Exam 2

Question 1

Hydrogen bonding is responsible for

Answer 1

1. Lower density as a solid
2. High heat of vaporization
3. High surface tension
4. High specific heat capacity
5. Cohesive and Adhesive

Question 2

How does whale poop contribute to the marine food chain?

Answer 2

It provides nutrients that increase phytoplankton, which supports marine life.

Question 3

Ocean waters tend to be saltier the closer you get to what?

Answer 3

Equator

Question 4

Why are phytoplankton important in marine ecosystems?

Answer 4

1. They plan a crucial role in the global carbon cycle by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
2. They produce approximately half of the world’s oxygen through photosynthesis.
3. They form the base of the marine food web, providing food for various marine organisms.

Question 5

The two most abundant salt ions in the ocean are

Answer 5

Sodium and Chloride

Question 6

The depth where the rate of photosynthesis balances the rate of respiration is the

Answer 6

Compensation depth

Question 7

The Arctic Circle is located at 66.5°N. What does this number (66.5) refer to?

Answer 7

It is the northernmost latitude minus the Earth’s tilt.

Question 8

What is the main function of the biological pump in the oceans?

Answer 8

To sequester carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the ocean

Question 9

Why are oceans salty?

Answer 9

1. River runoff from land
2. Openings in the seafloor (hydrothermal vents)

Question 10

The average salt content of the oceans is

Answer 10

3.5%

Question 11

Photosynthesis converts

Answer 11

Carbon dioxide to oxygen

Question 12

Respiration converts

Answer 12

Oxygen to carbon dioxide

Question 13

What gives water it’s polarity?

Answer 13

Unequal sharing of electrons between hydrogen and oxygen atoms

Question 14

What element is positive in water? And what element is negative?

Answer 14

Oxygen is negatively charged
Carbon is positively charged

Question 15

The Coriolis effect results from

Answer 15

The Earth’s rotation

Question 16

Effects of high pressure centers

Answer 16

• Air pressure is high and is sinking
• Air moves away
• Creates mild/calm weather

Question 17

Effects of low pressure centers

Answer 17

• Air pressure is low and is rising
• Increases clouds and precipitation
• Can cause hurricanes

Question 18

What is the Coriolis effect?

Answer 18

The Coriolis effect is the apparent deflection of moving objects (like air or water) when viewed from a rotating frame—in this case, Earth. Because Earth spins, moving air masses curve rather than travel in straight lines.

Question 19

What causes the global wind patterns?

Answer 19

Uneven heating and Coriolis effect

Question 20

What are the global wind patterns?

Answer 20

𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬:
- Location: Between the equator and about 30° latitude (both north and south).
- Direction: Blow from the east → Called “easterly” winds.

• In the Northern Hemisphere, they blow from the northeast.
• In the Southern Hemisphere, they blow from the southeast.

𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬:
- Location: Between 30° and 60° latitude in both hemispheres.
- Direction: Blow from the west to the east.

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬:
- Location: From 60° latitude to the poles in both hemispheres.
- Direction: Blow from the east (thus “easterlies”) toward the west. Same as trade.

Question 21

The Coriolis effect causes cyclones and hurricanes to rotate:

Answer 21

Counterclockwise and inwards in the Northern Hemisphere

Clockwise and inwards in the Southern Hemisphere

Question 22

The zone of calm winds around the equator (5N to 5S) is known as the?

Answer 22

Doldrums

Question 23

Why does land tend to heat up faster than the oceans during the day?

Answer 23

Water has a higher specific heat capacity than rocks.

Question 24

What is a sea breeze?

Answer 24

• During the day, land heats up faster then the ocean
• This causes the air to rise over the land (low pressure)
• The ocean air is cooler and denser (high pressure)
• The ocean air then moves to the land — creating sea breeze

Question 25

What is a land breeze?

Answer 25

- During the night the land cools faster then the ocean - The water is now warmer and rises (low pressure) - The land is cooler and denser (high pressure) - Air then moves from land to the ocean — creating land breeze

Question 26

What is La Niña?

Answer 26

Phase of ENSO (changes in ocean temperatures and wind patterns in the tropical Pacific Ocean every 3-7 years) La Niña occurs when trade winds are stronger, so it’s cooler, more wet in Asia & Australia, more dry in the Americas

Question 27

What is El Niño?

