Approximately what percentage of the surface of Earth is covered by oceans?
Definition
71%
Term
Which ocean is the deepest on Earth?
Definition
pacific ocean
Term
(True/False)
The deepest spot in the ocean is deeper than Mount Everest is high.
Definition
true
Term
(True/False)
All the continents could fit into the space occupied by the Pacific Ocean.
Definition
True
Term
Based on the scientific method, science supports the explanation of the natural world that _____________.
Definition
best explains all available observations
Term
The Age of Discovery was the time period in ocean exploration history when _____________.
Definition
the Western European world realized the vastness of Earth's water-covered surface
Term
Who began the voyage of the Victoria, the first vessel known to circumnavigate Earth?
Definition
Ferdinand Magellan
Term
The GPS system is a tool used for determining surface __________________.
Definition
location
Term
The most accurate scientific estimation of Earth's age is based on _____________.
Definition
radiometric methods of determining the age of rocks
Term
The cosmological model for the formation of the Sun and the rest of our solar system is called the ___________________.
Definition
nebular hypothesis
Term
The oceans are believed to have formed about _____________.
Definition
4 billion years ago
Term
(True/False)
The early oceans and atmosphere are thought to have come from inside Earth and were formed by a process called "outgassing."
Definition
True
Term
Which of the following statements concerning density stratification is FALSE?
Definition
Density stratification has caused our Earth to be homogeneous throughout.
Term
Of the following, which best describes the physical property of the asthenosphere?
Definition
plastic
Term
What physical property determines the order of Earth's layers?
Definition
density
Term
The vertical movement of crust to accommodate additional weight or removal of weight is called _____________.
Definition
isotatic adjustment
Term
Which of the following gases was not abundant from Earth's early atmosphere?
Definition
oxygen
Term
The naturalist Charles Darwin, who is credited with developing the theory of evolution by natural selection, suggested that the changes organisms display through time were the result of _____________.
Definition
adaptations to different environmental conditions
Term
What did Stanley Miller's 1952 experiment demonstrate?
Definition
Organic molecules could be created from the materials contained in Earth's early atmosphere and ocean.
Term
The subdivisions of the geologic time scale _____________.
Definition
were initially based on fossil evidence, extinctions, and boundaries of sedimentary rock units.
Term
Of the following events, which occurred during the Age of Discovery in Europe?
Definition
Ferdinand Magellan's crew completed the first circumnavigation of the globe.
Christopher Columbus made several trips across the Atlantic and discovered a "new world."
Term
In science, which one of the following would be considered an observation? Select only one answer.
Definition
Waves are seen to approach the beach at an angle.
Term
Which of the following would best describe the principal goal of science? Select only one answer.
Definition
[image]
to explain the causes and effects of observable natural phenomena
Term
Of the following statements related to the formation of a density-stratified Earth, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
Molten material will rise if it is less dense than the surrounding material.
[image]
Molten material will sink if it is more dense than the surrounding material.
[image]
Earth is layered based on density, with the highest-density material located at the deepest depths beneath Earth''s surface.
Term
Of the following statements about the internal structure of Earth, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
The lithosphere of Earth is made of both mantle and crust.
[image]
Earth''s internal layers can be described by their composition or by their physical properties.
Term
Of the following statements about the asthenosphere, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
The asthenosphere is a plastic layer that extends from the base of the lithosphere to a depth of about 700 kilometers (430 miles).
[image]
The asthenosphere is very hot and contains areas of partially molten rock.
Term
Of the following statements about Earth's crust, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust.
[image]
Continental crust is made of rock that is relatively light in color.
Term
Of the following statements about density stratification, which is/are true?
Definition
Outgassing is a direct result of density stratification.
[image]
Density stratification has caused Earth's internal structure to be layered.
[image]
Density stratification has caused the highest-density material to be found at Earth's core.
[image]
The origin of Earth's oceans and atmosphere are a result of density stratification.
