Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 1
Oceanography 10
Name:___________________________________
Practice Exam #6
This test is worth a total of 113 pts. You will
have approximately 3 hours to finish the test.
Write the answers into the blank spaces
provided, or circle the best answers to the
multiple-choice questions. If you disagree
with all, some, or parts of the answers to a
multiple-choice question, please write your
own understanding or even your own answer
in the exam next to the answer that you
selected. (If you select the wrong answer but
add correct information, it may improve your
score. However, if you select the best answer
and add incorrect information, it may lower
your score.)
When answering short-answer questions,
write as if you were trying to explain the
concepts to a friend or family member who
has NOT taken the class: carefully explain
your reasoning, and use evidence, examples,
and pictures to support your claims.
Student
Value
Score
Subject
6
5B – Tsunami
19
8B & 9B – Hurricanes & El Niño
12
10D – Coral Reefs
8
10E – Kelp Forests
28
12A – Climate Change
13
13B – Ocean Pollution
8
13C – Overfishing
10
14D – Sandy Shores ASA
9
Final Reflection:
Humans and the Ocean
Boon
113
Total
Were there any questions that you did not expect to see on the exam?
Which question or questions did you find to be the most confusing or the most misleading?
What made them confusing or misleading?
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 2
Tsunami (Topic 5B)
1. Which statement best describes what a tsunami looks like as it comes ashore?
● an ordinary – but very large – wave with a “barrel” or “tube” (a plunging breaker)
● an ordinary – but very large – wave that is beginning to break (a spilling breaker)
● an ordinary – but very large – wave (tsunami can be plunging breakers or spilling breakers)
● water rapidly surging onto the land, flooding everything
2. What cause most tsunami? _________________________________________________________
3. How large is the height of tsunami out in the middle of the ocean?
● a few inches
● a few feet
● a few tens of feet
● a few thousand feet
● a few miles
● a few tens of miles
● a few hundred feet
● a few hundred of miles
4. How large are the wavelengths of tsunami out in the middle of the ocean?
● a few inches
● a few feet
● a few tens of feet
● a few thousand feet
● a few miles
● a few tens of miles
● a few hundred feet
● a few hundred of miles
5. Someday a tsunami just like the Asian tsunami of 2004 will hit the coast of North America
with little or no warning. Where in the continental United States is this most likely to happen?
Why?
6. True of false? “Tsunami orbitals touch the bottom of the ocean (the abyssal plains).”
7. How fast can tsunami move?
Do they move faster close to shore
or out in the middle of the ocean?
50 mph / 90 mph / 120 mph / 200 mph / 400 mph
Close to Shore / Middle of the Ocean
8. Suppose that you are scuba diving or fishing out in the middle of the ocean when the crest of a tsunami
strikes you and/or your ship. Will you or your ship be in trouble? Are tsunami dangerous out in the middle
of the ocean?
● Yes, very dangerous: you are likely to die
● No, not dangerous at all: they are harmless
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 3
9. Which of the following are true statements about tsunami
that everyone should know for their own safety? (Circle all that apply.)
● A tsunami is often followed by a major earthquake near the coast.
● After a tsunami hits the shoreline, a second even-larger tsunami crest may hit the shoreline.
● Sea level can go down quickly, like a low tide that is very low, just before a tsunami arrives.
● Small earthquake aftershocks arrive regularly (equally-spaced time intervals)
just before a tsunami arrives.
● There are few or no animals in the nearby ocean before a tsunami arrives. (They run away.)
● There are few or no animals on land near the ocean before a tsunami arrives. (They run away.)
10. “The United States has a tsunami warning system
protecting the west coast of North America.”
True / False
Under what circumstances will the tsunami warning system be unable to issue a warning in time
to save lives? Why will the warning come too late?
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 4
Hurricanes (Topic 8B)
11. List another name for a hurricane.
(In other words, what are hurricanes called in other parts of the world?)
_______________________
12. How does ocean water create the winds of the hurricane?
By changing the temperature of the air above it.
The (A) _______________ ocean water of the (B) _____________ latitudes
(C)_______________________ the air above
when water molecules in the ocean (D) ________________________________________________ .
A: warm, cold
B: low, mid-, high
C: quickly warms, quickly cools,
slowly warms, slowly cools
D: bond with air molecules; collide with air molecules;
exchange heat capacity with air molecules; exchange latent heat with air molecules;
condense; evaporate; condense & then evaporate; evaporate & then condense
13. Label the locations where water is
warm and cool near a hurricane in the
side-view picture on the right. In other
words, write “warmer” or “cooler” in
each box.
Explain how the ocean produces
the winds of the hurricane.
Suppose that the hurricane passes over a very warm ocean current. (The water in the current is much
warmer than the ocean water on either side of the current and much warmer than the water that the
hurricane was previously traveling over.) Will the winds of the hurricane grow stronger or weaker due to
passing over the current? In other words, does the air within the hurricane begin to move faster or slow
down? Explain your reasoning.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 5
14. Which coast(s) of the United States are commonly damaged by hurricanes?
(Circle all that apply.)
East Coast / West Coast /
South (Gulf) Coast
Why is this coast(s) more commonly damaged by hurricanes than the other coast(s)? (Class)
(Circle all that apply.)
