of an object? (a) the quantity of matter in the object, (b) the ratio of mass to volume of the object, (c) the amount of space the object occupies, (d) the ratio of volume to the mass of the object.

 

24. As the temperature of a gas increases, its density (a) remains the same, (b) increases, (c) decreases.

 

25. Changes in state of a substance involve (a) loss of energy, (b) gain of energy, (c) either gain or loss of energy, (c) no gain or loss of energy.

 

26. Ocean basin rocks are most typically: (a) basaltic rock, (b) thick accumulations of sedimentary rocks, (c) rocks having densities around 2.8 grams per cubic centimeter, (d) large volumes of granitic materials, (e) virtually no volcanic rocks.

 

27. Which of the following best describes the Pacific Ocean? (a) shallowest ocean basin, (b) receives discharges of the largest rivers, (c) contains most of the world's trenches, (d) has very few islands, (e) little mountain building.

 

28. As you are passing 75 E longitude, you realize that it is your boy/girlfriend's birthday. It is 0100 (local time) and you know that Philadelphia is at about 75 W longitude. What time is it in Philadelphia? (a) 0800 (b) 1300 (c) 2000 (d) 0001 (e) 1500.

 

29. Rings are commonly observed associated with: (a) western boundary currents (b) eastern boundary currents (c) equatorial currents (d) monsoon currents.

 

30. Which of the following is NOT typical of equatorial regions? a) little seasonal change in temperature (less than 2 C) (b) incoming radiation exceeds outgoing radiation (c) area of net evaporation (d) daily temperature changes dominate.

 

31. Manganese nodules are most common: a) in areas of rapid sediment accumulation (b) near the mouth of major rivers (c) in deep ocean bottom far from land (d) in the bottom of trenches (e) none of the above.

 

Short answer

32.

a. Using sketches, describe how the San Diego Municipal sewage outfall prevents city waste water from getting to the beach?

The wastewater density is less than seawater density, but the diffuser at the end causes mixing with dense bottom water, so the mixture density is greater than the surface seawater density and is trapped as a plume about 60 ft. below the surface.

b. Where is the water injected into the ocean (distance from the shore and depth)?

5 miles off shore at 330 ft. depth

c. Are such ocean outfall systems used on the East coast (if not why not)?

No, because the East coast is passive, so the continental shelf is 100 miles from shore. The pipe would be too long to be practical.

 

33. Why do Pacific islands occur in long chains?

The Pacific plate moves over hot spots which punch through the plate to form a sequence, or chain, of volcanic islands.

 

34. List three items of evidence supporting the theory of plate tectonics.

1. Continents fit together as a jig saw puzzle 2. Fossils match across Atlantic 3. Glaciation patterns match across the Atlantic 4. Bottom rock are less than 200 million years old 5. Magnetic anomaly patterns match across oceanic ridges etc.

 

35. What have you chosen for your term project? Give a brief synopsis of your plan.

Plans given seem fine.