Oceanography questions with correct answers
How much of the Earth is covered in Water? Correct Answer-70%
Where is most of the water located on Earth? Correct Answer-Oceans
What is the largest body of water on Earth? Correct Answer-Oceans,
interconnected to each other
What are seas surrounded by? Correct Answer-Smaller bodies of water
surrounded by Land
How is salinity in water determined/measured? Correct Answer-The
amount of dissolved solids in water, measured in g/1000 with an average
of 3.3-3.6%
What elements are in saltwater? Correct Answer-Halite (sodium &
chloride) 85% and tiny trace elements of phosphorous and gold
What factors affect salinity? Correct Answer-Evaporation, precipitation,
currents, temperature, coastal run-off/ice melt
When it rains, does salinity increase or decrease? Correct Answer-
salinity decreases due to dilution
,When there is a lot of evaporation (like in hot conditions, or in shallow
water) does salinity increase or decrease? Correct Answer-Salinity
increases because the salt is more concentrated
What processes affect the gas exchange in the water? Correct Answer-
Interaction with the atmosphere through evaporation, as well as
photosynthesis and respiration of marine plants and animals (giving
off/breathing in CO2 and Oxygen and nitrogen),
How long can the ocean store carbon? Correct Answer-Thousands of
years
What does it mean when we say the ocean is a carbon sink? Correct
Answer-It is a natural or artificial reservoir that accumulates and stores
some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period
What affects the temperatures in the ocean? Correct Answer-Depth
(shallow or deep water) and location (near the equator or poles)
What part of the ocean is most affected by solar energy (the sun)?
Correct Answer-The surface where the sun shines directly on the water
What temp are polar waters? Correct Answer--1.9 deg Celsius
What is pack ice also known as? Correct Answer-Insulation. The sea ice
layer restricts wind and wave action near coastlines, lessening coastal
erosion and protecting ice shelves. Sea ice also creates an insulating cap
, across the ocean surface, which reduces evaporation and heat loss to the
atmosphere.
How does sea ice protect coastlines? Correct Answer-Protects against
erosion
How does sea ice protect the ocean? Correct Answer-reduces
evaporation of sea water and heat loss
What is the temperature difference in a thermocline? Correct Answer-
Warmer water is at surface, cooler water is deeper
In a thermocline, does temperature drop or rise the deeper you go?
Correct Answer-As you get deeper, the temperature drops significantly
(gets colder)
In a thermocline, where is the water most dense? Correct Answer-Most
dense in colder layers of water
In a thermocline where is water most saline? Correct Answer-Most
saline in the denser, deeper, colder layers of water
Does colder, denser, saltier water sink or rise to the surface? Correct
Answer-Colder, denser, saltier water sinks
How much of the Earth is covered in Water? Correct Answer-70%
Where is most of the water located on Earth? Correct Answer-Oceans
What is the largest body of water on Earth? Correct Answer-Oceans,
interconnected to each other
What are seas surrounded by? Correct Answer-Smaller bodies of water
surrounded by Land
How is salinity in water determined/measured? Correct Answer-The
amount of dissolved solids in water, measured in g/1000 with an average
of 3.3-3.6%
What elements are in saltwater? Correct Answer-Halite (sodium &
chloride) 85% and tiny trace elements of phosphorous and gold
What factors affect salinity? Correct Answer-Evaporation, precipitation,
currents, temperature, coastal run-off/ice melt
When it rains, does salinity increase or decrease? Correct Answer-
salinity decreases due to dilution
,When there is a lot of evaporation (like in hot conditions, or in shallow
water) does salinity increase or decrease? Correct Answer-Salinity
increases because the salt is more concentrated
What processes affect the gas exchange in the water? Correct Answer-
Interaction with the atmosphere through evaporation, as well as
photosynthesis and respiration of marine plants and animals (giving
off/breathing in CO2 and Oxygen and nitrogen),
How long can the ocean store carbon? Correct Answer-Thousands of
years
What does it mean when we say the ocean is a carbon sink? Correct
Answer-It is a natural or artificial reservoir that accumulates and stores
some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period
What affects the temperatures in the ocean? Correct Answer-Depth
(shallow or deep water) and location (near the equator or poles)
What part of the ocean is most affected by solar energy (the sun)?
Correct Answer-The surface where the sun shines directly on the water
What temp are polar waters? Correct Answer--1.9 deg Celsius
What is pack ice also known as? Correct Answer-Insulation. The sea ice
layer restricts wind and wave action near coastlines, lessening coastal
erosion and protecting ice shelves. Sea ice also creates an insulating cap
, across the ocean surface, which reduces evaporation and heat loss to the
atmosphere.
How does sea ice protect coastlines? Correct Answer-Protects against
erosion
How does sea ice protect the ocean? Correct Answer-reduces
evaporation of sea water and heat loss
What is the temperature difference in a thermocline? Correct Answer-
Warmer water is at surface, cooler water is deeper
In a thermocline, does temperature drop or rise the deeper you go?
Correct Answer-As you get deeper, the temperature drops significantly
(gets colder)
In a thermocline, where is the water most dense? Correct Answer-Most
dense in colder layers of water
In a thermocline where is water most saline? Correct Answer-Most
saline in the denser, deeper, colder layers of water
Does colder, denser, saltier water sink or rise to the surface? Correct
Answer-Colder, denser, saltier water sinks