15. When is “hurricane season,” spring, summer, fall, or winter?
(Circle all seasons that are part of “hurricane season.”)
Spring / Summer /
Fall / Winter
Why is the water warm enough to create hurricanes in the fall but not in the spring? (Class)
16. How do most people die when a hurricane strikes the coast?
● Drown: Flooding by Rain
● Drown: Flooding by Rising Sea Level
● Lightning
● Strong Winds (flying objects & collapsed buildings)
17. How and why does sea-level change beneath a hurricane?
(A) __________________ ocean water below the hurricane (B) __________________ the air above it,
which causes the air to (C) _________________________________________________________
and thus makes the atmospheric pressure (D) ______________________ in the hurricane.
Where atmospheric pressure is higher, the air pushes down more (E) _________________ on the ocean,
so water is pushed from the place with (D) ______________________ atmospheric pressure
to the place with (D) ______________________ pressure.
This causes sea level to go (F) _________________ below the hurricane.
Sea level changes most dramatically in places along the coast
where the winds of the hurricane push this water (G)________________________________ the land.
A: warm, cold
B: warms, cools
C: get heavier, get lighter, spread out, contract
D: higher, lower
E: strongly, weakly
F: up, down
G: towards, away from
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 6
El Niño (Topic 9B)
18. What is an “El Niño?”
19. Under normal conditions,
which side of the Pacific Ocean is warmer,
the east side or the west side?
East Side / West Side
Label the locations where water is
warm and cool at the Equator in the
Pacific under normal conditions in
the side-view picture on the right.
In other words, write “warmer” or
“cooler” in each box and do not
show the ENSO event situation
(El Niño conditions).
Explain how the surface water
temperature produces the winds
that blow along the Equator.
20. During an ENSO event (El Niño conditions):
does the west side of the Pacific Ocean
(at the Equator) become warmer or cooler?
Warmer / Cooler /
No Change in Temperature
does the east side of the Pacific Ocean
(at the Equator) become warmer or cooler?
Warmer / Cooler /
No Change in Temperature
do the winds (near the Equator)
grow stronger or weaker?
Stronger / Weaker /
No Change in Wind Strength
Explain how the change in the surface water temperature during ENSO events (El Niño conditions) affects
the strength of the winds that blow along the Equator. In other words, explain why the air moves faster or
slower during El Niño conditions.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 7
21. During an ENSO event (El Niño conditions):
does upwelling along the west coast of the
Americas increase or stop?
Increased Upwelling / Upwelling Stops /
No Change in the Amount of Upwelling
does the amount of life in the ocean along the
west coast of the Americas increase or decrease?
how does Southern California’s
climate change?
how does Northern Australia’s
and Indonesia’s climate change?
More Life / Less Life /
No Change in the Amount of Life
Warmer / Cooler / No Change in Temperature
More Rain / Less Rain / No Change in Rainfall
Warmer / Cooler / No Change in Temperature
More Rain / Less Rain / No Change in Rainfall
22. About how often do ENSO events (El Niños) happen?
_____________________
23. About how long do ENSO conditions (El Niños) last?
_____________________
24. How or why does El Niño change the climate along the west coast of the Americas? Explain.
25. Why does the amount of upwelling along the west coast of the Americas change during ENSO conditions
(El Niños)? Explain how changes in the ocean and/or the atmosphere during ENSO conditions (El Niños)
produce more upwelling or less upwelling along the coast. upwelling?
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 8
Coral Reefs (Topic 10D)
26. The Symbiotic Relationship between Corals and Zooxanthellae
(a) How do zooxanthellae help their coral polyp?
(b) How do coral polyps help their zooxanthellate?
27. How do coral polyps get new nutrients?
● filter nutrients out of the water ● from their zooxanthellae ● grabbing plankton with their tentacles
28. How do corals get most of their food? (Select ONE answer.)
● the algae living inside their bodies give the corals some of the food that the algae make
● catching drifting phytoplankton
● catching drifting zooplankton
● eating nearby macroalgae (seaweed)
● eating algae that grow inside their bodies
● eating algae that grow on the surface of their bodies
● eating algae that grow on the nearby surface of the reef
● looking through sediments on the nearby ocean floor
29. Why is it incorrect to say that zooxanthellae are phytoplankton? (Consider: How are zooxanthellae
like phytoplankton? How are zooxanthellae different from phytoplankton?) (Class)
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 9
30. Do coral reefs grow best in warm water or cold water?
Warm / Cold Water
Why?
31. Do corals like getting lots of sunlight or very little sunlight?
Lots of / Very Little Sunlight
Why?
32. Do corals like fresh water or salty water?
Fresh / Salty Water
33. Do coral reefs like to grow on a hard bottom (e.g., solid rock)
or a soft bottom (e.g., muddy)?
Hard / Soft Bottom
34. Do coral reefs grow clear or murky water (e.g., sediments filled water)?
Clear / Murky Water
35. Do corals like water with lots of nutrients or few nutrients?
Lots of / Few Nutrients
Why?
