Chapter 1—The Origin of the Ocean
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. About ____ percent of Earth's water is found in the Ocean.
a. 97.5
b. 71
c. 67.4
d. 30.1
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1.1 Earth Is an Ocean World
2. The average depth of the ocean is about ____.
a. 760 meters (2,500 feet)
b. 3,700 meters (12,000 feet)
c. 200 meters (650 feet)
d. 1,200 meters (4,000 feet)
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.1 Earth Is an Ocean World
3. The world ocean:
a. plays a minor role in the weather and shape of landmasses of the Earth.
b. does not influence the way organisms live on land.
c. is the dominant feature of the Earth and most of its living organisms.
d. represents over half of the Earth's radius.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1.1 Earth Is an Ocean World
4. Our sun and its family of planets were formed about:
a. 6,000 to 10,000 years ago.
b. 5 billion years ago.
c. 45 million years ago.
d. 40 billion years ago.
, ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.3 Stars Form Seas
5. After Earth’s formation, the planet’s ocean did not form for nearly:
a. 13 billion years.
b. 1 billion years.
c. 4 billion years.
d. 200 million years.
ANS: C PTS: 1
REF: 1.4 Earth, Ocean, and Atmosphere Accumulated in Layers Sorted by Density
6. In the scientific method, scientific theories:
a. must be tested and verified by observations.
b. must be verified by the leading authorities in the field.
c. must be consistent with previous, universally accepted scientific concepts.
d. must be consistent with the fact that the ocean is of great age.
ANS: A PTS: 1
REF: 1.2 Marine Scientists Use the Logic of Science to Study the Ocean
7. Life on Earth probably evolved in the ocean. All of the following evidence supports this
statement EXCEPT:
a. the cellular makeup of all living organisms depends on a saline solution to dissolve
and transport chemicals.
b. biosynthesis cannot occur without high concentrations of free oxygen, similar to
the condition of Earth’s early atmosphere and ocean.
c. the basic molecules of life (simple sugars and amino acids) form spontaneously in
a solution similar to that of Earth’s early ocean.
d. the thermal and chemical characteristics of water allow intricate biochemical
reactions to occur, such as those required for biosynthesis.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probably Originated in the Ocean
8. The most abundant form of matter in the universe appears to be:
a. water molecules.
, b. planets and planet-like bodies.
c. dust and debris.
d. hydrogen.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1.3 Stars Form Seas
9. The ocean originated from:
a. volcanic gases.
b. radioactive heating of the Earth's interior, and the heating of the surface by
meteorites striking and melting the outer layers of the Earth.
c. capture by the Earth's gravity of water molecules in space.
d. volcanic gases, radioactive heating of the Earth's interior, and a barrage of icy
comets or asteroids striking and melting the outer layers of the Earth.
ANS: D PTS: 1
REF: 1.4 Earth, Ocean, and Atmosphere Accumulated in Layers Sorted by Density
10. Evidence suggests the universe began about 13.7 billion years ago in a:
a. slow accretion of atoms.
b. very large galaxy.
c. cataclysmic expansion of energy and matter.
d. protostar.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1.3 Stars Form Seas
11. Which of the following best describes biosynthesis?
a. The discovery of organic molecules in space.
b. The evolution of living organisms from simple organic building blocks.
c. The evolution of inorganic molecules in seawater.
d. Experiments that show that early organisms lived in an oxygen-free environment.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probable Originated in the Ocean
12. The first life forms on Earth arose:
a. more than 3.5 billion years ago.
, b. at the same time as the formation of the Earth.
c. relatively recently - about 250,000,000 years ago.
d. about 10,000 years ago.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probably Originated in the Ocean
13. Based on evidence that supports the hypothesis regarding an ocean on Mars, which of the
following statements is TRUE?
a. Mars has an ocean today.
b. Mars has an ocean, and it is probably hidden in vast caverns beneath the surface of
the planet.
c. Mars may have had an ocean in ancient times, perhaps 1-3 billion years ago.
d. Mars may have had an ocean until very recently.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1.7 Are There Other Ocean Worlds?
