Intro to Ocean Science Exam #1 UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
We reviewed a dozen or so lines of evidence that, taken together, made a compelling case for the
validity of the theory of sea floor spreading and plate tectonics; that theory states that giant slabs
of the Earth's crust (lithospheric plates) are moving about on the surface of the Earth, almost like
sheets of ice on a pond. What is the source of energy - the engine - that causes these huge plates
to move?
A. The readjustment of the surface to constant shrinking of the whole Earth as it continues to
cool;
B. Convection currents within the Earth's mantle;
C. The action of ocean currents dragging along the sea floor, causing the sea floor and the
continents to move;
D. The continual vibration from earthquakes and volcanoes slowly moves the continents
equatorward under the influence of centrifugal force;
E. The centrifugal force exerted by the speed of the Earth's rotational velocity, which reaches
1000 miles per h - CORRECT ANSWER - B. Convection currents within the Earth's
mantle;
Much of the evidence in support of sea floor spreading and plate tectonics deals with geological
aspects of the ocean basins and the Earth's deep interior. What evidence did we discuss, or read
about, that was based on observations made on land?
A. The distribution of fossils of ancient Glossopteris plants and other fauna;
B. Rift Valleys such as in East Africa;
C. The lineation of mountain ranges;
D. The correlation of similar kinds of rocks in now widely separated continents;
E. All the above. - CORRECT ANSWER - E. All the above.
,Fossilized dinosaur footprints are quite common in parts of western Massachusetts. The
dinosaurs that made those footprints did so some 200 million years ago. Based on what we know
about plate tectonics and continental drift, the continental land mass that we now know as
Massachusetts was nowhere near its present location 200 million years ago. It was most likely:
A. Much farther north than it is today, in what is now Manitoba, Canada;
B. Under about 1,300 m of water, and part of the ancient Tethys Sea, as described by Edward
Suess in 1885;
C. Much farther south and east than it is today, and perhaps close to what is now the west coast
of North Africa;
D. Much farther west than it is today, and close to present-day Kamchatka and the Pacific Ring
of Fire;
E. It was completely buried under ice more than a kilometer thick. - CORRECT
ANSWER - C. Much farther south and east than it is today, and perhaps close to what is
now the west coast of North Africa
Studies of paleomagnetic properties of the ocean floor, especially the study reported in 1963 by
Drummond Matthews and his colleagues, provided some of the most convincing evidence of sea
floor spreading. What did these studies show?
A. That the Earth's core is liquid, thus preventing the passage of certain seismic waves; this
proved that tectonic plates do indeed slide around on the plastic asthenosphere;
B. That the ocean's crustal material was composed of basalt, an iron-rich and very dense rock
that could only have come from the mantle;
C. That periodic reversals in the polarity of the Earth's magnetic field created the source of
energy necessary to "drive" convection currents in the mantle;
D. That stripes of magnetic features in the oceanic basalt located adjacent to areas of sea floor
spreading could be related to known periods in the past when the Earth's magnetic field reversed
itself;
E. That a compas - CORRECT ANSWER - D. That stripes of magnetic features in the
oceanic basalt located adjacent to areas of sea floor spreading could be related to known periods
in the past when the Earth's magnetic field reversed itself
, We know that Latitude and Longitude are the "X - Y" coordinates used to locate positions on our
spherical globe (the Earth), and that on Earth "one minute of latitude is...":
A. The same as 15° of Latitude, which is equal to one-hour's rotation of the Earth;
B. Equivalent to 1 minute of Longitude; the two are equal to one another;
C. The same absolute distance anywhere on Earth, and is equal to a distance of 1 nautical mile;
D. Impossible to determine without knowing the precise time at some reference point (e.g.,
Greenwich, England);
E. Somehow related to the orbit of the North Star (Polaris) - CORRECT ANSWER - C.
The same absolute distance anywhere on Earth, and is equal to a distance of 1 nautical mile
Among the early (historically early) lines of evidence of Continental Drift that we discussed in
class were: the fit between South America and Africa; the same species of fossils on different
continents; and, the discovery by Ernest Shackelton in 1908 of coal in Antarctica. Why was this
third point such a big deal?
A. Because Ernest Shackleton was a British snob, and with his nose held high he never looked
down long enough to discover any rocks, never mind coal;
B. Because coal is usually made of ancient plant biomass, and there is very little plant life in
Antarctica today;
C. Because coal could only have been brought to Antarctica (which is at the South Pole) by deep
convection currents in the Earth's upper mantle;
D. Because coal is too old to have been created on such a young continent as Antarctica (the
world's youngest continent, having only been discovered in the early 1800's by the U.S.
Exploring Expediti - CORRECT ANSWER - B. Because coal is usually made of ancient
plant biomass, and there is very little plant life in Antarctica today
Eratosthenes, the Greek Astronomer (~200 BC), who was actually from North Africa, was the
first to calculate with any degree of accuracy the circumference of the Earth. To do so he made a
number of assumptions and a couple of detailed observations. Which of the following did he
NOT assume or observe?