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 10
36. What do most of the animals that live in coral reefs eat? (Select one or two answers.)
● algae that grow on the surface of the reef
● algae that live inside the corals
● animals living on the surface of the reef
● animals swimming around the coral reef
● corals
● plankton drifting in the water
● sea urchins
37. Does overfishing (removing lots of fish) help or harm the coral polyps of a coral reef? Why?
● Helps coral polyps: fish eat the Corals / Sea Stars (“Starfish”) that eat the corals
● Helps coral polyps: more plankton for corals to eat (not competing with the fish anymore)
● Harms coral polyps: causes corals to "bleach"
● Harms coral polyps: fish eat algae that would otherwise grow over the corals
● Harms coral polyps: more disease (fish "clean" the corals)
38. True of false? “If ocean water becomes too warm, a coral will `bleach’.”
39. Why does a bleached coral look "white"?
40. Why do bleached corals often die?
41. True of false? “There are coral reefs that live in the cold water of the deep ocean,
more than a mile below the surface.”
42. Why is there little life in most parts of the tropical open ocean (i.e., far from land)?
(Circle the 1 or 2 most important reasons.)
● not enough sunlight for photosynthesis
● too much sunlight: "burns" algae and animals
● water is too warm: bleaches the corals
● water is too warm: hard for phytoplankton to float and get sunlight
● water is too warm: hard for waves to bring up nutrients from below
● too many nutrients: algae grows over the corals
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 11
43. Are coral reefs more common on the western sides of oceans or the eastern sides of oceans?
Coral reefs are more common the Western / Eastern sides of oceans.
Why?
44. Why is it bad for corals if the volcanic island that they are on sinks?
How do the corals survive if the island they are living on sinks?
45. What is the origin of most of the sand on the sandy beaches of a coral atoll?
● coral broken up and eroded by waves
● shells of animals broken up and eroded by waves
● sediments carried out into the ocean by winds and currents
● sediments eroded from the volcano, and carried to the beaches by rain runoff, streams, and waves
46. Circle benefits that coral reefs provide to humans. (Mark all that apply.)
● Algae and animals are a source of chemicals for new ______________________________________
● Attract tourists: a good source of income
● Commonly contain deposits of _____________________ which we use to power our cars and homes
● Filter out _______________________________, keeping the ocean clean for swimming and fishing
● Have lots of fish and other organisms: caught & used as _________________________________
● Learning about the Earth’s climate in the past so we can learn how to predict changes in future:
corals grow thicker layers of ___________________________________ during Warm / Cold years
● Produce a lot of the _______________________________________ that we breathe
● Ports for big ships: good place to _________________________, protected from ________________
● Protect beaches & the shoreline from being eroded by ____________________________________
● Recreation: safer and easier place for sailing and water skiing
● One of our few sources for vitamins like ______________________________________________
● Stop ______________________________________ from killing humans and destroying property
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 12
Kelp Forests (Topic 10E)
47. Does kelp like getting lots of sunlight or very little sunlight? Why?
48. Does kelp like water with lots of nutrients or few nutrients? Why?
49. Does kelp like rocky bottoms or sandy bottoms? Why?
50. “Kelp uses carbon-dioxide-filled floats to stay upright so that it can get more sunlight and nutrients.”
What is misleading or incorrect about the following statement? How can it be corrected or “fixed”?
51. Does kelp grow better in warm water or cold water? Why?
52. How fast can kelp grow under “good conditions”?
_____________________
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 13
53. Is California a good or bad place for kelp to grow? Why?
54. Are El Niño conditions good or bad for California’s kelp forests?
55. List 2 different ways that humans use harvested kelp, and discuss why kelp is used in each product.
In other words, how does the kelp improve the product?
56. True or false? “Lots of animals are attracted to kelp forests for food, but few animals eat living kelp.”
57. What do most of the animals that live in kelp forests eat?
Why do most kelp-forest animals live in the kelp forest?
58. Sometimes kelp forests die or are destroyed.
How have humans destroyed some kelp forests (in California and elsewhere)?
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 14
Climate Change (Topic 12A)
59. What kind of “light” do hot objects like the Sun and lamps primarily emit?
● X-rays
● Ultraviolet
● Visible
● Infrared
What kind of “light” do not-very-hot objects like objects at ordinary temperatures found at the surface of
the Earth primarily emit?
● X-rays
● Ultraviolet
● Visible
● Infrared
60. What happens to visible light when hits nitrogen & oxygen gas (which make up most of the atmosphere)?
● It goes through the gas.
● It is absorbed by the gas.
● It is reflected by the gas.
What happens to infrared light when hits nitrogen & oxygen gas (which make up most of the atmosphere)?
● It goes through the gas.
● It is absorbed by the gas.
● It is reflected by the gas.
What happens to visible light when hits greenhouse gases?
● It goes through the gases.
● It is absorbed by the gases.
● It is reflected by the gases.
What happens to infrared light when hits greenhouse gases?
● It goes through the gases.
● It is absorbed by the gases.
● It is reflected by the gases.
61. Explain how the greenhouse effect works by filling in the spaces below.
The Sun emits mainly (A)________________________ light
which (B)_________________________ the nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere
and (B)_________________________ the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
like ____________________________________ .
The sunlight (B) _________________________ the surface of the Earth,
making the surface of the Earth warmer, both the land and the ocean.
The warmer they get, the more heat the land and ocean send away
as (A) _________________________ light.