Term
Based on the concept of isostatic adjustment, which of the following would result in the uplift of Earth''s surface?
Definition
[image]
lithosphere that was thickened by mountain building
[image]
lithosphere that was heated by hot asthenosphere
[image]
lithosphere that was less dense
Term
Which of the following ideas about the development of life on Earth make scientific sense?
Definition
[image]
The "prebiotic soup" of the primitive oceans provided a likely environment for life to develop.
[image]
Early organisms likely evolved into more complex organisms.
[image]
Primitive life likely existed without the need for oxygen.
[image]
As life developed on Earth, it began to significantly change Earth's environment.
Term
[image]
Definition
Columbus
[image] B.
Magellan
[image] A.
Term
[image]
Definition
Mantle
[image] B.
Asthenosphere
[image] F.
Outer core
[image] A.
Lithosphere
[image] C.
Inner core
[image] E.
Crust
[image] D.
Term
What was the main reason scientists objected to Alfred Wegener's idea of continental drift?
Definition
[image]
Wegener's proposed mechanism for movement was thought to violate the laws of physics.
Term
As a tool, paleomagnetism is a piece of modern evidence that has helped support plate tectonics by showing that ________________.
Definition
[image]
magnetic sea floor "stripes" are symmetric with respect to the mid-ocean ridge
Term
The East Pacific Rise is associated with which type of plate boundary?
Definition
[image]
divergent
Term
How is it that the floor of the ocean is so much younger than the ocean itself?
Definition
[image]
The ocean floor keeps regenerating itself.
Term
Plate boundaries where new oceanic crust is being added are called _____________.
Definition
[image]
divergent boundaries
Term
The faster the rate of spreading at the mid-ocean ridge or rise, the ________ the underwater volcanic mountain range.
Definition
[image]
broader (wider)
Term
(True/False)
Most lithospheric plates contain both oceanic and continental crust.
Definition
[image] True
Term
The Hawaiian Islands are associated with which type of plate boundary?
Definition
[image]
none of the above (The Hawaiian Islands are not associated with any plate boundary.)
Term
In general, where would the youngest ocean floor be found?
Definition
[image]
at the mid-ocean ridge
Term
What happens when an oceanic and a continental plate converge?
Definition
[image]
The oceanic plate will be subducted.
Term
What happens when two continental plates converge?
Definition
[image]
Neither subducts; instead, a mountain range forms.
Term
Your job is to locate the world's plate boundaries. To do this, you may use only one map. The best map to choose for this job is a map that shows the worldwide locations of ___________________.
Definition
[image]
earthquakes
Term
Which of the following is associated with a subduction zone?
Definition
[image]
a volcanic arc
Term
How much wider is the Atlantic Ocean today than when Christopher Columbus sailed? Assume that the Atlantic Ocean is getting wider at a rate of 3 centimeters per year (about 1 inch). (Round off the dates to the nearest century to make the calculation simpler.)
Definition
[image]
15 meters (about 49 feet)
Term
An ocean trench is associated with which type of plate boundary?
Definition
[image]
convergent
Term
The San Andreas Fault is associated with which type of plate boundary?
Definition
[image]
transform
Term
Along which of the following would you NOT expect to find active volcanic activity?
Definition
[image]
continental collision zone
Term
Which of the following tropical islands would likely be the youngest?
Definition
[image]
tropical island without a fringing reef
Term
What best describes the tectonic setting of the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest?
Definition
[image]
subduction zone
Term
Overall, the Atlantic Ocean basin is ________, and the Pacific Ocean basin is ________.
Definition
[image]
growing; shrinking
Term
Which of the following lines of evidence did Alfred Wegener use to support the concept of drifting continents?
Definition
[image]
the way the shapes of the continents fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle
[image]
the distribution of species of fossils
[image]
the pattern of similar mountain belts on different continents
[image]
evidence of glaciers in areas that are now tropical
Term
Which of the following is the main reason that Earth has a magnetic field? Select only one answer.