Answer 27

Phase of ENSO (changes in ocean temperatures and wind patterns in the tropical Pacific Ocean every 3-7 years) El Niño occurs when trade winds are weakened or reversed. Makes earth warmer, Asia and Australia drier and the Americas wetter.

Question 28

What role do NADW and AABW (thermohaline circulation, where it's salty and cold) play in the global ocean circulation system?

Answer 28

They transport heat, carbon, and nutrients around the oceans

Question 29

Names and origin of the densest water

Answer 29

The North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) The Antarctic Bottom Water (most dense) Both’s origin is they are at the poles

Question 30

What impact does melting sea ice have on thermohaline circulation?

Answer 30

Decreases salinity, weakening circulation

Question 31

Surface currents =

Answer 31

Wind bands + coriolus

Question 32

What is the primary cause of ocean acidification? How does this affect ocean pH?

Answer 32

Excess carbon dioxide (CO₂) being absorbed by seawater Ocean pH is lowered

Question 33

What is upwelling and downwelling?

Answer 33

Upwelling is the movement of cold, deep, often nutrient-rich water to the surface mixed layer; and downwelling is the movement of surface water to deeper depths.

Question 34

The large scale circular patterns of ocean surface currents found in each ocean are known as

Answer 34

gyres, there are 5 major ones

Question 35

How do air bubbles trapped in ice cores provide information about past climates?

Answer 35

They trap gases like CO₂ and methane, showing past atmospheric conditions

Question 36

What is the current ocean pH

Answer 36

8.1, a weak base

Question 37

What causes coral bleaching?

Answer 37

Rising sea temperatures that stress corals

Question 38

How do ice core records show the link between carbon dioxide levels and global temperatures?

Answer 38

They reveal that CO₂ levels and temperatures have risen and fallen together over time.

Question 39

Identify and define the Milankovitch cycles

Answer 39

𝐓𝐢𝐥𝐭: Obliquity, 23.5 degrees, changes seasonal intensity, ~41k yrs 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: Wobble, shifts timing of seasons, ~26k yrs 𝐄𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲: Elliptical orbit, alters total solar radiation time length, ~100k yrs

Question 40

What causes rising sea levels?

Answer 40

- Melting glaciers and ice sheets - Thermal expansion of water

Question 41

How does ocean acidification affect marine organisms with calcium carbonate shells?

Answer 41

It makes their shells weaker and more likely to dissolve

Question 42

What is insolation and albedo?

Answer 42

Insolation is the amount of solar radiation in a given area. Higher insolation areas are warmer Albedo is the measure of how much sunlight is reflected off a surface. More reflected = cooler More absorbed = warmer

Question 43

What are the most abundant gases in the atmosphere?

Answer 43

Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide

Question 44

How do melting glaciers vs. sea ice affect sea levels? Which has more impact?

Answer 44

The glaciers are on land vs the sea ice which is in the water floating. The glaciers have more impact in raising sea levels as they aren't already in the water.

Question 45

Define air pressure

Answer 45

The pressure exerted by weight of the air

Question 46

What direction is the North and South hemisphere deflected by Coriolis?

Answer 46

North: to the right South: to the left

Question 47

What are greenhouse gases, and what are the main types?

Answer 47

Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide

Question 48

Why does atmospheric carbon dioxide flucate on an annual basis?

Answer 48

Because seasonal changes in plant growth and decay

Question 49

Describe requirements for hurricane formation and sources of hurricane energy

Answer 49

Hurricanes form from warm ocean waters, low air pressure, low wind shear, and coriolis They get their energy from warm ocean waters and from the energy released by condensation

Question 50

Which country has the most emissions of greenhouse gases and by per capital

Answer 50

China Qatar

Question 51

Evidence of climate change within increases and decreases

Answer 51

1. Average temp: increased 1.17C 2. Summer Artic ice: decreased 3. Antarctica and Greenland ice sheet volume: decreased 4. Ocean levels: increased 5. Ocean temp: increased 0.6C

Question 52

What are the differences in the climate pattern over the last 800,000 years compared to that for most of the last 500 million

Answer 52

The last 800,000 years has experienced prolonged ice ages with glacial and interglacial cycles The last 800,000 years have been significantly cooler compared to most of the last 500 million years The poles have been ice free throughout most of the last 500 million years.