Oceanography Study Guide
1. Ponds and rivers are two types of _____________________________________ ecosystems.
2. Which ecosystem is found where the fresh water of the river meets the salt water of the ocean?_____________
3. Animals in the ________________ zone must be able to survive periods of being exposed to the air as well as periods
of being underwater.
4. Beyond the edge of the continental shelf lies the ________________ zone, which is the deepest and darkest area of
the ocean.
5. Algae can only live in parts of the ocean that receive enough ____________________ to allow them to carry out
photosynthesis.
6. Why is sludge dumping a threat to marine life?_____________________________________________________
7. Why is plastic trash dangerous to marine animals?___________________________________________________
8. Although they flow near the top of the ocean, ___________________ can reach depths of several hundred meters.
9. Although they flow near the bottom of the ocean, ________________ sometimes flow on top of other currents.
10. What three factors control surface currents?_______________________________________________________
11. What are the curved paths of global winds and surface currents caused by?______________________________
12. What happens to a surface current when it hits a continent?__________________________________________
13. What does a surface current do when it deflects?___________________________________________________
14. Give an example of a warm surface current in the Atlantic Ocean.______________________________________
15. Give an example of a deep water current.__________________________________________________________
16. As water gets denser, how does it move?__________________________________________________________
17. How do warm-water currents affect the coastal areas along which they flow?_____________________________
18. How would California be different if there were no California Current?__________________________________
19. What weather pattern makes the ocean surface warmer?_____________________________________________
20. What weather pattern makes the ocean surface cooler?______________________________________________
21. What devices are used to collect data to predict an El Niño?___________________________________________
22. What term describes a long period of time with no rain?______________________________________________
23. Describe the negative effects of El Niño.___________________________________________________________
24. El Niño can prevent upwelling along the Pacific coast. What might happen if normal upwelling does not take place?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
25. What are the two main parts of a wave?___________________________________________________________
26. What is the highest point of a wave?______________________________________________________________
27. What is the lowest point of a wave?______________________________________________________________
28. What is the distance between two crests or troughs?________________________________________________
29. How do you calculate wave speed?_______________________________________________________________
30. What transports most of the sediment in beach environments?________________________________________
31. Which type of wave makes for the best sailing in the ocean?___________________________________________
32. Huge waves called _________________ are caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides.
33. How does an earthquake cause a tsunami?_________________________________________________________
34. Neap, spring, high, and low are all types of ________________________.
35. The most important force that creates tides is the gravity of the ________________________.
36. What is the moon’s gravity doing to the ocean water during a high tide?_________________________________
37. The difference between levels of ocean water at high tide and low tide is called a(n)______________________.
38. A narrow inlet of land along a coast is where you might see a _____________________. This causes a very sudden
rise in the tide.
39. Define independent variable.____________________________________________________________________
40. Define dependent variable._____________________________________________________________________
41. Define control._______________________________________________________________________________
42. Define controlled variable.______________________________________________________________________
43. A scientist wants to test if fertilizer will make a rose plant produce more roses. He takes two rose plants. He gives
one rose plant the fertilizer while the other rose plant does not get any fertilizer. His experiment lasts for two months
and he records the number of roses produced by each plant
A.
What is the independent variable?____________________________________________________________
B. What is the dependent variable?______________________________________________________________
C. What is the control?_______________________________________________________________________
D. List a controlled variable.___________________________________________________________________