This light (B) _________________________ the nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere
but (B) _________________________ the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,
making the greenhouse gases warmer and thus warming the atmosphere.
The warmer the atmosphere gets, the more heat the atmosphere sends away
as (A) _________________________ light. About half is sent out into space,
and about half is sent back to the surface of the Earth, making it warmer.
A: x-rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared
B: goes through, is absorbed by, is reflected by
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 15
62. Describe 1 observation made by scientists that does not involve thermometers
and suggests that the Earth is getting warmer.
Why does this observation support the idea that the Earth is getting warmer? Explain.
Describe another (different) observation made by scientists that does not involve thermometers
and suggests that the Earth is getting warmer.
Why does this observation support the idea that the Earth is getting warmer? Explain.
63. Note: The observation that “The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been going up for the
last 50 years.” is not a particularly good example to use as an answer to the previous question. Why not?
64. If more carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere, will the greenhouse effect get stronger or weaker?
● Stronger
● Weaker
● No Change in the Greenhouse Effect
Will more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere make the world warmer or cooler?
● Warmer
● Cooler
● No Change in Temperature
Give 2 examples of fossil fuels: (1) ________________________ (2) ________________________
What is the primary way in which humans increase the amount of greenhouse gases
like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? (Hint: What happens inside cars, power plants, etc.?)
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 16
65. Estimate the percentage increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from 1800 to 1900.
(Show your work. Be clear. Circle your answer.)
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 17
66. Estimate the rate (“how fast”) at which the world warmed from 1975 to 2000.
(In other words, what is the slope of the recent part of the temperature curve during this time period?)
(a) Place two dots on the chart below showing the values that you are using for your estimate.
(b) Show your calculations in the space below. Be clear. Circle your answer.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 18
67. We release large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into the atmosphere. Most of the carbon dioxide
is absorbed by ocean water, which makes the water _______________________________________.
This is starting to affect ocean life. Studies show that the carbon dioxide:
● burns animals’ ears
● dissolves calcium carbonate shells
● burns animals’ eyes
● dissolves silica shells
● has no measurable effect on ocean life
68. Sketch the thermohaline circulation
into the picture on the right.
South
Pole
● interferes with reproduction
● makes it harder to breathe
● promotes photosynthesis
Equator
North
Pole
Where does water sink in the
global thermohaline circulation?
(Circle all that apply.)
● At the Equator
● Near the North Pole
● Northern Mid-Latitudes ● Near the South Pole
● Southern Mid-Latitudes
Why does water sink at the location(s)
indicated above and not elsewhere?
At the location(s) indicated above, the water has a High / Low density due to the Warm / Cold climate
and the High / Low salinity of the water. The salinity is High / Low there because at the location(s):
● lots of ice melts.
(Select ONE answer.)
● lots of ocean water freezes into ice.
● lots of rain falls.
● lots of snow falls.
● lots of water evaporates.
69. Does the thermohaline circulation warm or cool the world overall?
● Warms the world
● Cools the world
● No change in the temperature of the world
What is the primary way that the thermohaline circulation affects the overall climate of the Earth?
In other words, how does the thermohaline circulation warm or cool the entire world?
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 19
70. Why does the water rising upwards in the thermohaline circulation have such low levels
of carbon dioxide?
● the water is “old”:
bacteria have had a long time to decompose the carbon dioxide in the water
● the water is “old”:
the last time that the water was in contact with the atmosphere was a long time ago
when there was less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
● the water comes from deep in the ocean:
sediments on the deep ocean floor absorb carbon dioxide from ocean water
● the water comes from deep in the ocean:
special bacteria living in the deep ocean decompose the carbon dioxide
71. How does ocean life help clean up our carbon dioxide pollution?
(In other words, describe elements of the biological pump.)
__________________________________ take in carbon dioxide from ocean water
and use it to ________________________________________________________.
The carbon dioxide is NOT released back into the ocean water if their dead remains
(A) _____________________________________________________________________________.
If this happens, the ocean (B) ____________________ absorb more of our carbon dioxide pollution
from the atmosphere.
The carbon dioxide is released back into the ocean water if their dead remains
(A) _____________________________________________________________________________.
If this happens, the ocean (B) ____________________ absorb more of our carbon dioxide pollution
from the atmosphere.
Possible Choices for A:
─ are destroyed by volcanoes
─ are eaten by…
─ are dissolved by….
─ are decomposed by…
─ condense into marine snow
─ precipitate into biogenous sediments
─ evaporate
─ precipitate into hydrogenous sediments
─ float to the surface of the ocean ─ precipitate into lithogenous sediments
─ sink to the bottom of the ocean
Possible Choices for B: can, cannot
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 20
72. How do clouds affect the Earth’s climate?
● Warm the Earth
● Cool the Earth
● Warm the Earth in some ways, and cool the Earth in other ways
● Clouds do not warm or cool the Earth very much
Explain how or why clouds can warm and/or cool the surface of the Earth.
73. Humans’ most significant impact on the Earth’s climate is enhancing the greenhouse effect.
What human activity has the second-largest impact on the Earth’s climate?