14. To recreate an environment for biosynthesis, scientists included all of the following EXCEPT:
a. unstable chemical conditions.
b. oxygen.
c. sparks.
d. dissolved compounds and gases thought to be present in the early atmosphere.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probably Originated in the Ocean
15. The earliest known fossils were discovered in northwestern Australia and resemble modern-day:
a. bacteria.
b. animals.
c. fungi.
d. viruses.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probable Originated in the Ocean
16. An example of another body in our solar system that has an ocean is:
a. the moon of Earth.
b. Europa.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. About ____ percent of Earth's water is found in the Ocean.
a. 97.5
b. 71
c. 67.4
d. 30.1
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1.1 Earth Is an Ocean World
2. The average depth of the ocean is about ____.
a. 760 meters (2,500 feet)
b. 3,700 meters (12,000 feet)
c. 200 meters (650 feet)
d. 1,200 meters (4,000 feet)
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.1 Earth Is an Ocean World
3. The world ocean:
a. plays a minor role in the weather and shape of landmasses of the Earth.
b. does not influence the way organisms live on land.
c. is the dominant feature of the Earth and most of its living organisms.
d. represents over half of the Earth's radius.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1.1 Earth Is an Ocean World
4. Our sun and its family of planets were formed about:
a. 6,000 to 10,000 years ago.
b. 5 billion years ago.
c. 45 million years ago.
d. 40 billion years ago.
, ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.3 Stars Form Seas
5. After Earth’s formation, the planet’s ocean did not form for nearly:
a. 13 billion years.
b. 1 billion years.
c. 4 billion years.
d. 200 million years.
ANS: C PTS: 1
REF: 1.4 Earth, Ocean, and Atmosphere Accumulated in Layers Sorted by Density
6. In the scientific method, scientific theories:
a. must be tested and verified by observations.
b. must be verified by the leading authorities in the field.
c. must be consistent with previous, universally accepted scientific concepts.
d. must be consistent with the fact that the ocean is of great age.
ANS: A PTS: 1
REF: 1.2 Marine Scientists Use the Logic of Science to Study the Ocean
7. Life on Earth probably evolved in the ocean. All of the following evidence supports this
statement EXCEPT:
a. the cellular makeup of all living organisms depends on a saline solution to dissolve
and transport chemicals.
b. biosynthesis cannot occur without high concentrations of free oxygen, similar to
the condition of Earth’s early atmosphere and ocean.
c. the basic molecules of life (simple sugars and amino acids) form spontaneously in
a solution similar to that of Earth’s early ocean.
d. the thermal and chemical characteristics of water allow intricate biochemical
reactions to occur, such as those required for biosynthesis.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probably Originated in the Ocean
8. The most abundant form of matter in the universe appears to be:
a. water molecules.
, b. planets and planet-like bodies.
c. dust and debris.
d. hydrogen.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 1.3 Stars Form Seas
9. The ocean originated from:
a. volcanic gases.
b. radioactive heating of the Earth's interior, and the heating of the surface by
meteorites striking and melting the outer layers of the Earth.
c. capture by the Earth's gravity of water molecules in space.
d. volcanic gases, radioactive heating of the Earth's interior, and a barrage of icy
comets or asteroids striking and melting the outer layers of the Earth.
ANS: D PTS: 1
REF: 1.4 Earth, Ocean, and Atmosphere Accumulated in Layers Sorted by Density
10. Evidence suggests the universe began about 13.7 billion years ago in a:
a. slow accretion of atoms.
b. very large galaxy.
c. cataclysmic expansion of energy and matter.
d. protostar.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1.3 Stars Form Seas
11. Which of the following best describes biosynthesis?
a. The discovery of organic molecules in space.
b. The evolution of living organisms from simple organic building blocks.
c. The evolution of inorganic molecules in seawater.
d. Experiments that show that early organisms lived in an oxygen-free environment.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probable Originated in the Ocean
12. The first life forms on Earth arose:
a. more than 3.5 billion years ago.
, b. at the same time as the formation of the Earth.
c. relatively recently - about 250,000,000 years ago.
d. about 10,000 years ago.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probably Originated in the Ocean
13. Based on evidence that supports the hypothesis regarding an ocean on Mars, which of the
following statements is TRUE?
a. Mars has an ocean today.
b. Mars has an ocean, and it is probably hidden in vast caverns beneath the surface of
the planet.
c. Mars may have had an ocean in ancient times, perhaps 1-3 billion years ago.
d. Mars may have had an ocean until very recently.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 1.7 Are There Other Ocean Worlds?
14. To recreate an environment for biosynthesis, scientists included all of the following EXCEPT:
a. unstable chemical conditions.
b. oxygen.
c. sparks.
d. dissolved compounds and gases thought to be present in the early atmosphere.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probably Originated in the Ocean
15. The earliest known fossils were discovered in northwestern Australia and resemble modern-day:
a. bacteria.
b. animals.
c. fungi.
d. viruses.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 1.5 Life Probable Originated in the Ocean
16. An example of another body in our solar system that has an ocean is:
a. the moon of Earth.
b. Europa.
