Ocean Floor Mapping
The term used to describe ocean floor mapping, or the measurement of ocean depths and the charting of ocean floor features, is called:
1. bathymetry
2. seismic profiling
3. topography
4. geodesy
1. bathymetry
If you were to go out away from shore across a passive continental margin, you would cross the:
1. continental slope, shelf, then the rise
2. continental slope, rise, then the shelf
3. continental shelf, rise, then the slope
4. continental shelf, slope, then the rise
4. continental shelf, slope, then the rise
Besides the abyssal plains, the majority of the deep ocean basins, which are also one of the most abundant geomorphic structures on the planet, consist of:
1. seamounts
2. oceanic islands
3. guyots
4. abyssal hills
5. abyssal volcanoes
4. abyssal hills
TRUE OR FALSE? Pillow lavas (pillow basalts) indicate that molten lava came in contact with water and cooled very quickly.
TRUE
The three major provinces of the ocean floor include all of the following EXCEPT:
1. transform fault zones
2. mid-ocean ridges
3. deep-ocean basins
4. continental margins
1. transform fault zones
Why is ocean floor mapping important? Ocean floor mapping is fundamental to our understanding of all of the following EXCEPT:
1. tsunami forecasting
2. ocean circulation
3. sediment transport
4. environmental change
5. all of the choices are correct
6. fishery resources
5. all of the choices are correct
Turbidity currents are highly erosive and are thought to be responsible for the creation of:
1. oceanic islands
2. deep sea trenches
3. submarine canyons
4. continental shelves
3. submarine canyons
All of the following statements are true about oceanic islands EXCEPT:
1. They are actually part of the continental shelves of nearby continents.
2. They may be associated with a mid-ocean ridge.
3. They generally originate by undersea volcanic activity.
4. They may be associated with hot spots, such as Hawaii
5. They may be island arcs associated with convergent plate boundaries.
1. They are actually part of the continental shelves of nearby continents.
White smokers, a type of hydrothermal vent, emits white "smoke", or water that is concentrated with mainly what materials?
1. iron, nickel, copper, and zinc.
2. calcium, silicon, and barium sulfide
3. organic material from the remains of marine life.
4. normal sea water, just really hot.
2. calcium, silicon, and barium sulfide
Match the name of the ocean floor feature with the marine province in which it is found. (each province will be used more than once):
1. abyssal plain, 2. submarine canyon, 3. pillow lava, 4. ocean trench, 5. deep sea fan, 6. fracture zones
a. Continental margin
b. mid-ocean ridge
c. Deep ocean basin
1. abyssal plain: c. Deep ocean basin
2. submarine canyon: a. Continental margin
3. pillow lava: b. mid-ocean ridge
4. ocean trench: c. Deep ocean basin
5. deep sea fan: a. Continental margin
6. fracture zones: b. mid-ocean ridge
This unit of measurement for water depth, now standardized to be equal to 6' or 1.8 meters in length, is called a:
1. bathometer
2. fathom
3. nautical mile
4. knot
2. fathom
Generally, an active continental margin has a narrower continental shelf than a passive margin because:
1. it is nearer to a subduction zone
2. it is closer to a rift valley
3. it is further away from a rift valley
4. it is further away from any subduction zones
1. it is nearer to a subduction zone
TRUE OR FALSE? The tectonically active portions of the perpendicular offsets to the mid-ocean ridge are called transform fault zones, while the older, inactive offset zones are called fracture zones.
TRUE
Match the bathymetry technique to its description:
1. Sounding, 2. Seismic profiling, 3. Echo-sounding, 4. satellites
a. Transmits and receives acoustic waves through the water
b. Uses low frequency sounds produced by air guns to detect what lies beneath the ocean floor
c. Can detect gravitational anomalies on the ocean surface
d. Low-tech, using rope with a heavy weight at the end of it
1. Sounding: d. Low-tech, using rope with a heavy weight at the end of it
2. Seismic profiling: b. Uses low frequency sounds produced by air guns to detect what lies beneath the ocean floor
3. Echo-sounding: a. Transmits and receives acoustic waves through the water
4. satellites: c. Can detect gravitational anomalies on the ocean surface
The sedimentary formations found at the bottom of many submarine canyons in the continental rise area and caused by turbidity currents, are (more than one answer, choose all that apply):
1. turbidites
2. deep-sea fans
3. guyots
4. oceanic islands
1. turbidites
2. deep-sea fans