● Adding dust (“aerosols”) to the atmosphere
● Breathing
● Filling in and building over wetlands
● Killing coral reefs
● Pollution killing phytoplankton
74. The Earth is mainly covered by water. How much? What is the primary way that all this water affects the
Earth’s climate? For example, how does it affect periods of global warming like the present warming?
How has it affected periods of global cooling (e.g., ice ages) in the past?
(To answer this question, fill in the blank spaces, and circle the appropriate words and dots.)
_______% of the Earth is covered by the water in the ocean, and water has
a High / Low _________________________________________________
compared to other substances like the land.
This means that during periods of global warming when the Earth is gaining heat:
● the ocean warms faster than the land, so the ocean helps the Earth warm more quickly.
● the ocean warms slower than the land, so the ocean keeps the Earth from warming as quickly.
● the ocean warms at about the same rate as the land, so it has little or no effect during these periods.
● the ocean can only warm up so much, so eventually it will prevent global warming from continuing.
It also means that during periods of global cooling when the Earth is losing heat:
● the ocean cools faster than the land, so the ocean helps the Earth cool more quickly.
● the ocean cools slower than the land, so the ocean keeps the Earth from cooling as quickly.
● the ocean cools at about the same rate as the land, so it has little or no effect during these periods.
● the ocean can only cool down so much, so eventually it will prevent global cooling from continuing.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 21
75. Draw arrows into the map on the right showing the motion
of the surface currents in the Pacific Ocean. (Review from 9A.)
Label the warm and cold currents. (In other words,
write “warm” & “cold” next to appropriate arrows.)
Does the motion of the ocean (the surface currents)
warm or cool the Equator?
● Warms ● Cools
● No Effect on Temperature
Does the motion of the ocean (the surface currents)
warm or cool the Poles?
● Warms ● Cools
● No Effect on Temperature
North
90 N Pole
o
60o N
Asia
o
30 N
Americas
0o
Equator
Austrailia
30o S
60o S
90o S
South
Pole
76. If global warming continues and the water at the surface of the ocean gets warmer and warmer,
will there be more phytoplankton or fewer phytoplankton in the oceans? Why? (Class)
77. If global warming continues and the water at the surface of the ocean gets warmer and warmer,
will there be more fish or fewer fish in the ocean? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning. (Class)
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 22
78. Will global warming speed up or slow down the thermohaline circulation?
● Speed Up
● Slow Down (or Shut Down)
● No Change in the Circulation
Why? How? Explain. (To answer this question, complete all 3 of the following sentences.)
More / Less ocean water will sink at the Equator / Mid-Latitudes / Poles,
so More / Less water will move towards these places to replace the sinking water.
More / Less ocean water will sink in these places if global warming continues
because the density of ocean water will become Higher / Lower in these places
since global warming will make the water Warmer / Colder and More Salty / Less Salty.
The salinity of the water in these places will change because global warming will cause
more Ice to Melt / Seawater to Freeze / Water to Evaporate / Water Vapor to Become Rain
in these places.
Will the change in the speed of the thermohaline circulation strengthen or reduce global warming?
In other words, will the speeding up or slowing down of the thermohaline circulation
make the world warm even faster or keep it from warming as fast?
● Warm Faster
● Warm Slower (Not Warm as Fast)
● No Change in Global Warming
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 23
Ocean Pollution (Topic 13B)
79. How does the ocean make our pollution less harmful?
Ocean water Decomposes / Dissolves / Evaporates / Precipitates many pollutants.
What does this mean, and how does it affect the harmfulness of the pollutants?
● destroys the pollutants: rips pollutant molecules apart (no longer harmful)
● water molecules bond with pollutant molecules, which neutralizes them (they are no longer toxic)
● water molecules bond with pollutant molecules and surround them:
this keeps the pollutant molecules from coming into contact with other things
● water molecules break the bonds between the pollutants’ molecules,
which allows them to separate from one another – but they still remain toxic
● water molecules break the toxic bonds between the pollutants’ molecules,
so pollutants can no longer cause harm by creating toxic bonds
In addition, pollution is spread out by (A)______________________ and (A)______________________,
making it More / Less likely that an animal will be exposed to a highly concentrated patch of pollution.
Since the ocean is so Large / Small, there is Plenty Of / Not Much room for the pollutants to spread out
and Lots Of / Few water molecules to reduce their harmfulness.
A: currents, LST, waves, tides, tsunami
80. Would it be better to dump pollution into an estuary or along the coast?
Explain why the pollution would be more dangerous to ocean life in this place.
As part of your answer, discuss the physical processes in the ocean that make
pollution less dangerous over time.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 24
81. Describe how sometimes the ocean does a poor job of spreading out pollution, and how sometimes
the ocean and ocean life concentrate wastes or bring concentrated wastes back to us.
The density of pollutants may keep the pollutants more concentrated and dangerous
to ocean life than they would otherwise be. Most ocean animals live and feed
At the Surface of the Ocean / Down Deep, so they are more likely to encounter pollutants
that Float / Sink in water because the pollutants have a Higher / Lower density than water.
The natural mechanisms in the ocean that spread out pollution and help to reduce its harmfulness
are (A)________________________________ and (A)________________________________.