Definition
[image]
Convection in the liquid iron-nickel outer core generates a magnetic field.
Term
Why does the sea floor have a striped pattern of magnetic anomalies that is symmetric with respect to the mid-ocean ridge?
Definition
[image]
The ocean floor is spreading apart, and new sea floor is forming.
[image]
The igneous rock of the ocean floor preserves Earth's existing magnetic field as the rock cools.
[image]
The polarity of Earth's magnetic field experiences reversals.
Term
Of the following statements about Earth's magnetic field, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
The magnetic field is oriented vertical relative to Earth's surface at the south magnetic pole.
[image]
The magnetic field is oriented horizontal (parallel) to Earth's surface at the magnetic equator.
[image]
Earth's magnetic field has varying dips around the world that range from vertical to horizontal, depending on latitude.
[image]
he locations of Earth's magnetic poles have moved through time and have even reversed in polarity.
[image]
The magnetic field is oriented vertical relative to Earth's surface at the north magnetic pole.
Term
Of the following statements about sea floor magnetic anomalies, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
They are oriented parallel to the mid-ocean ridge.
Term
Of the following statements about ocean crust, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
Ocean crust is destroyed at deep sea trenches.
[image]
Ocean crust is created at the mid-ocean ridge.
Term
If ocean crust forms at a rate of 10 centimeters per year, how much ocean crust can be created in 20 million years? Select only one answer.
Definition
[image]
2000 kilometers
Term
What do all plate boundaries have in common? Select only one answer.
Definition
[image]
They are all associated with zones of earthquakes.
Term
Of the following statements about the age of the ocean crust, which one is true? Select only one answer.
Definition
[image]
The oldest ocean crust is about 200 million years old and is located near an ocean trench.
Term
Of the following statements about nemataths and volcanic arcs, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
In a volcanic arc, any of the volcanoes can be active at any time.
[image]
In a nematath, the age of the volcanoes progressively decreases as you move closer to the volcanic source.
[image]
A nematath is created by a hotspot.
[image]
Nemataths and volcanic arcs are both the result of volcanic activity.
[image]
A volcanic arc is associated with a convergent plate boundary.
Bathymetry involves the measurement of the ___________.
Definition
[image]
depth of the ocean floor below sea level
Term
Ocean depths are routinely determined by ___________.
Definition
[image]
sending sound through the water and determining the time required for it to return to the ship
Term
What happens to the ocean water over a seamount on the ocean floor when measured from a satellite?
Definition
[image]
The ocean water rises up to form a mound based on the mass of the seamount.
Term
If you could walk out away from shore across the sea floor on a passive continental margin, what is the order of provinces you would cross?
Definition
[image]
continental shelf, slope, and then the rise
Term
A small, rounded, submerged volcanic hill that rises less than 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) above the sea floor is called __________________.
Definition
[image]
abyssal hill
Term
Which of the following features is NOT associated with the crest of the mid-ocean ridge?
Definition
[image]
trenches
Term
Where would you expect to find well-developed continental shelves?
Definition
[image]
along passive continental margins
Term
The continental margin of the U.S. Atlantic coast is ____________ continental margin, and the continental margin off the west coast of South America is _____________ continental margin.
Definition
[image]
a passive; a convergent-active
Term
What process is primarily responsible for the formation of the continental rise along the East Coast of the United States?
Definition
[image]
deposition of sediment by turbidity currents as deep-sea fans
Term
Which of the following best describes a continental borderland?
Definition
[image]
a series of islands, shallow banks, and deep basins
Term
The steep transition zone between the outer edge of the continental shelf and the deep-ocean basin is called the ____________________.
Definition
[image]
continental slope
Term
(True/False)
Pillow lavas (pillow basalts) indicate that molten lava came in contact with water and cooled very quickly.
Definition
true
Term
(True/False)
The Andes Mountains, which are a tall mountain range along the west coast of South America, are associated with an active continental margin.
