MARINE BIOLOGY EXAM 1 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
What are the five oceans? - Answers :Pacific Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
Southern Ocean aka Antarctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
What were the first real hypotheses in marine biology, developed by Forbes and
Darwin?Can you describe one of them? Why are they considered true hypotheses? -
Answers :Forbes:
- azoic theory: that no life existed on sea floors deeper than 300 fathoms
Darwin:
- development of coral: coral reefs growth is a balance between the growth of corals
upward and the sinking of the ocean floor
true hypotheses because they are testable statements about the world of the sea
What expedition during the late 1800s began the modern era of oceanography? What
famous ocean feature was discovered and named after this expedition? What else did
this expedition accomplish? - Answers :the Challenger led by C. Wyville Thomson and
john murray
What geologic process is responsible for the earth's large scale features, including
much topography of the oceans? - Answers :Plate tectonics:
- Continental shelf
- Continental slope and the shelf-slop break
- Deep-sea floor or the abyssal plains
- Oceanic ridge system
Trenches: continental slopes cause these
Continental and oceanic islands/ oceanic ridges: continental shelf
What are the two most famous marine stations in the United States? - Answers :
During the 20th century a number of technological advances drove the development of
oceanography and marine biology. Can you name and describe the contributions of
some of these advances?(continued on reverse) - Answers :
What are some defining characteristics of each ocean? - Answers :Pacific Ocean:
largest ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
Southern Ocean aka Antarctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean: smallest ocean
, How do marginal seas generally differ in physical conditions from the open oceans? -
Answers :Open oceans:
- typically more constant temperature
- relatively consistent salinity
- deeper water
marginal seas:
- variable temperatures
- variable salinity
- shallower water depth
- high impact of local climate
From where do marine sediment in the deep-sea originate? - Answers :- mineralized
plankton skeletons
- clay
- volcanic rocks
- precipitates (manganese nodules)
How do continental and oceanic islands differ geologically? - Answers :Continental: are
part of an adjacent continent and are located on the continental shelf of that continent.
- Ex. Greenland
oceanic islands: not geologically connected to a continent built usually by volcanoes
(oceanic rift or hotspot)
What techniques are used to map the ocean floor? - Answers :. Bathymetry - depth
("bathy-") measurement ("-metry")
2. Isobaths - same ("iso-") depth. Contour lines in the oceans (and inland waters)
3. Depth sounding - measuring depth (from Old English sund water, sea)
Usually in m or fathoms (2 yards = 6 feet)
How is sea surface temperature measured? - Answers :satellite radiometers
What range of temperatures are common for SST? - Answers :polar water: 0 degrees
Celsius
tropical water: 25-35 degrees celsius
Where is SST most variable? Least variable? - Answers :Tropics and poles: relatively
constant (open ocean most constant)
Temperate (mid latitudes), coastal areas, and marginal seas: most variable
What is salinity? - Answers :Salinity: Total dissolved inorganic solids in water (g/kg, or
ppt)
What elements are fairly constant in proportion? - Answers :Na, Cl, Sr (Strontium)
What are the five oceans? - Answers :Pacific Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
Southern Ocean aka Antarctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
What were the first real hypotheses in marine biology, developed by Forbes and
Darwin?Can you describe one of them? Why are they considered true hypotheses? -
Answers :Forbes:
- azoic theory: that no life existed on sea floors deeper than 300 fathoms
Darwin:
- development of coral: coral reefs growth is a balance between the growth of corals
upward and the sinking of the ocean floor
true hypotheses because they are testable statements about the world of the sea
What expedition during the late 1800s began the modern era of oceanography? What
famous ocean feature was discovered and named after this expedition? What else did
this expedition accomplish? - Answers :the Challenger led by C. Wyville Thomson and
john murray
What geologic process is responsible for the earth's large scale features, including
much topography of the oceans? - Answers :Plate tectonics:
- Continental shelf
- Continental slope and the shelf-slop break
- Deep-sea floor or the abyssal plains
- Oceanic ridge system
Trenches: continental slopes cause these
Continental and oceanic islands/ oceanic ridges: continental shelf
What are the two most famous marine stations in the United States? - Answers :
During the 20th century a number of technological advances drove the development of
oceanography and marine biology. Can you name and describe the contributions of
some of these advances?(continued on reverse) - Answers :
What are some defining characteristics of each ocean? - Answers :Pacific Ocean:
largest ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
Southern Ocean aka Antarctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean: smallest ocean
, How do marginal seas generally differ in physical conditions from the open oceans? -
Answers :Open oceans:
- typically more constant temperature
- relatively consistent salinity
- deeper water
marginal seas:
- variable temperatures
- variable salinity
- shallower water depth
- high impact of local climate
From where do marine sediment in the deep-sea originate? - Answers :- mineralized
plankton skeletons
- clay
- volcanic rocks
- precipitates (manganese nodules)
How do continental and oceanic islands differ geologically? - Answers :Continental: are
part of an adjacent continent and are located on the continental shelf of that continent.
- Ex. Greenland
oceanic islands: not geologically connected to a continent built usually by volcanoes
(oceanic rift or hotspot)
What techniques are used to map the ocean floor? - Answers :. Bathymetry - depth
("bathy-") measurement ("-metry")
2. Isobaths - same ("iso-") depth. Contour lines in the oceans (and inland waters)
3. Depth sounding - measuring depth (from Old English sund water, sea)
Usually in m or fathoms (2 yards = 6 feet)
How is sea surface temperature measured? - Answers :satellite radiometers
What range of temperatures are common for SST? - Answers :polar water: 0 degrees
Celsius
tropical water: 25-35 degrees celsius
Where is SST most variable? Least variable? - Answers :Tropics and poles: relatively
constant (open ocean most constant)
Temperate (mid latitudes), coastal areas, and marginal seas: most variable
What is salinity? - Answers :Salinity: Total dissolved inorganic solids in water (g/kg, or
ppt)
What elements are fairly constant in proportion? - Answers :Na, Cl, Sr (Strontium)
