Download 2014 Aquatic Science Spring Final Exam Review

2014 Aquatic Science Spring Final Exam Review
Unit 7 – Waves and Tsunamis
1.
What is the difference between the windward and leeward side of an island and which would be the best place to build a
house protected from hurricanes and beach erosion? The wind strikes the windward side. The leeward side is protected
from the wind. The leeward side of the island would be more protected from storms and erosion.
2.
Most waves in the ocean are caused by? wind
3.
Which ocean has the highest average wave heights? Southern Ocean (around Antarctica)
4.
Describe the motion of both the water and energy in a wave (which moves forward and which cycles in place?) The water
in the wave cycles in place while the energy in the wave moves forward across the ocean.
5.
What are 3 possible causes of tsunamis? Earthquakes (most common) but they can also be caused by other seismic events
such as underwater landslides, volcanoes, and even large meteor strikes
6.
Why do most tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean? Because the Pacific is the most seismically active ocean. All of the
borders of the Pacific are active fault lines which is why it is called the ring of fire and produces the most earthquakes.
7.
Which was the deadliest tsunami in human history? 2004 Tsunami that struck Indonesia
8.
Do tsunamis come as single waves or in widely spaced wave sets? Sets of widely spaced waves. The second or third
tsunami wave is often the most destructive.
9.
What is the difference between a developing sea and a fully developed sea? A developing sea is one in which the waves are
growing larger due to worsening weather conditions. A fully developed sea is one in which the waves are as large as they
are going to get given the wind and weather conditions.
Unit 8 – Tides
1.
During which phases of the moon do neap tides occur? __quarter moon___ spring tides__full and new moon__
2.
Describe the difference in tidal range between neap tides and spring tides. Tide range is lowest during neap tide because
the sun and moon are at right angles and their gravitational forces cancel each other out. Tide range is greatest during
spring tide because the sun and moon are in alignment and their gravitational forces are pulling in the same direction.
3.
What is the difference between an ebb tide and a flood tide? Ebb tide is when the tide is falling and tidal currents are
flowing away from land. Flood tide is when the tide is rising and tidal currents are flowing towards land.
4.
Do tides follow the lunar month or solar month? lunar month
5.
How long is a lunar month? 29.5 days
6.
How do the elliptical orbits of the earth and moon affect the tides? The moon orbits the earth in an elliptical orbit and the
earth orbits the sun in an elliptical orbit. Gravitational forces (i.e. tidal forces) are greatest when the moon is closest to the
earth (perigee) and when the earth is closest to the sun (perihelion).
7.
What is a maelstrom? a tide-driven whirlplool
8.
Where is the largest tidal range in the world? Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Unit 9 – Atmospheric Circulation and Hurricanes
1.
Why is the sun hotter at the equator than at the poles? Because the sun’s rays strike the earth at a more direct (90 degree)
angle at the equator compared to the poles.
2.
When is the hurricane season and when does it peak? June – October. Peaks in early September when the waters in the
Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico are at their warmest.
3.
What causes most of the damage from hurricanes? The winds or the flooding? the flooding
4.
What do we call the surge of floodwater that comes with a hurricane? storm surge
5.
Which was the deadliest hurricane in American history? Galveston Hurricane of 1900
6.
Which was the costliest hurricane in American history? Katrina
7.
Which way do hurricanes rotate in the Northern Hemisphere? __counterclockwise__ in the Southern Hemisphere?
__clockwise_____
Unit 10 – Ocean Currents
8.
What is the primary force that drives surface currents? wind
9.
What is the primary force that drives deep ocean currents (the global conveyor belt)? temperature and salinity which is why
it is also called thermohaline circulation.
10. When cold nutrient-rich waters rise from the depths to the surface it is called __upwelling__
11. What is the main type of pollution or garbage that is found in the “North Pacific Garbage Patch”? plastic
12. What is meant by the term “western intensification” and what causes it? currents are stronger on the western edge of
each ocean due to the earth’s rotation. The earth rotates to the east and the water in the oceans tends to pile up more on
the western edge of each ocean causing currents on the western edge of each ocean to intensify.
13. What is the name of the current that flows from Florida to Europe? Gulf Stream
14. Which direction do surface currents turn in the Northern Hemisphere? __clockwise__ In the Southern Hemisphere?
__counterclockwise_____
Unit 11 – The Marine Environment
15. Define the terms plankton, nekton, and benthos Plankton - organisms that drift in the open ocean; Nekton – organisms
that swim freely in the ocean; Benthos – organisms that life on the sea floor
16. What is bioluminescence? light produced by biochemical reactions in many deep sea animals
17. What are 3 reasons why animals use bioluminescence? (1) to find prey, (2) to find or attract a mate, and (3) to avoid being
eaten
18. How are saltwater fish adapted to living in salt water? Due to osmosis, saltwater fish are constantly losing water to the
saltwater ocean. To adapt to this environment they constantly drink water, never urinate, and have the ability to secrete
salt through their gills.
