MSCI 112 EXAM 3 QUESTIONS VERIFIED ANSWERS
In an estuary, surface salinity in 12 ppt and bottom salinity 18 ppt. How would you
classify the estuary?
A. Salt wedge
B. Fjord
C. Partly Mixed
D. Well Mixed
E. None of the above - Answers - C. Partly Mixed
A halocline is a:
A. steep density gradient
B. steep salinity gradient
C. steep flow gradient
D. steep geomorphic gradient - Answers - B. steep salinity gradient
The ocean water outside of an estuary is 32 ppt and the water that leaves the estuary is
28 ppt. What is the ratio of fresh water to total water in the estuary?
A. 1:4
B. 1:32
C. 1:8
D. 7:8 - Answers - C. 1:8
The ocean water outside of an estuary has a salinity of 35 ppt. The water within the
estuary is 30 ppt. The estuary is composed of how much more ocean water than river
water?
A. 10 times more
B. the same amount
C. 7 times more
D. 5 times more - Answers - C. 7 times more
Which of the following would show the greatest vertical stratification?
A. Salt wedge estuary
B. Partially-mixed estuary
C. Well-mixed estuary
D. Inverse estuary - Answers - A. salt wedge estuary
The density of seawater depends upon:
A. temperature and salinity
B. salinity and halocline
C. thermocline and depth
D. currents and wind speed - Answers - A. temperature and salinity
, If the wind blows from north to south along the east coast of North America (northern
hemisphere), the Ekman transport will be:
A. From south to north
B. Offshore
C. From north to south
D. Onshore - Answers - D. Onshore
Coastal morphology is controlled by which of the following?
A. Waves and storms
B. tectonic activity
C. sediment supply
D. all of the above - Answers - D. all of the above
When developing a sand budget for an area of coastline, which of the following is not a
sediment sink?
A. dunes
B. longshore transport
C. upland erosion
D. sequestration in deep water - Answers - C. upland erosion
Which of the following is not a type of geomorphic estuary?
A. Fjord
B. bar built
C. biogenic
D. tectonic - Answers - C. biogenic
Which of the following is not a type of estuarine circulation?
A. thermohaline
B. salt wedge
C. well mixed
D. fjord style - Answers - A. thermohaline
Construction of seawalls can:
A. cause the beach to expand while decreasing wave height
B. protect the coastal upland while potentially enhancing beach erosion
C. increase wave height and decrease over-wash
D. encourage the production of deep sea chemosynthetic benthic communities -
Answers - B. protect the coastal upland while potentially enhancing beach erosion
How long does it take for a water parcel to complete a circuit around the global
conveyer belt?
A. 500 years
B. 1000 years
C. 2000 years
D. 5000 years - Answers - B. 1000 years
In an estuary, surface salinity in 12 ppt and bottom salinity 18 ppt. How would you
classify the estuary?
A. Salt wedge
B. Fjord
C. Partly Mixed
D. Well Mixed
E. None of the above - Answers - C. Partly Mixed
A halocline is a:
A. steep density gradient
B. steep salinity gradient
C. steep flow gradient
D. steep geomorphic gradient - Answers - B. steep salinity gradient
The ocean water outside of an estuary is 32 ppt and the water that leaves the estuary is
28 ppt. What is the ratio of fresh water to total water in the estuary?
A. 1:4
B. 1:32
C. 1:8
D. 7:8 - Answers - C. 1:8
The ocean water outside of an estuary has a salinity of 35 ppt. The water within the
estuary is 30 ppt. The estuary is composed of how much more ocean water than river
water?
A. 10 times more
B. the same amount
C. 7 times more
D. 5 times more - Answers - C. 7 times more
Which of the following would show the greatest vertical stratification?
A. Salt wedge estuary
B. Partially-mixed estuary
C. Well-mixed estuary
D. Inverse estuary - Answers - A. salt wedge estuary
The density of seawater depends upon:
A. temperature and salinity
B. salinity and halocline
C. thermocline and depth
D. currents and wind speed - Answers - A. temperature and salinity
, If the wind blows from north to south along the east coast of North America (northern
hemisphere), the Ekman transport will be:
A. From south to north
B. Offshore
C. From north to south
D. Onshore - Answers - D. Onshore
Coastal morphology is controlled by which of the following?
A. Waves and storms
B. tectonic activity
C. sediment supply
D. all of the above - Answers - D. all of the above
When developing a sand budget for an area of coastline, which of the following is not a
sediment sink?
A. dunes
B. longshore transport
C. upland erosion
D. sequestration in deep water - Answers - C. upland erosion
Which of the following is not a type of geomorphic estuary?
A. Fjord
B. bar built
C. biogenic
D. tectonic - Answers - C. biogenic
Which of the following is not a type of estuarine circulation?
A. thermohaline
B. salt wedge
C. well mixed
D. fjord style - Answers - A. thermohaline
Construction of seawalls can:
A. cause the beach to expand while decreasing wave height
B. protect the coastal upland while potentially enhancing beach erosion
C. increase wave height and decrease over-wash
D. encourage the production of deep sea chemosynthetic benthic communities -
Answers - B. protect the coastal upland while potentially enhancing beach erosion
How long does it take for a water parcel to complete a circuit around the global
conveyer belt?
A. 500 years
B. 1000 years
C. 2000 years
D. 5000 years - Answers - B. 1000 years
