SY

oceans unit test

You are responsible for reviewing all notes, labs and handouts.  This review sheet is not the only source of information that should guide your studying.

  1. What are the major oceans?

Atlantic, indian, pacific, arctic, southern,


  1. How much of the earth is covered with water?

70-75%

  1. What is the Dead Zone

  2. Where is the closest Dead Zone?

  3. What is causing the Dead Zone? (in detail)

An area in the ocean where there is no oxygen and little to no marine life

  1. What 2 factors cause ocean layering?  Describe how each causes water the layer. 

Temperature because warmer water is less dense than colder water and salinity because saltier water is more dense than fresh water which creates these layers

  1. What 5 things cause/effect ocean currents?  Describe each in detail.

Temperature, salinity, wind, uneven heating, coriolis effect (earth’s rotation), and basin shape

  1. Which of these 5 things effect surface currents?

Wind

  1. Which of these 5 things effect deep sea currents?

Density, uneven heating, temperature, salinity, basin shape, coriolis effect 

  1. Which of these 5 things cause ocean currents?

Wind, density, uneven heating, temperature, and salinity

  1. Which of these 5 things only effect ocean currents?

Basin shape and coriolis effect

  1. Why study ocean currents?

They affect land life, marine life, climate, and more


  1. What is salinity?

How salty and dense a body of water is

  1. List the ways to naturally increase salinity.

Evaporation, freezing of seawater, and less freshwater input.

  1. List the ways to naturally decrease salinity.

Rainfall, melting ice, and river runoff.

  1. Explain how salinity and temperature influence water density. 

Higher salinity and lower temperature make water denser, causing it to sink.

  1. From the ocean’s temperature profile, what are the layers?

Surface layer (warmest), thermocline (temperature drops quickly), deep layer (coldest).

  1. Define:

    1. Gyre:  A large circular ocean current caused by wind and Earth's rotation.

    2. Upwelling: When deep, cold, nutrient-rich water rises to the surface.

  2. What causes gyres?

 Wind patterns and the Coriolis effect (Earth’s rotation).

  1. What causes upwelling?

Wind pushing surface water away, allowing deep water to rise.

  1. What is the average salinity of sea water?

3.5% salt

  1. What are waves?

Movements of energy through water, usually caused by wind.

  1. What causes waves?

Wind blowing across the surface of the water.


  1. What factors of the wind influence waves?  Define each

                Wind speed (how fast the wind blows), wind duration (how long it blows), and fetch    (distance wind travels over water).

  1. How does energy move through waves?  Explain.

Water moves in circular motions, transferring energy forward without moving much itself.

  1. What are the different sizes of waves?

  2. Define:

    1. Waves period- time between two wave crests passing a point.

    2. Wave frequency-Number of waves passing a point per second.

    3. Wave length-Distance between two wave crests.

    4. Wave height-Vertical distance from crest to trough.

    5. Shallow water waves- Waves moving in water shallower than half their wavelength.

    6. Deep water waves- Waves moving in deep water without ocean floor influence.

  3. Why do waves break?

When waves reach shallow water, the bottom slows down, and the top collapses forward.

  1. Draw a wave and label all parts.

What are tides?

The rise and fall of ocean water levels due to the Moon and Sun’s gravity.

  1. What causes tides?

The gravitational pull of the Moon on the earth and the Sun.

  1. What are the types of tides?  Describe each. (there are multiple classifications)

Spring tides (strongest, when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align).

Neap tides (weakest, when the Sun and Moon are at right angles).

Diurnal tides (one high tide and one low tide per day).

Semidiurnal tides (two high and two low tides per day).

Mixed tides (varying tide levels).



  1. How does light change as you descend into the ocean?

It gets darker and sunlight decreases

  1. How does pressure change as you descend into the ocean?

Pressure gets higher

  1. What are the ocean layers, in order?

Epipelagic (sunlight zone) 

Mesopelagic (twilight zone) 

Bathypelagic (midnight zone) 

Abyssopelagic (abyssal zone)

Hadalpelagic (trenches)