Earth Processes:
Oceanography
This is an interactive quiz. Before choosing an answer, go to the hints and read the information concerning that question.
Name Date Teacher
1. The floor of the Atlantic Ocean is MOSTLY
a gently sloping bottom.
large plains and a mountain range.
a completely flat basin.
craters and deep cracks just like the Moon.
Hint 1 Hint 2
2. The constant motion of ocean water is partly due to
sandbars.
sand dunes.
ocean currents.
ocean organisms.
3. The total amount of dissolved salts found in ocean water is called
sodium
chloride
salinity
density
Hint 1
4. A valuable ocean resource that is obtained by evaporating ocean water is
coal.
iron.
oil.
salt.
5. Today, oceanographers map the ocean floor using sonar techniques. These techniques were adapted from the original sonar systems developed for
divers.
locating fish.
submarine detection.
communicating with dolphins.
6. The flattest part of the ocean floor is the
trench.
abyssal plain.
continental shelf.
mid-ocean rift valley.
7. On most ocean shorelines, the water rises slowly and covers the land twice a day. Then it slowly falls back. What is this movement called?
current
wave
tide
drift
8. Which causes some parts of the ocean to be saltier than other parts?
cruise ships
river sediments
fishing industry
ocean organisms
Hint
9. The negative effects of overfishing a particular ocean species, such as salmon, can be decreased BEST by
feeding salmon.
farming salmon.
fishing for only small salmon.
protecting salmon from predators.
10. A scientist want to examine the features on the ocean floor. What equipment should he use?
echo-sounder
radio telescope
plankton sampler
seismograph
11. Which ocean feature is a flat area covered by a layer of mud, sand, and animal remains?
rift valley
mid-oceanic ridge
abyssal plain
continental slope
Hint1 Hint 2
12. Twice a day, the ocean level at the coast rises and falls. These ocean level changes are called
currents
waves
undertow
tides
13. To determine if a water sample was taken from a lake or an ocean, what scientific procedure would be BEST to use?
Drink both samples.
Place both samples in the sun to evaporate.
Strain both samples.
Freeze both samples overnight.
14. When industrial waste enters rivers, it eventually reaches the ocean. This pollution can kill ocean life and make seafood unsafe for eating. Which is NOT true about this type of pollution?
It is spread in the ocean by currents.
It is sometimes radioactive.
It is often concentrated in coastal areas.
It is all being eliminated by modern technology.
15. Which is NOT a way oceanographers gather new information about the depths of the ocean below 1000 feet?
sonar on surface ships
scuba diving
submersible robots
snorkeling
Hint 1 Hint 2 Hint 3 Hint 4
16. MOST organisms in the ocean live
on the abyssal plains.
on the continental shelves.
near hot springs in the mid-ocean
near the mid-Atlantic ridge.
17. Waves on the Atlantic Ocean are caused by
the Gulf Stream.
the tidal current.
the wind.
the jet stream.
18. Which is a reason that fishing for some species of ocean fish is regulated by governments?
Laws are needed to limit the growth of fish populations.
People who fish need to know where the fish are.
Fish species that are overfished could become extinct
Laws prevent people who fish from polluting the ocean.
19. Which technology is used to study the oceans?
satellite imaging
magnetic resonance imaging
space probe
Hubble telescope
20. Which resource is currently taken from the ocean environment?
coal
diamonds
oil
uranium
21. Tides are caused primarily by
Earth revolving around the Sun.
Earth's orbit in the solar system.
the tilt of Earth's axis
the Moon orbiting Earth.
