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GS 108 Oceanography Lecture Exam 2 Study Objectives
Be sure to read the assigned text, review your notes, and spend
QUALITY time preparing for the exam
CHAPTER 6: Air-Sea Interactions
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Describe what causes seasons. How are the Tropics (Cancer and Capricorn) related to the solstice’s
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Explain why, although we have uneven solar heating due to latitude differences and seasonal variations, the
earth as a whole is in thermal equilibrium (the equator is not boiling, and the poles are not frozen solid).
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Know the basic percentages of gases that make up the atmosphere
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What influences the density of air (is warm air less dense than cool air? Where is pressure greatest~ closer or
further from the earth’s surface?)
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How does atmospheric circulation occur? Convection currents? Warm air rises, expands, becomes less dense…
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What is the Coriolis Effect? Explain why a Coriolis effect produces an apparent curvature in the trajectory (path)
of a body moving relative to earth? (why did the ball “curve” when thrown on a merry-go-round?)
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How does the Coriolis effect, the rotation of the earth, and convection affect our wind patterns~ understand
Figure 6.12~ be able to label (and explain) Hadley cells, Ferrel cells, polar cells, etc. What are ITCZ (doldrums)
horse latitudes, trade winds, prevailing westerlies, and polar easterilies and where are they found?

Describe the differences between weather and climate?
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What are land and sea breezes?
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Describe the general pattern of warm and cold fronts and these large air masses can cause storms
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What are tropical cyclones~ know general characteristics of how they are formed.
CHAPTER 7: Ocean Circulation
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Describe the difference between surface currents and deep currents.
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What is the energy source(s) of surface currents? How does our good old Coriolis Effect come into play with
surface currents?
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How wind-driven currents cause movement of water~ friction between layers
(Ekman Transport)
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Explain the flow within a gyre (surface currents, Coriolis Effect, Ekman Transport, pressure)
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What are the 5 major geostrophic gyres (current circuits) of the world oceans?
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What kinds of things can slow, change, or redirect a current?
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What are western and eastern boundary currents? How are they different from each other?
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What is upwelling and downwelling and what is their significance?
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Briefly describe the “selected circulation patterns” discussed in class (ACC, Gulf Stream, Monsoons, Pacific Gyresgarbage patch)
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What drives thermohaline circulation? Be able to describe the “great ocean conveyor belt”
CHAPTER 8: Waves
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Explain why are waves movers of energy, not water?

Be able to label a diagram of the anatomy of a wave
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Be able to calculate wave celerity of deep and shallow water waves.
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Know the difference between capillary waves and gravity waves (generating force, restoring force)
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Describe the three factors that influence wind-wave development (wind strength, wind duration, and fetch)
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Describe how wave trains can meet (types of interference)
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Describe what happens when a deep-water wave approaches shore?

Describe the difference between wave refraction and wave reflection.

Describe the conditions needed to create a standing wave
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Be able to describe tsunami formation, give reasons why tsunami waves can be so destructive.
CHAPTER 9: Tides
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How does Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation relate to tides?
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Why does the moon affect tides more than the sun?

How long is a lunar day? A solar day?
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Know the phases of the moon.

Describe how the Earth’s rotation can lead to 2 high tides and 2 low tides in one solar day.
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Explain spring and neap tides
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Explain diurnal, semidiurnal, and mixed semidiurnal tides
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Describe how tidal datum is calculated (MLW, MLLW)
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Be able to read and explain a tide chart
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What is tidal range?
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Define the following terms: flood current, ebb current, slack water

Briefly describe the various tidal phenomena discussed in class (tidal bore, extreme tides, tidal currents,
whirlpools, grunion)
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Describe how the energy of tides is being harvested by certain companies/countries
CHAPTER 10: Coasts

Know the difference between shore and coast.

The anatomy of a beach (berm, berm crest, beach scarp, backshore, foreshore)
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Describe longshore current and longshore drift, and how these effect sand movement along a beach.
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Know the difference between erosional and depositional coasts. Briefly describe characteristics of each.
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How are sea cliffs, sea caves, blowholes, and wave-cut bench formed?
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How are sand spits, tombolos, deltas, and barrier islands formed.
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Describe the 3 types of coral reefs
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Describe the types of estuaries discussed in class (salt wedge, well mixed, partially mixed, and fjord)