Oceanography
001 West
Valley College
R.
Lopez
1)
Know
the relative abundances of the atmospheric gases that freely exchange between
oceans and atmosphere. (I discussed these on the first day of class)
2)
What
is the angle of Earth’s axis to the ecliptic (orbital plane)? See fig. 7.2 page 134
3)
How
are Earth’s seasons caused?
4)
What
is the yearly cycle of seasons (e.g. two equinox and two solstice)?
5)
Explain
uneven solar heating on Earth.
6)
Why
are the tropics warmer than the poles?
7)
Since
solar radiation is strongest at the tropics and lowest at the poles, why don’t
the poles get progressively colder and the tropics progressively hotter?
8)
Warm
air is less dense than cold air. True or False?
9)
Is
humid air less or more dense than dry air?
10)
What
occurs when near surface air (under pressure) is lifted to higher altitudes?
11)
Lifting
air cools and expands. True or False?
12)
What
does descending air do?
13)
Recall
that warm ascending air holds more water vapor than cold descending air. What
results from warm air rising to higher altitudes (hint: will lead to rain)?
14)
What
is the Coriolis Effect (p. 136)?
15)
In
the Northern Hemisphere, the deflection of the initial course is to the left
because of the Coriolis Effect. True or
False?
16)
How
many Atmospheric cells occur in each Hemisphere? What are the names of the three atmospheric cells? Be able to name these and give their
latitude range.
17)
Know
where the Trade Winds, Westerlies, and Polar Easterlies occur. Know their direction of travel in each of
the atmospheric cells.
18)
Know
where the Doldurms, Horse Latitudes, and Polar Fronts occur. Definitely know where the high and low
pressures occur.
19)
Name
at least three of the Primary and Secondary forces that drive ocean
circulation.
20)
What
is an ocean current?
21)
What
are the two main types of current systems?
22)
Thermohaline
currents travel along the ocean surface. True or False?
23)
What
are the three key points to remember when describing surface current
generation?
24)
What
is gyre?
25)
What
is the Ekman Spiral? How does it explain ocean current surface movement at 90°
to wind direction?
26)
What
is the Ekman Transport?
27)
What
is a geostrophic gyre?
28)
Why
do geostrophic gyres circulate westward without turning to the right in the
northern hemisphere?
29)
Where
is the Sargasso Sea, and how is it characterized?
30)
What
are the six great geostrophic gyres of the world?
31)
Why
is the West Wind Drift not really a gyre?
32)
What
is a western boundary current?
33)
What
are the five major western boundary currents?
34)
Know
how upwelling and downwelling conditions occur. (page 160)
35)
How
is Thermohaline Circulation generated? (page 165)
36)
Why
is the ocean stratified (layered)?
37)
What
are the five common water density masses according to temperature in temperate
and tropical water? (p. 165-166)