A. That the Earth is a sphere;
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
We reviewed a dozen or so lines of evidence that, taken together, made a compelling case for the
validity of the theory of sea floor spreading and plate tectonics; that theory states that giant slabs
of the Earth's crust (lithospheric plates) are moving about on the surface of the Earth, almost like
sheets of ice on a pond. What is the source of energy - the engine - that causes these huge plates
to move?
A. The readjustment of the surface to constant shrinking of the whole Earth as it continues to
cool;
B. Convection currents within the Earth's mantle;
C. The action of ocean currents dragging along the sea floor, causing the sea floor and the
continents to move;
D. The continual vibration from earthquakes and volcanoes slowly moves the continents
equatorward under the influence of centrifugal force;
E. The centrifugal force exerted by the speed of the Earth's rotational velocity, which reaches
1000 miles per h - CORRECT ANSWER - B. Convection currents within the Earth's
mantle;
Much of the evidence in support of sea floor spreading and plate tectonics deals with geological
aspects of the ocean basins and the Earth's deep interior. What evidence did we discuss, or read
about, that was based on observations made on land?
A. The distribution of fossils of ancient Glossopteris plants and other fauna;
B. Rift Valleys such as in East Africa;
C. The lineation of mountain ranges;
D. The correlation of similar kinds of rocks in now widely separated continents;
E. All the above. - CORRECT ANSWER - E. All the above.
,Fossilized dinosaur footprints are quite common in parts of western Massachusetts. The
dinosaurs that made those footprints did so some 200 million years ago. Based on what we know
about plate tectonics and continental drift, the continental land mass that we now know as
Massachusetts was nowhere near its present location 200 million years ago. It was most likely:
A. Much farther north than it is today, in what is now Manitoba, Canada;
B. Under about 1,300 m of water, and part of the ancient Tethys Sea, as described by Edward
Suess in 1885;
C. Much farther south and east than it is today, and perhaps close to what is now the west coast
of North Africa;
D. Much farther west than it is today, and close to present-day Kamchatka and the Pacific Ring
of Fire;
E. It was completely buried under ice more than a kilometer thick. - CORRECT
ANSWER - C. Much farther south and east than it is today, and perhaps close to what is
now the west coast of North Africa
Studies of paleomagnetic properties of the ocean floor, especially the study reported in 1963 by
Drummond Matthews and his colleagues, provided some of the most convincing evidence of sea
floor spreading. What did these studies show?
A. That the Earth's core is liquid, thus preventing the passage of certain seismic waves; this
proved that tectonic plates do indeed slide around on the plastic asthenosphere;
B. That the ocean's crustal material was composed of basalt, an iron-rich and very dense rock
that could only have come from the mantle;
C. That periodic reversals in the polarity of the Earth's magnetic field created the source of
energy necessary to "drive" convection currents in the mantle;
D. That stripes of magnetic features in the oceanic basalt located adjacent to areas of sea floor
spreading could be related to known periods in the past when the Earth's magnetic field reversed
itself;
E. That a compas - CORRECT ANSWER - D. That stripes of magnetic features in the
oceanic basalt located adjacent to areas of sea floor spreading could be related to known periods
in the past when the Earth's magnetic field reversed itself
, We know that Latitude and Longitude are the "X - Y" coordinates used to locate positions on our
spherical globe (the Earth), and that on Earth "one minute of latitude is...":
A. The same as 15° of Latitude, which is equal to one-hour's rotation of the Earth;
B. Equivalent to 1 minute of Longitude; the two are equal to one another;
C. The same absolute distance anywhere on Earth, and is equal to a distance of 1 nautical mile;
D. Impossible to determine without knowing the precise time at some reference point (e.g.,
Greenwich, England);
E. Somehow related to the orbit of the North Star (Polaris) - CORRECT ANSWER - C.
The same absolute distance anywhere on Earth, and is equal to a distance of 1 nautical mile
Among the early (historically early) lines of evidence of Continental Drift that we discussed in
class were: the fit between South America and Africa; the same species of fossils on different
continents; and, the discovery by Ernest Shackelton in 1908 of coal in Antarctica. Why was this
third point such a big deal?
A. Because Ernest Shackleton was a British snob, and with his nose held high he never looked
down long enough to discover any rocks, never mind coal;
B. Because coal is usually made of ancient plant biomass, and there is very little plant life in
Antarctica today;
C. Because coal could only have been brought to Antarctica (which is at the South Pole) by deep
convection currents in the Earth's upper mantle;
D. Because coal is too old to have been created on such a young continent as Antarctica (the
world's youngest continent, having only been discovered in the early 1800's by the U.S.
Exploring Expediti - CORRECT ANSWER - B. Because coal is usually made of ancient
plant biomass, and there is very little plant life in Antarctica today
Eratosthenes, the Greek Astronomer (~200 BC), who was actually from North Africa, was the
first to calculate with any degree of accuracy the circumference of the Earth. To do so he made a
number of assumptions and a couple of detailed observations. Which of the following did he
NOT assume or observe?
A. That the Earth is a sphere;
