How do stars form?

A. They are formed at the time of the initial Bing Bang and have been hurtling through space ever since

B. They are formed when cold hydrogen and cold dust collapses under gravitational attraction to form a large-mass object. When the object's mass becomes very large, the compression heating inside the mass ignites a nuclear fusion reaction and generates starlight and heat.

C. Super hot plasma created during the initial Big Bang collapses under gravity to form very large coheisive masses that are present-day stars

B. They are formed when cold hydrogen and cold dust collapses under gravitational attraction to form a large-mass object. When the object's mass becomes very large, the compression heating inside the mass ignites a nuclear fusion reaction and generates starlight and heat.

When and where did all the heavy elements form?

A. All heavy elements formed during the initial Big Bang creation of the universe

B. Heavy elements formed long after the Big Bang through normal cold chemical reactions in deep space

C. Long after the Big Bang, heavy elements like carbon formed inside of stars and when stars later exploded

C. Long after the Big Bang, heavy elements like carbon formed inside of stars and when stars later exploded

How did the planets around our sun form?

A. Large planet-sized mases of mateiral were ejected from the sun's surface and subsequently cooled to form the planets

B. The planets were formed and built to their full sizes elsewhere in the universe and were subsequently drawn into the sun's orbity by gravity as fully formed planets

C. The planets formed slowly over time by the steady aggregation of dust and small planetesimals

C. The planets formed slowly over time by the steady aggregation of dust and small planetesimals

How did the moon form?

A. It was formed in the same manner as the planets, except that instead of being drawn into a solar orbit, it was captured into the earth's orbit

B. A Mars-sized object struck the earth when the earth was about 500 million years old and ejected a large mass from the earth's surface that subsequently cooled and remained in the earth's orbit as the moon

C. An asteroid, approaching close to Earth, was captured by the earth's gravity about 500 million years ago to become our moon

B. A Mars-sized object struck the earth when the earth was about 500 million years old and ejected a large mass from the earth's surface that subsequently cooled and remained in the earth's orbit as the moon

What were the two main gases in Earth's earliest atmosphere?

A. Hydrogen and nitrogen

B. Nitrogen and helium

C. Nitrogen and oxygen

D. Hydrogen and oxygen

E. Hydrogen and helium

E. Hydrogen and helium

Where did oxygen in the earth's present atmosphere come from?

A. From the product of photosynthesis

B. From volcanic out-gassing

C. From the chemical weathering of silica-rich (SiO2) rocks

D. None of the above

A. From the product of photosynthesis

What is the average depth of the ocean?

A. 100 meters

B. 1 km

C. 4 km

D. 8km

E. 40 km

C. 4 km

If you were on a boat at 10N and 150W, which ocean would you be in?

A. Pacific

B. Atlantic

C. Indian

A. Pacific

Closely spaced contour lines signify:

A. Reigons of rapid/abrupt change in the property being contoured

B. Reigons of slow/gradual change in the property being contoured

C. Reigons of essentially no change in the property being contoured

A. Reigons of rapid/abrupt change in the property being contoured

The 3.7 billion year old graphite found in Isua Greenland is an example of what kind of fossil?

A. Trace fossil

B. Chemical fossil

C. Body fossil

D. Graphite is not a fossil; its a rock

B. Chemical fossil

After its formation, did life on Earth appear remarkably soon(less than a bilion years) or did it take a long time for life to finally become established?

A. Life caught hold remarkably soon after the earth formed

B. It took a frustratingly long time (more than a billion years) for life to finally catch hold

A. Life caught hold remarkably soon after the earth formed

Which came first, the formation of oxygen in the atmosphere or eukaryotic multi-cellular life?

A. Oxygen

B. Multi-cellular life

C. They came at essentially the same time

A. Oxygen

When did the Cambrian Explosion occur?

A. About 65 million years ago

B. About 250 million years ago

C. About 550 million years ago

D. About 2 billion years ago

C. About 550 million years ago

There have been 5 mass extinction events in the geologic past. What can be said about what happened to faunal groups as a result of these events?

A. Some groups died out completely

B. New groups cropped up after old groups died out

C. Some groups lived happily through the extinctions

D. Both "a" and "b"

E. Both "a" "b", and "c"

E. Both "a" "b", and "c"

Does the relatively thin outer crust of the earth actually float on top of the mantle, or is it more like a ridged outer eggshell that does not float?

A. The crust floats on the underlying mantle

B. The crust is a rigid outer shell that does not float

A. The crust floats on the underlying mantle

Which evidence more strongly supoprts the theory of Continental Drift?

A. The general fit of the continents

B. Fossil and mineral belts spanning continents that are now separated by oceans

B. Fossil and mineral belts spanning continents that are now separated by oceans

Seafloor Spreading was thought to occur at mid-ocean ridges based on observations of:

A. Extensional Faulting along the ridge axis

B. Magnetic anomaly banding on either side of the ridge axis

C. The age of the crust on either side of the ridge axis

D. All of the above

E. None of the above

D. All of the above

What evidence helped justify the idea that seafloor spreading could occur without also requiring the enlargement of the earth's diameter?

