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Oceanography Terms Quiz

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Date: 

Instructions: Navigate the vocabulary of oceanography, from tides and currents to the geology of the ocean floor and deep-sea exploration.

  1. 1.

    What is the 'continental shelf'?

    A
    The edge of a tectonic plate
    B
    A cliff along the coastline
    C
    A sandbar near the shore
    D
    The shallow underwater extension of a continent's landmass before it drops off into the deep ocean
  2. 2.

    What is a 'tsunami'?

    A
    A strong ocean current
    B
    A tropical storm
    C
    A series of large ocean waves typically caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions
    D
    A tidal change caused by the moon
  3. 3.

    What does 'bathymetry' study?

    A
    Ocean temperatures
    B
    The measurement and mapping of depths of the ocean floor
    C
    Marine life populations
    D
    Wave patterns
  4. 4.

    What is an 'ocean trench'?

    A
    A coral reef formation
    B
    A shallow lagoon
    C
    A long, narrow, deep depression in the ocean floor, often formed at tectonic plate boundaries
    D
    A river delta
  5. 5.

    What is the 'Gulf Stream'?

    A
    A type of underwater volcano
    B
    A stream of freshwater entering the ocean
    C
    A powerful warm ocean current flowing from the Gulf of Mexico across the Atlantic
    D
    A river in the Gulf of Mexico
  6. 6.

    What does 'upwelling' refer to?

    A
    Waves crashing on shore
    B
    The rising of cold, nutrient-rich water from deep in the ocean to the surface
    C
    The increase in sea level
    D
    The formation of whirlpools
  7. 7.

    What is a 'hydrothermal vent'?

    A
    A type of underwater cave
    B
    An opening on the ocean floor that releases geothermally heated water
    C
    A freshwater spring in the ocean
    D
    A hole in a ship
  8. 8.

    What are 'tides'?

    A
    The regular rise and fall of sea levels caused mainly by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun
    B
    Currents caused by temperature differences
    C
    Underwater earthquakes
    D
    Waves caused by wind
  9. 9.

    What is the 'mid-ocean ridge'?

    A
    A shallow reef in the middle of the ocean
    B
    A deep trench between continents
    C
    A sandbar in the open ocean
    D
    An underwater mountain range formed by tectonic plate divergence
  10. 10.

    What does 'halocline' refer to?

    A
    An underwater cliff
    B
    A layer in the ocean where salinity changes rapidly with depth
    C
    A measurement of wave height
    D
    A type of coral
  11. 11.

    What is 'sonar' used for in oceanography?

    A
    Collecting water samples
    B
    Measuring ocean salinity
    C
    Measuring water temperature
    D
    Using sound waves to map the ocean floor and detect objects underwater
  12. 12.

    What is a 'gyre'?

    A
    A tidal pool
    B
    An underwater volcano
    C
    A type of wave
    D
    A large system of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns
  13. 13.

    What is the 'Mariana Trench' known for?

    A
    Being the saltiest part of the ocean
    B
    Having the warmest water
    C
    Being the deepest known part of the world's oceans
    D
    Having the largest coral reef
  14. 14.

    What does 'turbidity' measure in water?

    A
    Salinity
    B
    Depth
    C
    The cloudiness or haziness of water caused by suspended particles
    D
    Temperature
  15. 15.

    What is a 'seamount'?

    A
    A volcanic island chain
    B
    An underwater mountain that does not reach the water's surface
    C
    A type of island
    D
    A coastal mountain

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