19. How are freshwater fish adapted to living in fresh water? Due to osmosis, freshwater fish are always gaining water from
the freshwater environment. To adapt to this environment they do the opposite of saltwater fish: never drink and urinate
a lot.
20. The camouflage color pattern in which marine organisms are light on the bottom and dark on top is called: countershading.
21. What is the deepest diving marine mammal? sperm whale
22. Identify the following animals as cold blooded or warm blooded: bony fish, sharks, sea turtles, whales, sea lions, sea birds.
cold blooded: bony fish, sharks, sea turtles. warm blooded: whales, sea lions, sea birds.
Unit 12 – The Plankton
23. What is the largest species of phytoplankton (it often washes up on Texas beaches) sargassum seaweed
24. What is the largest type of zooplankton? jellyfish
25. What do we call it when a population of plankton explodes? bloom
26. What is the primary type of large zooplankton found in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica that forms the base of the
Antarctic food chain and serves as food for baleen whales? krill
27. What is the deadliest marine animal? box jellyfish
28. What type of plankton has hard glass-like skeletons and is used for polishes and pool filter material? diatoms
29. What type of plankton is the cause of red tides? dinoflagellates
Unit 13 – The Nekton
30. Because sea otters lack blubber they much rely on their dense _fur__ for warmth
31. What is the world’s largest fish? whale shark
32. How do penguin bones differ from the bones of other birds and how does this difference help them swim? Penguins have
solid bones which adds weight and density to the penguin and helps them dive. Other birds have hollow bones because
the lighter weight helps them to fly.
33. Circle which of the following animals belong to the group of toothed whales: sperm whale, manatee, dolphin, sea lion, sea
otter, humpback whale, orca, porpoise, walrus.
34. Identify which of the following characteristics belong to sharks and which belong to bony fish: swim bladder, cartilaginous
skeleton, replaceable teeth, round scales, tooth-like scales, single gill opening, multiple gill openings Sharks: cartilaginous
skeleton, replaceable teeth, tooth-like scales, multiple gill openings. Bony fish: round scales, single gill opening
35. The world’s deadliest shark is the: ____great white shark______
Unit 14 – The Benthos
36. Individual coral animals are called ___polyps_____
37. What type of water condition causes coral bleaching? warm water (warmer than normal)
38. What happens when coral bleaches? the coral polyps eject their symbiotic algae
39. What type of symbiotic relationship benefits both participants? __mutualism_____ only one participant and does not affect
the other? ___commensalism______ benefits one and harms the other? ___parasitism_____
40. What are three advantages or benefits provided by gastropod shells? protection from drying out, protection from
predators, camouflage
41. Describe how gastropod shells grow larger? they grow in a spiral pattern
42. How does a gastropod differ from a bivalve? gastropods have a single spiral shell like a snail, bivalves have 2 hinged shells
like a clam.
Unit 15 – Climate Change and Fisheries
43. Is the scientific basis behind the greenhouse effect speculative or based on established science? well established sound
science
44. What are three negative effects of sea level rise? (1) coastal land and cities where much of the world’s population lives will
be flooded, (2) erosion of coastal areas will increase, and (3) coastal aquifers will become contaminated with saltwater
45. What is the primary reason why sharks are hunted? for their fins which are used by the Chinese for shark fin soup
46. Which commercial fishery in the US is considered a well-managed and sustainable fishery? salmon fishery in Alaska
47. How can you as a consumer know which fish species are environmentally sound and sustainably harvested and which are
not? There are many consumer guides to seafood available. The most well known the SEAFOOD WATCH produced by the
Monterey Bay Aquarium as a paper guide and iPhone app.
48. How does increased CO2 absorption change ocean chemistry? Carbon dioxide reacts with water to form carbonic acid. As
increased carbon dioxide is put into the atmosphere due to burning of fossil fuels some of it will become absorbed in the
oceans causing them to become more acidic.
49. What is one negative environmental effect of ocean acidification? animals that form shells and coral reefs will be dissolved
by the acid (or at least will be weakened)
50. What two factors cause sea level rise? (1) Thermal expansion of the oceans. As the temperature of the oceans increases
they will expand due to the laws of physics which will produce rising sea levels. (2) Freshwater runoff from melting glaciers
and ice sheets. When comparing these two causes of sea level rise, scientists say that thermal expansion will contribute
more to sea level rise than melting glaciers and ice sheets.