A. The discovery of Subdiction Zones where ocean crust is continuously lost back into the mantle

B. The discovery of Compression Zones, where ocean crust is continously compressed into smaller volume that off sets the added volume of less dense mateiral found at ocean ridges

C. Both "a" and "b"

D. None of the above

A. The discovery of Subdiction Zones where ocean crust is continuously lost back into the mantle

The earth's crust is made up of:

A. One solid crustal plate

B. One piece of oceanic crust and one piece of continental crust

C. Many individual tectonic plates made of continental and/or oceanic crust that move independently of each other

D. Graham Crackers

C. Many individual tectonic plates made of continental and/or oceanic crust that move independently of each other

What is/are the main driving force(s) for plate tectonic motion?

A. Coriolis Force

B. Centrifugal Force

C. Mantle convection and slab pull

D. Mantle convection only

E. Slab pull only

C. Mantle convection and slab pull

Earth's continental crust is:

A. Thin and has a relatively low density

B. Thin and has a relatively high density

C. Thick and has a relatively low density

D. Thick and has a relatively high density

E. Thin and has a relatively no density

C. Thick and has a relatively low density

Are divergent boundaries only found at mid-ocean ridges?

A. Yes

B. No

B. No

Which of the following is an example of ocean crust colliding with ocean crust?

A. Japanese Islands

B. Hawaiian Islands

C. Andes Mountains

D. Cascade Mountains

A. Japanese Islands

Why did India not slide under Eurasia and back down into the mantle during its tectonic collission?

A. The density of India's continental crust was too low (too buoyant) to sink back into the mantle

B. India struck Eurasia at a glancing angle that thrust it up and over the top of Eurasia

C. India and Eurasia are separated by a Transform Fault, so they slid laterally past each other

A. The density of India's continental crust was too low (too buoyant) to sink back into the mantle

The formation of the Hawaiian Islands are causes by:

A. Converging oceanic plates

B. Mantle Plume under a moving oceanic plate

C. Converging oceanic and continental crusts

D. Accumulation of broken bits from moving transform boundaries

B. Mantle Plume under a moving oceanic plate

Analysis of the species composition of fossil shells deposited in marine sediments can yield information about:

A. Species extinction through time

B. Past levels of biological productivity

C. Past temperatures of the surface ocean

D. Both "a" and "b"

E. Both "a" "b" and "c"

E. Both "a" "b" and "c"

Chemical isotope rations (eg. 16O:18O) found in marine shells deposited in marine sediments can give some information about past ocean temperatures.

A. True

B. False

A. True

A majority of biologists think we are currently in a 6th mass extinction event created by human activity.

A. True

B. False

A. True

Waves moving across the ocean surface are an important mechanism by which mass is propagated and redistributed across larger ocean distances

A. True

B. False

B. False

Which of the following statements is flase in regards to wave speed?

A. In very shallow water, only bottom depth determines wave speed

B. In very deep water, only wavelength determines wave speed

C. Deep-water waves with shorter wavelengths travel faster than those with longer wavelengths

D. For shallow water waves, the shallowe the depth the slower they travel

E. None of the above are false

C. Deep-water waves with shorter wavelengths travel faster than those with longer wavelengths

What typcially happens to wave energy as it approaches a coastal headland?

A. The wave energy is focused to produce stronger waves

B. The wave energy is de-focused to produce calmer waves.

A. The wave energy is focused to produce stronger waves

If you are caight in a rip current, what should you do?

A. Swim straight back to shore the same way you came off shore

B. Swim parallel to the shore for 10-20 meters and then back to shore and then call Bruce

C. Swim parallel to the shore for 2,000 meters and then back to shore

B. Swim parallel to the shore for 10-20 meters and then back to shore and then call Bruce

Wave height is determined by how many physical factors?

A. One

B. Two

C. Three

D. Four

C. Three

Is it always the case that water along a shore recedes vefore a tsunami moves in?

A. Yes

B. No

B. No

What force is involved in the creation of the tidal bulge located on the side of the earth opposite to the moon?

A. Central Force

B. Centrifugal Force

C. Gyro-Dynamic Force

D. Geo-Dynamic Force

E. Gravity

B. Centrifugal Force

When do Spring tides occur?

A. During a Full Moon

B. During a Half Moon

C. Only in April and May

A. During a Full Moon

Why do tides occur in the odean, but not in ponds and small lakes?

A. Most of the tidal elevation comes from a lateral pull/pinch far from the centerline between the earth and moon

B. Tidal elevation expresses itself as a small fixed percentage of the total volume being acted on. In the case of large pceans, this small fixed percentage is in the range of meters, whereas in the case of ponds and small lakes, this fixed small fraction is in the range of a few tenths of inches

A. Most of the tidal elevation comes from a lateral pull/pinch far from the centerline between the earth and moon

Why do we get roatarty tides?