However, they also bring pollutants to places where the water is cleaner and make it more polluted,
and they are weaker or do not exist At the Surface of the Ocean / Down Deep, so pollutants in this place
do not spread out very well and tend to remain concentrated.
A: currents, LST, waves, tides, tsunami
Toxins also become more concentrated in the tissues of animals over time, making them dangerous to eat.
The Large / Small animals at the Top / Bottom of the food chain are typically more dangerous to eat
because they:
● feed at the Surface / Down Deep where most of the pollution is.
● get toxins from their food, and they eat a larger variety of animals,
so they are more likely to eat food that is toxic.
● get toxins from their food, and they eat a smaller variety of animals,
so some of them primarily feed on food that is toxic.
● get toxins from their food, so the more they eat, the more toxic they become. Thus, they are
more toxic than the Large Fish / Small Fish / Zooplankton that they eat, because they eat many
of their prey. For the same reason, their prey is also more toxic than the prey’s food.
● have a Larger / Smaller surface area per unit area so they are exposed to more pollution.
● have More / Less _______________________________ tissue which absorbs pollutants
(more/less of the tissue as a percentage of their body weight).
82. In what ways would it be better to dump pollution near the surface of the ocean?
In what ways would it be better to dump pollution down deep?
As part of your answer, discuss the physical processes in the ocean
that make pollution less dangerous over time.
Life is more abundant At / Far Below the surface of the ocean, so more ocean life will encounter
the pollution if the pollution is dumped At / Far Below the surface of the ocean.
Ocean pollutions spreads out more quickly At / Far Below the surface of the ocean,
because ____________________________ and ____________________________,
which are responsible for most of the mixing in the ocean, are stronger at this location.
Spreading out ocean pollution makes the pollution More / Less concentrated and
therefore More / Less dangerous to any ocean organisms that encounter it.
Possible Answers: currents, earthquakes, LST, rain, rivers, tides, waves
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 25
83. What kind of seafood body part or tissue should you avoid eating because
because they tend to have more toxins, muscle tissue or fatty tissue?
______________________
84. A superfund site is a place that the Environmental Protection Agency has identified as one of the most
contaminated areas in the United States. Where is the most highly polluted ocean superfund site in
southern California?
What is the contaminant at the superfund site?
______________________________
Who released the contaminant into the environment?
● a city
● some kids ● a ship
● a company ● the military
How did the contaminant get into the ocean? ● accident at the beach
● sewers & storm drains
● dumped accidentally at sea
● dumped intentionally at sea
85. How does mercury get into the bodies of fish and other ocean animals?
86. How did most of the mercury in the ocean get into the ocean?
87. What are the effects of mercury poisoning? How will it harm you?
88. Who should be careful about how much fish they eat?
89. Fish and other seafoods are quite nutritious and good for you. They are the best sources of certain
vitamins, minerals, and compounds.
If you want to gain the benefits of eating seafood but reduce the risks of mercury poisoning, should you eat
small fish or big fish (top of the food chain)? Why does one have less mercury than the other?
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 26
90. How does plastic pollution (drifting bottles, bags, etc.) harm marine organisms?
(Mark the THREE major mechanisms that were discussed during the ASA and in class.)
● Animals are poisoned by eating small plastic particles that have absorbed toxins from the water.
● Animals choke to death when they eat plastic products (mistake it for food),
get caught in or trapped by them, and/or are strangled by them.
● Animals eat plastic products and they fill up the animals’ stomachs,
making it difficult for the animals to digest food.
● Larvae (baby animals who are zooplankton) stick to plastic products and are poisoned.
● Plastic products block a lot of sunlight in the “garbage patches” in the centers of the gyres,
so phytoplankton cannot carry out as much photosynthesis.
● Plastic products release harmful chemicals into the water that make some phytoplankton toxic
and the toxins build up in animals higher up the food chain.
● Plastic products release harmful chemicals into the water that poison and kill animals.
● Plastic products sink to bottom when filled with water and cover bottom dwellers (cannot feed).
● There is so much plastic in the “garbage patches” in the centers of the gyres that it interferes
with animals’ SONAR: they have difficulty navigating and/or finding food.
91. Plastics products typically kill ocean animals by choking or suffocating the animals. The animals cannot
swallow them, because they are so strong and durable. If the plastic products are small enough to eat, the
plastic will fill their stomachs, making it difficult for the animals to digest their food.
In what other way does the strength and durability of plastic products make them one of the most harmful
ocean pollutants?
92. Complete the following statement about plastic products in the ocean:
Most ocean animals live and feed At the Surface of the Ocean / Down Deep.
Plastic has a Higher / Lower density than water so plastic products Float / Sink in water,
making it More / Less likely that lots of animals will encounter them.
93. How did most of the oil in the ocean get into the ocean?
________________________________
94. What is the major way in which humans contribute to the amount of oil in the ocean?
95. Is oil biodegradable?
● Yes, oil is biodegradable. ● No, oil is not biodegradable.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 27
96. What is bioremediation?
Give a specific example which illustrates your definition of bioremediation. In other words, discuss a
specific organism (or organism) and provide as many details as you can the organisms’ actions.
97. In your opinion, which is worse for the environment, a big oil spill or all the oil that leaks from our cars
and gets washed into the ocean down storm drains each year? Why? Explain your reasoning.