Definition
True
Term
(True/False)
Turbidity currents are highly erosive and are thought to be responsible for the creation of deep-sea trenches
Definition
False
Term
Where is the Ring of Fire located?
Definition
[image]
around the margins of the Pacific Ocean
Term
Which of the following statements concerning graded bedding deposits is FALSE?
Definition
[image]
They result from successive lava flows.
Term
Which of the following statements about submarine canyons is FALSE?
Definition
[image]
They are found only off mountainous coasts.
Term
Of the following, which is the best description of a sea floor hydrothermal vent?
Definition
[image]
a chimney that emits a column of hot, cloudy water formed from the precipitation of metal-rich minerals
Term
Why does the mid-ocean ridge have a zigzag appearance?
Definition
[image]
It accommodates spreading of a linear ridge system on a spherical Earth.
Term
Which of the following statements about fracture zones is FALSE?
Definition
[image]
They are transform plate boundaries.
Term
Of the following techniques, which one(s) can be used to map the sea floor?
Definition
[image]
direct visitation of the sea floor
[image]
using satellites to measure the sea surface
[image]
sending sound through water (sonar)
[image]
recording many depths using a long cable
Term
Measurement of ocean floor bathymetry from satellites relies on ___________. Select only one answer.
Definition
[image]
sea surface elevation, which varies depending on the shape of the underlying sea floor
Term
Of the following statements about mapping the ocean floor, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
Radar altimeters on satellites have collected data on sea surface elevation that help produce maps of the sea floor.
[image]
The ocean's great depth and opaque character have hindered mapping efforts.
[image]
Only a small percentage of the ocean floor has been mapped as accurately as the Moon.
[image]
There are large areas of the sea floor that remain unmapped by sonar.
Term
[image]
Definition
[image]
The hypsographic curve shows that the average depth of the ocean is about four times the average height of the continents.
[image]
The hypsographic curve shows that a majority of the exposed land is below 1 kilometer in elevation.
[image]
The hypsographic curve shows the percentage of Earth's surface area that is covered by ocean waters.
[image]
The hypsographic curve shows that a majority of the ocean floor is below 4 kilometers deep.
Term
Of the following items, which is/are associated with a passive continental margin?
Definition
[image]
turbidity currents, which are initiated here and flow down submarine canyons
[image]
a wide continental shelf
Term
What process(es) is/are involved in the formation of continental shelves?
Definition
[image]
deposition by waves
[image]
major climate changes, such as ice ages
[image]
erosion by waves
[image]
large fluctuations in sea level
Term
Of the following statements about turbidity currents, which is/are true?
Definition
[image]
Turbidity currents are highly erosive and carve submarine canyons.
[image]
The material carried by turbidity currents is what builds deep-sea fans.
[image]
Turbidity currents move sediment down the continental shelf and the continental slope to be deposited on the continental rise.
[image]
Turbidity currents are episodic events (they don't occur all the time but only every so often, like a flash flood).
Term
Sediments deposited by the process of suspension settling produce the main sediment found on ___________. Select only one answer.
Definition
abyssal plains
Term
Which of the following feature(s) is/are associated with the mid-ocean ridge?
Definition
[image]
hydrothermal vents
[image]
a central rift valley
[image]
basalt volcanism and pillow lavas
[image]
volcanoes
Term
The majority of ocean trenches are associated with ___________.
Definition
[image]
the Pacific Ring of Fire
[image]
subduction zones and associated faults
[image]
very deep ocean water depths
[image]
volcanic arcs and active continental margins
[image]
narrow or no continental shelves
Term
[image]
Definition
Ocean basin
[image] C.
Mid-ocean ridge
[image] A.
Continental margin
[image] B.
Term
[image]
Definition
Magma (heat source)
[image] A.
Black smoker
[image] B.
Metal sulfide deposits
[image] C.
Term
Lithogenous sediments are ___________.
Definition
[image]
made of material derived from pre-existing rock material
Term
Which of the following is the most fine-grained sediment?
Definition
[image]
abyssal clay
Term
All of the following are examples of sediment-transporting media EXCEPT ___________.