A. Coroilis Force alone

B. Blocking by continents alone

C. The combination of Coriolis Force and blocking by continents

D. Friction from the seafloor

C. The combination of Coriolis Force and blocking by continents

Why do we need to include the Coriolis Force when considering problems of the atmosphere and ocean circulation?

A. Because our reference fram (Lat/Long grid) is itself accelerating about the earth's axis of rotation

B. To correct for errors associated with the curvature of the earth

C. Its only purpose is to scare undergraduates!

A. Because our reference fram (Lat/Long grid) is itself accelerating about the earth's axis of rotation

Which direction does the Coriolis Force push water and winds in each hemisphere?

A. To the right of the current's motion in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere

B. To the left of the current's motion in the northern hemisphere and to the right in the southern hemisphere

C. To the right of the current's motion in both the northern and southern hemisphere

D. To the left of the current's motion in both the northern and southern hemisphere

E. Always eastward in the northern hemisphere and always westward in the southern hemisphere

A. To the right of the current's motion in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere

Is the atmosphere warmed from above by direct sunshine overhead, or is it warmed from below by a warm earth surface

A. From above by the sun

B. From below by a warm earth surface

B. From below by a warm earth surface

Is higher surface atmospheric pressure found under a full column of moist air (high amount of water vapor) or a full column of dry air (when both have the same temperature)?

A. Under dry air

B. Under moist air

A. Under dry air

If you have a high pressure at 30N and low pressure along the equator, why don't surface winds move straight southward from high to low pressure?

A. They are turned westward by the Grotational Force

B. They are turned westward by the Coriolis Force

C. They are turned westward by the Solar Wind Force

B. They are turned westward by the Coriolis Force

Why does the depth of mixing in the surface ocean get shallower in the spring and summer months in the North Atlantic?

A. The winds subside dramatically in the summer

B. Spring and summer rains dramatically decrease surface salinity, making it less dense, more buoyant, and thus more difficult for the winds to mix the water more deeply

C. The surface water is warmed, making it more buoyant and thus more difficult for the winds to mix very deeply

C. The surface water is warmed, making it more buoyant and thus more difficult for the winds to mix very deeply

What is Ekman Transport?

A. The transport of surface watr within strong western boundary currents such as the Gulf Stream

B. The movement/transport of a relatively thin (50 meters) slab of surface water in response to wind forcing

C. The downward transport of cold surface water found in the deep North Atlantic and around Antartica

B. The movement/transport of a relatively thin (50 meters) slab of surface water in response to wind forcing

How does the mound of surface water in the middle of a subtropical gyre form?

A. The moon's gravitational pull moves the mound upward in the center of the ocean basin

B. River inputs from the surrounding margins of the ocean basin flood over the surface of the ocean

C. The action of the Trade Winds and Westerly Winds drive their respective Ekman Layers into the middle of the subtropical gyre

C. The action of the Trade Winds and Westerly Winds drive their respective Ekman Layers into the middle of the subtropical gyre

Ocean water moving away from a central reigon of high pressure in the subtropical gyre will:

A. Move outward in a radial pattern away from the high pressure reigon

B. Will turn to the east or west until it hits a coastline

C. Will turn to the right or left until it moves along the lines of constant pressure

C. Will turn to the right or left until it moves along the lines of constant pressure

If winds blow from the south and toward the north along the west coast of the United States (California), would the Ekman Layer move onshore or offshore?

A. Onshore

B. Offshore

A. Onshore

How long does it take for deep ocean water to move from the North Atlantic to the North Pacific?

A. About 10 years

B. About 100 years

C. About 200 years

D. About 2,000 years

E. About 10,000 years

D. About 2,000 years

Why does deep water not form in the North Pacific?

A. It does not get as cold in the North Pacific as in the North Atlantic

B. Ekman convergence is not as strong in the North Pacific

C. The salinity of the surface water in the North Pacific is much lower in the North Atlantic

D. Coriolis Force is weaker in the North Pacific

C. The salinity of the surface water in the North Pacific is much lower in the North Atlantic

Which of the following is the location of a deep-water formation in the North Atlantic?

A. Greenland Sea

B. Norwegian Sea

C. Labrador Sea

D. Irminger Sea

E. All of the above

E. All of the above

What is the Conveyor Blet Circulation?

A. It is the slow mving deep ocean circulation

B. It is the fast moving wind-drive circulation

C. It is the combined action of the deep circulation and the surface circulation

D. None of the above

C. It is the combined action of the deep circulation and the surface circulation

The reason oceanographers care so much about the movement of the Conveyor Belt circulation is because:

A. It moves a lot of heat from the equator to higher latitutudes

B. It moves a lot of freshwater from coastal reigons to the open ocean

C. It strongly impacts the propagation speed of rotary tides

D. It drives the Global Ekman Transport

A. It moves a lot of heat from the equator to higher latitutudes