ESSENTIALS OF OCEANOGRAPHY
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED
APLUS
●● When boat technology was developed ~40,000 years ago, what was
probably the main motivation for humans at this time wanting to travel
around the ocean?
Answer: They were mainly following their food sources. C
●● How is a scientific theory different from a scientific hypothesis?
Answer: A scientific hypothesis is a tentative initial explanation for a
phenomenon that can be tested, and a scientific theory is an explanation
for a phenomenon that is very well established and substantiated by an
abundance of evidence. C
●● The density stratification of the interior layers of the earth tell us
what important information about the early formation of the planet?
Answer: It tells us that in its early formation, the earth was completely
molten.
●● This interior layer of the earth is composed mainly of magnesium
silicate rocks and some iron.
Answer: MANTLE
, ●● This interior physical layer of the earth is liquid.
Answer: OUTER CORE
●● This interior physical layer of the earth is 'plastic' in nature, in that it
is capable of flowing over long time scales.
Answer: ASTHENTHOSPHERE
●● This compositional layer of the earth is very thin and composed
mostly of silicate rocks.
Answer: CRUST
●● Oceanic crust floats lower in the mantle than continental crust
because
Answer: Oceanic crust is thinner and denser than continental crust.
Correct
●● The earth is approximately how old?
Answer: ~4.6 billion years old Correct
●● What is one theory for how earth's early (and more permanent)
atmosphere formed?
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SCRIPT VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED
APLUS
●● When boat technology was developed ~40,000 years ago, what was
probably the main motivation for humans at this time wanting to travel
around the ocean?
Answer: They were mainly following their food sources. C
●● How is a scientific theory different from a scientific hypothesis?
Answer: A scientific hypothesis is a tentative initial explanation for a
phenomenon that can be tested, and a scientific theory is an explanation
for a phenomenon that is very well established and substantiated by an
abundance of evidence. C
●● The density stratification of the interior layers of the earth tell us
what important information about the early formation of the planet?
Answer: It tells us that in its early formation, the earth was completely
molten.
●● This interior layer of the earth is composed mainly of magnesium
silicate rocks and some iron.
Answer: MANTLE
, ●● This interior physical layer of the earth is liquid.
Answer: OUTER CORE
●● This interior physical layer of the earth is 'plastic' in nature, in that it
is capable of flowing over long time scales.
Answer: ASTHENTHOSPHERE
●● This compositional layer of the earth is very thin and composed
mostly of silicate rocks.
Answer: CRUST
●● Oceanic crust floats lower in the mantle than continental crust
because
Answer: Oceanic crust is thinner and denser than continental crust.
Correct
●● The earth is approximately how old?
Answer: ~4.6 billion years old Correct
●● What is one theory for how earth's early (and more permanent)
atmosphere formed?
