EXAM 2
DUE: THURSDAY, MARCH 5
General Guidance:
- The exam questions below cover the material we will discuss in class. Your answers should reflect what we cover in class, the posted notes, and the text book.
- It is best to work on the questions as we cover the material; you should feel free to bring the questions up in class for discussion.
- Be thorough, it may take one or two paragraphs to completely answer the question.
- Put the answer into your own words. Short quotes are OK, but your answer should not be a single, long quote from a source.
- Please answer the questions using complete sentences, and be sure to use proper spelling and grammar (worth 10%).
- The answers must be typed.
- Informal citations are required.
- If you are using information from the textbook; indicate the page number
- If you are using information from your class notes; indicate so
- If you are using other sources, you should indicate the source
- Format examples: "According to [source], [followed by the information]" OR "[information] [followed by source in parentheses]"
- Answers that are copied from the book, notes, another student, or any other source (verbatim or superficially rephrased) will not be accepted. While you should use all the resources available and you can and should work with other students, the work you submit must be your own work in your own words.
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- Describe the four types of ocean sediment by source (where the sediment came from). The description should include where the sediment comes from, as well as size, composition, and locations where (in the ocean) you would find this sediment being deposited. (20 pts.)
- Explain why the average thickness of sediments in the Atlantic Ocean is thicker than in the Pacific Ocean. (5 pts.)
- Explain why calcareous ooze is not found on the deepest parts of the ocean floor. (5 pts.)
- Water has a very high latent heat of vaporization. (10 pts.)
- What is it (in calories/gram)?
- Why is this important? Explain two roles the latent heat of vaporization plays in Earth’s ocean-atmospheric systems.
- Explain why sunlight does not reach depths greater than about 200 meters in the ocean. What happens to the sunlight that enters the ocean? (5 pts.)
- Explain why sound waves stay within the “sofar” layer. (5 pts.)
- List the three most abundant dissolved solids (ions in solution) found in seawater and their concentrations. (5 pts.)
- Describe two sources of dissolved solids found in sea water. (5 pts.)
- Describe one technique that can be used to measure the salinity of sea water. (5 pts.)
- List the three most abundant dissolved gasses found in seawater and their concentrations. (5 pts.)
- Describe two sources of dissolved gasses found in sea water. (5 pts.)
- Describe one way in which heat energy from the sun moves from Earth’s equator to the poles. (5 pts.)
- Explain what the climate (and weather) is like in areas where the air is rising. (5 pts.)
- Describe what an extratropical cyclone is and explain how it forms. (10 pts.)
- Explain how a hurricane forms and where it gets its energy. (5 pts.)
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last updated: 2026-01-02