98. In your opinion, which is worse for the environment, a big oil spill in the center of a gyre
or the “garbage patch” made of plastic in the center of the gyre? Why? Explain your reasoning.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 28
99. Beaches are often "closed" after it rains. What are city authorities looking for in the water?
What is in the water that causes the authorities to close the beach? (Circle ONE answer.)
● Bacteria
● Fecal Matter
● Mercury
● Pesticides ● Viruses
● DDT
● Fertilizers
● Oil
● PCBs
How does the contaminant get to our beaches? What carry it to our beaches? (Circle ONE answer.)
● Currents
● Ships and Boats
● Sewage Pipes
● Waves
● Longshore Transport ● Storm Drains
● Tides
● Winds
100. What are red tides? In other words, why does the water become “red”?
How do red tides typically kill humans?
101. How do humans typically cause “dead zones” in the ocean?
“Dead zones” typically occur when:
Circle ONE bullet. Note: There is
● rain washes smoke from factories
more than one acceptable answer.
and power plants into the ocean.
● rainwater runoff from farmers’ fields goes into rivers which flow into the ocean.
● rainwater runoff from our cities goes down storm drains and into the ocean.
● untreated sewage is dumped into the ocean.
● Humans cannot cause “dead zones”. (If you select the last answer, skip the rest of the questions.)
A “dead zone” results because the material entering the ocean contains:
● lots of bacteria
● lots of Carbon Dioxide / Calcium Carbonate / Iron / Nutrients / Oxygen / Silica
which causes (A)__________________________________ to bloom because
they need this substance to (B)___________________________________________.
● lots of toxic chemicals like ______________________________________________.
Why do the animals in the “dead zone” die?
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 29
102. Some invasive species harm native species by eating them, but many of the most costly and damaging
invasive species do not eat the native species. In what other ways can an invasive species harm a native
species?
Invasive animals compete with native animals for resources like:
● food
● mates
● nutrients
● space (e.g., within sediments or on surfaces)
Invasive algae compete with native algae for resources like:
● food
● mates
● nutrients
(Mark all that apply.)
● sunlight
(Mark all that apply.)
● space (e.g., within sediments or on surfaces)
● sunlight
103. How have many marine invasive species unintentionally been transported
from one estuary to another estuary by humans?
● Aquarium dumped in the ocean.
● Humans usually don't transport them:
● In ships' ballast (water) tanks.
large animals carry them
● Stuff dumped into the sewer system.
● Humans usually don't transport them:
● Tourists' belongings.
they swim in on their own
● Transportation is intentional: actions of enemies (e.g., spies)
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 30
Overfishing (Topic 13C)
104. What percentage of large fish (e.g., sharks, swordfish)
have been removed from the ocean?
______________________
105. What is a fishery? (Circle all that apply.)
● A population of Wild Fish / Any Wild Ocean Animals that humans harvest.
● A population of Fish / Any Ocean Animals that humans raise in a “hatchery”
and then release into the wild to grow up further before being harvested.
● A population of Fish / Any Ocean Animals that humans raise in pens & cages until they are harvested.
106. What is the difference between serial overfishing and fishing down the food chain?
107. What is bycatch?
108. What is trawling?
109. El Niño is an example of natural change in the environment which causes a change in fish populations.
Why does the fish population along the west coast of the Americas change during El Niño conditions?
● The fish cannot Tolerate / Reproduce In the unusually Warm / Cold water, so they swim away or die.
● There is More / Less food due to the unusually Warm / Cold water,
so many fish (and other animals) Come to Feed / Starve.
● The unusually Warm / Cold water helps the fishes’ Metabolism / Reproduction,
so they swim to the Americas.
● The unusually Warm / Cold water leads to harmful blooms that remove _______________________
from the water, so the fish must swim away or suffocate.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 31
110. How do U.S. fishermen use technology to find and catch more fish than in the past?
(Mark all that apply.)
● machine guns: shoot and kill lots of fish quickly before they can escape
● making nets from super-strong materials so they will not break. This allows fishermen to
Bycatch / Fish-Down-the-Food-Chain / Ghost Fish / Gill Net / Serial Fish / Parallel Fish / Trawl
in many more places than in the past without their nets breaking.
● making nets from super-strong materials so they will not break. This allows fishermen to fish
with lines that are Hundreds of Feet / Thousands of Feet / Miles-long. Longer lines catch more fish
than shorter lines because fish are More / Less likely to encounter longer lines.
● putting chemicals into the water to _______________________ fish which makes them easier to catch
● throwing huge amounts of ______________________________ into the water to attract fish to them
● using planes/aircraft to find fish: fish are at the surface to get Air / Food / Nutrients / Sunlight
(Mark all that apply.)
