OCEANS 100 EXAM 1 SDSU QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Science - Answers - Evidence of the natural world
Scientific Method - Answers - The process of objectively establishing facts through
testing and experimentation
Observation > Hypothesis > Testing > Theory
Hypothesis - Answers - An idea proposed to explain one or more facts; must be testable
and potentially false
Scientific Theory - Answers - The structure of ideas that explains a wide range of
observations from the natural world; supported by an abundance of evidence; rigorously
tested
How are the fields of oceanography (geology, chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy,
etc.) used within oceanography? - Answers - Geology: plate tectonics
Biology: evolution by natural selection(Darwin)
Physics: relativity
Astronomy: Big Bang
Chemistry: chemical components in ocean
Geography: where things are and why
Mercator Projection - Answers - 2D depiction of Earth; distorts size of latitude
How much of all water on Earth is found in the oceans, and where else can it be found?
- Answers - 97%
In descending order: Antarctica and Greenland(ice), underground water, rivers/lakes,
atmosphere
What are the 5 major oceans? - Answers - From largest to smallest:
Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Artic, Antarctic
Which ocean is the deepest/most shallow and why? - Answers - Deepest: Pacific;
contains the most trenches, tectonic activity, the largest, oldest, and coldest
Most Shallow: Artic; surrounded by the most land= most shelves
How much of Earth is covered by oceans? - Answers - 71% and increasing
What is the average temperature of the ocean's water? - Answers - 4° C
What percent of the ocean's water is warmed by the sun? - Answers - 2%
, How old are the oceans? - Answers - At least 4 billion years old
What are the most abundant elements in the ocean? - Answers - From most to least:
Hydrogen, Oxygen, Chloride, Sodium
How old is our Solar System? - Answers - Around 4.6 billion years old
How was our solar system formed? - Answers - Supernova: a great explosion of a star=
huge amount of energy and elements released= formed a nebula
What is a nebula and how is it related to Earths formation? - Answers - Nebula: cloud of
dust and gas
Earth was condensed from a solar nebula
Density formula - Answers - Mass/Volume
What are the density differentiations of Earth? - Answers - From least to most
dense(innermost core to outermost):
-Solid iron inner core
-Liquid iron outer core
-Mantle
-Crust
What are the layers of Earth from top to bottom? - Answers - Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Mesosphere
Core
Lithosphere - Answers - Contains the crust and uppermost mantle; ~100km thick and
broken into rigid pieces(tectonic plates)
Asthenosphere - Answers - Upper mantle below; ~600km thick; ductile rocks(solid but
can be molded, think of play doh)
Mesosphere - Answers - Lower mantle
What layers are constantly interacting with one another? - Answers - The lithosphere
and asthenosphere (tectonic activity)
What helped with the formation of the atmosphere? - Answers - Volcanic Outcasting:
volcanos erupt > gases released
How did the oceans form? - Answers - Volcanic eruptions released H20 in the
atmosphere which rained down (caused 1/2 the water, other 1/2 was from icy comets)
ANSWERS
Science - Answers - Evidence of the natural world
Scientific Method - Answers - The process of objectively establishing facts through
testing and experimentation
Observation > Hypothesis > Testing > Theory
Hypothesis - Answers - An idea proposed to explain one or more facts; must be testable
and potentially false
Scientific Theory - Answers - The structure of ideas that explains a wide range of
observations from the natural world; supported by an abundance of evidence; rigorously
tested
How are the fields of oceanography (geology, chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy,
etc.) used within oceanography? - Answers - Geology: plate tectonics
Biology: evolution by natural selection(Darwin)
Physics: relativity
Astronomy: Big Bang
Chemistry: chemical components in ocean
Geography: where things are and why
Mercator Projection - Answers - 2D depiction of Earth; distorts size of latitude
How much of all water on Earth is found in the oceans, and where else can it be found?
- Answers - 97%
In descending order: Antarctica and Greenland(ice), underground water, rivers/lakes,
atmosphere
What are the 5 major oceans? - Answers - From largest to smallest:
Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Artic, Antarctic
Which ocean is the deepest/most shallow and why? - Answers - Deepest: Pacific;
contains the most trenches, tectonic activity, the largest, oldest, and coldest
Most Shallow: Artic; surrounded by the most land= most shelves
How much of Earth is covered by oceans? - Answers - 71% and increasing
What is the average temperature of the ocean's water? - Answers - 4° C
What percent of the ocean's water is warmed by the sun? - Answers - 2%
, How old are the oceans? - Answers - At least 4 billion years old
What are the most abundant elements in the ocean? - Answers - From most to least:
Hydrogen, Oxygen, Chloride, Sodium
How old is our Solar System? - Answers - Around 4.6 billion years old
How was our solar system formed? - Answers - Supernova: a great explosion of a star=
huge amount of energy and elements released= formed a nebula
What is a nebula and how is it related to Earths formation? - Answers - Nebula: cloud of
dust and gas
Earth was condensed from a solar nebula
Density formula - Answers - Mass/Volume
What are the density differentiations of Earth? - Answers - From least to most
dense(innermost core to outermost):
-Solid iron inner core
-Liquid iron outer core
-Mantle
-Crust
What are the layers of Earth from top to bottom? - Answers - Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Mesosphere
Core
Lithosphere - Answers - Contains the crust and uppermost mantle; ~100km thick and
broken into rigid pieces(tectonic plates)
Asthenosphere - Answers - Upper mantle below; ~600km thick; ductile rocks(solid but
can be molded, think of play doh)
Mesosphere - Answers - Lower mantle
What layers are constantly interacting with one another? - Answers - The lithosphere
and asthenosphere (tectonic activity)
What helped with the formation of the atmosphere? - Answers - Volcanic Outcasting:
volcanos erupt > gases released
How did the oceans form? - Answers - Volcanic eruptions released H20 in the
atmosphere which rained down (caused 1/2 the water, other 1/2 was from icy comets)