Definition
[image]
Levitation
Term
In sediments, what does the Wentworth scale describe?
Definition
[image]
grain size
Term
How is most sediment transported from the continental shelf out to the continental rise?
Definition
[image]
by turbidity currents
Term
Microscopic shells that create biogenous sediment on the sea floor are called ___________.
Definition
tests
Term
Beneath the calcite compensation depth (CCD), ___________.
Definition
[image]
calcium carbonate dissolves in seawater
Term
Calcareous ooze is associated with ________ surface water conditions, and siliceous ooze is associated with ________ surface water conditions.
Definition
[image]
warm; cool
Term
Which of the following statements about biogenous oozes is FALSE?
Definition
[image]
Biogenous oozes are created by underwater eruptions, which cover the sea floor with fine ash particles.
Term
Most chalk is made from ___________.
Definition
[image]
Coccoliths
Term
The only way for siliceous ooze to be preserved in the ocean is ___________.
Definition
[image]
to have it accumulate faster than it dissolves
Term
Because they tend to move downslope, most lithogenous sediments are deposited in abyssal plains.
Definition
[image] False
Term
The calcite compensation depth (CCD) represents the depth where wave action ceases to form calcareous oolites.
Definition
false
Term
Black volcanic beach sand is a type of hydrogenous sediment.
Definition
false
Term
Populations of microscopic marine organisms in ocean surface waters closely match their abundance in sediments on the ocean floor, even though it takes 10 to 50 years for an individual particle to sink to deep-ocean depths. What accounts for this pattern?
Definition
[image]
concentration of the particles in fecal pellets.
Term
Where are most modern-day calcareous oozes found in the ocean?
Definition
[image]
along the mid-ocean ridge beneath warm surface waters
Term
Which of the following statements about manganese nodules is FALSE?
Definition
[image]
Manganese nodules are a type of foraminifer.
Term
Which of the following is the most abundant component by weight for deep-ocean sediments?
Definition
clay
Term
Which of the following statements about the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) is FALSE?
Definition
[image]
The DSDP drilled to the center of Earth and confirmed that the outer core is composed of liquid iron-nickel material.
Term
In which of the following environments would you expect to find lithogenous sediment?
Definition
[image]
a muddy lagoon
[image]
a sandy beach
[image]
at the base of the continental slope
Term
Of the following environments, where would you expect to find large amounts of lithogenous sediment?
Definition
[image]
in deep trenches not far offshore
[image]
on the continental shelf
Term
Of the following environments, in which one(s) would lithogenous sediment (of any amount) be found?
Definition
[image]
abyssal plains
[image]
continental shelves
[image]
continental rises
[image]
continental slopes
[image]
deep-ocean trenches
Term
Which of the following conditions allows for calcareous ooze to be found beneath the CCD? Select only one answer.
Definition
[image]
The ooze accumulates above the CCD and then is covered before being transported to deeper depths by sea floor spreading.
Term
Which of the following are microscopic, single-celled floating algae that accumulate to form biogenous sediment?
Definition
[image]
Coccolithophores
[image]
Diatoms
Term
Which of the following organisms are responsible for the creation of siliceous ooze?
Definition
Radiolarians
Diatoms
Term
Of the following sediments, which one(s) is/are considered biogenous?
Definition
tests of foraminifers
radiolarian ooze
Term
Of the following sediments, which one(s) is/are considered hydrogenous?
Definition
coatings of metal sulfides near black smokers
manganese nodules
Term
Of the following statements about surface water temperature above biogenous sea floor deposits, which is/are true?
Definition
Siliceous ooze on the sea floor indicates cool surface water above.
Calcareous ooze on the sea floor indicates warm surface water above.
Term
Marine sediments provide valuable clues about which of the following Earth history events?
Definition
the ancient geographical locations of ocean basins
previous ocean circulation patterns
the climate on Earth millions of years ago
past catastrophes, such as major extinction events