● using ___________________________ to find fish underwater: know exactly where to put their nets
● using trained dolphins to find fish underwater and herd them into fishermen’s nets
111. How does aquaculture affect wild fish populations? (Mark all that apply.)
Location of Aquaculture facilities:
● aquaculture facilities are typically built far from shore:
they utilize space that wild fish are not using, so they do not take territory away from wild fish
● building aquaculture facilities in Coastal Wetlands / Coral Reefs / Kelp Forests:
destroys wild fish breeding grounds
Food for Farmed Fish:
● farmed fish are fed the same food that wild fish eat: this leaves less food for wild fish
● farmed fish are fed wild fish: wild fish are caught and killed to feed farmed fish
● farmed fish don't eat the same food as wild fish: wild fish get to eat all the food in the ocean themselves
Disease Transmission between Farmed Fish and Wild Fish:
● farmed fish are given antibiotics: they do not give diseases to wild fish
● farmed fish give diseases to wild fish when the farmed fish are released into the wild
● farmed fish give diseases to wild fish who swim too close to the aquaculture facilities
Impact of Wastes (e.g., Fecal Matter, Urine) from Fish Farms:
● wastes from farmed fish can create “dead zones” that kill wild fish
● wastes from farmed fish lead to an increase in the food supply of wild fish
112. Do the fish (and other organisms) in a marine reserve benefit fishermen in the long-term?
In other words, do fishermen eventually begin to catch more fish? Why? Explain.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 32
Sandy Shores ASA (Topic 14D)
113. What were most of the sediments on the beach at El Porto eroded from?
● Bottom of the Ocean
● Distant Mountains
● Nearby Cliffs
● Shells
114. What are tides? ______________________________________________________________________
How many high tides are there each day?
____________
How long does it take for the ocean to go from high tide to low tide?
_________________
What causes the tides? ________________________________________________________________
115. Why do waves grow when they approach the shoreline?
● Waves are gaining energy from the wind.
● Waves are gaining energy from the ocean floor.
● A faster-moving wave crest catches up from behind, and they interfere (“add together”).
● The wave crest near the shore is compressed between the land
and the faster-moving wave crest behind it.
● The wavelength of the waves gets larger, causing the water in each wave crest to spread out.
● Waves hit the steeply-sloped bottom and reflect (“bounce”) upwards.
● Waves do not grow at all: they just break, so they get smaller, not larger.
116. Out in the middle of the ocean, many different sets of waves are
created, all going in different directions. Most waves approach
the coast at an angle. Why, then, do waves almost always come
directly into the shoreline? In other words, why do waves bend
to match the shape of the shoreline?
● Wave Dispersion
● Wave Interference
● The end of the wave crest at A / B is becoming steeper
than the other end of the wave crest.
● The water is Shallower / Deeper near A / B, so this end of
the wave crest moves Faster / Slower than the other end.
● The wavelength near A / B is Longer / Shorter
than the other end of the wave crest.
Beach
A
A
B
W
av
eC
re
st
B
117. What causes longshore transport? __________________________________________________
What is the typical direction of the longshore transport along our coast?
North / South
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 33
118. What effect can a seawall have on the public beach
in front of the seawall?
______________________________
119. What is the purpose of the seawall in front of the power plant at El Porto Beach?
To protect the power plant from being flooded when sea level rises due to __________________
or smashed and broken down by ________________________.
120. Where do the animals living on a sandy beach (like clams and sand crabs) get their food from?
How do they obtain their food?
● Eat nutrients buried in the sand
● Eat other animals who burrow through the sand
● Eat plankton at night when it is safer
● Eat plankton brought by waves at high tide
121. Why does the life on a sandy beach typically bury itself beneath the sand?
(Note: There are multiple answers that I will accept for full credit. Circle two.)
● To find nutrients
● Protection from Longshore Transport / Predators / the Sun / Tides / Waves.
122. Why does the power plant take water from the ocean? (Circle all that apply.)
● For fuel
● To cool its turbines
● To make fresh water
● To help reduce its carbon dioxide pollution
123. What is the major way in which the electrical plant is thought
to be harming the ocean environment near the plant?
● Making the Greenhouse effect stronger
● Releasing toxic chemicals into the ocean
● Releasing very hot water into the ocean
● Sucking in too many plankton
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 34
124. Which is more polluted, the coastal ocean or the open ocean?
Does most ocean life live and/or feed
in the most polluted part of the ocean?
Coastal Ocean / Open Ocean
Yes, they live in the most polluted waters. /
No, they live in the least polluted water.
125. Where is there more life (phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, etc.)
in ocean, near the coasts or out in the middle of the ocean?
Why is there more life in this place and less life in the other place?
Near the Coasts /
Middle of the Ocean
Remember:
You need to
“show off”
your knowledge.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 35
Humans & the Ocean
Think about the material that you have studied throughout the semester.
Give different examples of:
(a) how the ocean (and living things in the ocean) affect humans’ lives, or
“Show off”
your
knowledge!
(b) how humans’ actions affect the ocean (and living things in the ocean).
Demonstrate your knowledge of course material by giving as many details as you can, and make sure that you
show how humans and the ocean are related in each example. Write as if you were explaining the material to
someone who has not taken this class and knows little about science or the ocean, perhaps a friend or family
member.
Note: You may give examples of (a), examples of (b), or examples of both (a) and (b). It is your choice.
Evaluation: This assessment will be graded based on
(1) the appropriateness of your examples, (2) how
clearly you show the relationships between humans
and the ocean, and (3) how detailed and accurate your
answers are & how well they reflect the course material.
Practice Exam 6 (Topics 5B, 8B, 9B, 10D, 10E, 12A, 13B, 13C, & 14D) – page 36
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