Marine Science Midterm Study Guide

These flashcards cover the key concepts related to marine science, including ocean structure, circulation, waves, ecosystems, and the scientific method.

What is the process called that recycles oceanic crust back into the mantle?

Subduction.

What creates mid-ocean ridges?

Divergent plate boundaries.

What is the primary composition of oceanic crust?

Basalt.

What is the main evidence for continental drift?

Fossil distribution.

Which ocean basin is shrinking due to plate tectonics?

The Pacific Ocean basin.

What drives seafloor spreading?

Magma rising at mid-ocean ridges.

What are the deepest features of the ocean found on the abyssal plain?

Trenches.

What technology is used to map the seafloor?

Sonar.

What does the Coriolis effect cause in the Northern Hemisphere?

Moving objects to deflect right.

What does the Coriolis effect cause in the Southern Hemisphere?

Moving objects to deflect left.

What does the Ekman Spiral describe?

How deeper water layers move at angles due to wind and Coriolis effect.

What are large circular systems of surface currents called?

Gyres.

What process brings nutrient-rich deep water to the surface?

Upwelling.

How is wave amplitude measured?

From the midpoint to the crest or trough.

What is the distance between two corresponding points on a wave known as?

Wavelength.

What term describes the distance wind blows over open water?

Fetch.

What is the order of energy flow in marine ecosystems?

Primary Producers → Primary Consumers → Secondary Consumers → Tertiary Consumers.

Where is most energy found in the marine food web?

In phytoplankton.

What are sessile organisms?

Organisms fixed in one spot.

What distinguishes pelagic organisms from benthic organisms?

Pelagic live in the water column; benthic live on the ocean floor.

What is mutualism?

A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.

What is commensalism?

A symbiotic relationship where one benefits and the other is unaffected.

What is interspecific competition?

Competition between different species for the same resource.

What is intraspecific competition?

Competition between the same species for the same resource.

What are the steps of the scientific method?

Make observations → Formulate hypothesis → Experiment → Analyze data → Communicate results.

What is a hypothesis?

A testable statement.

What is the difference between a theory and a law?

Theories explain why; laws describe what happens.

What type of data is qualitative?

Descriptive data.

What type of data is quantitative?

Numerical data.

What does a control do in an experiment?

Provides a baseline for comparison.

How does replication contribute to scientific experiments?

Ensures reliability of results.

What is the independent variable in an experiment?

The factor deliberately changed.

What is salinity important for?

Density and currents.

What do tropical cyclones cause?

Storm surge, tornadoes, and precipitation.

Where does weather occur?

In the troposphere.