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GEOL 31 - Physical Oceanography

Exam # 2 Study Guide - Fall 2011

exam date: Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Professor: Dr. Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.

 
General InformationLast Updated  •  October 28, 2011   
PLEASE NOTE:
Only students who are enrolled in the class can take the test. If you are not enrolled, for any reason (and in particular, if you have been given an add code and have not used it yet) YOU CAN NOT TAKE THE TEST.

You CAN NOT USE cellular phones, iPods, Blackberries, Bluetooth, headphones, computers, pocket calculators, translators or, in general, ANY KIND of electronic device during the test.
All electronic devices MUST BE TURNED OFF: if a cell phone rings, or if a device is on during test time, you will not be allowed to finish your test and your result will be invalidated.

You can not use any text, notes, dictionary, pocket calculator, flash card, or any other source of information than your brain.

You will NOT need a ruler or a blue book for this test.

You will ONLY need to bring:

  1. one Scantron, Form 882-E
  2. a number 2 pencil
  3. an eraser

This study guide must be interpreted (literally) as a guide to the study of the subject and not as a listing of possible questions.
On this study guide, there is no additional or extra information compared to what has been said, discussed, shown, illustrated in class.
It is YOUR personal responsability to cover the materials listed below on the lecture textbook, on the lab textbook, on "Cradle of Life", on the web pages, and on your notes.

I would strongly recommend that you peruse your notes for completeness of information: some information that has been detailed in class might only be mentioned briefly on the textbook, and you are responsible for covering that.

At the end of each chapter in your textbook, there is a section called Chapter in Review. After reading the whole chapter, summarize it by reading this section, so that you can build a background on which all the info presented in the chapter stands.
Know what the key terms and the concepts are.
Test yourself with the questions for review also found at the end of each chapter.
Try to work with the Critical Thinking Exercises.
Take advantage of the web resources the publisher put online in association with your textbook.
Try to work with other fellow students if you find it useful.
Never hesitate to ask me questions in class or during the lab.

The Pacific Ocean in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles
The southern California coast in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles:
an example of a transform active margin.

 
Study Guide: LECTURELast Updated  •  October 28, 2011    
Chapter 4 - Marine Sediments
Study the whole chapter

  1. Know the Introduction
  2. Know Why Are Marine Sediments Important?
    Be sure to review Table 4.1, page 98, to fully understand the distribution of sediments in the oceans.
  3. Know What Is Lithogenous Sediment?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs and to review Table 4.2, page 105. The names of lithogenous sediment grains, as you remember, are function of their size and not their composition. You are only required to know clay, silt, sand, and gravel.
  4. Read What Is Biogenous Sediment?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. I would recommend to review in particular figures 4.11 and 4.12, page 111, figure 4.13, page 112, figure 4.14 and Table 4.3, page 113 in order to fully understand how pelagic siliceous ooze, calcareous ooze, and red clays settle in pelagic environments.
  5. Know What Is Hydrogenous Sediment?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs.
  6. Know What Is Cosmogenous Sediment?
  7. Know What Mixtures Of Sediment Exist?
  8. Know A Summary: How Are Pelagic And Neritic Deposits Distributed?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Pay attention to figures 4.18 and 4.19, page 117
  9. Know What Resources Do Ocean Sediments Provide?

Chapter 5 - Water and Seawater
Study the whole chapter

  1. Know the Introduction
  2. Know Why Does Water Have Such Unusual Properties?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Pay attention to figure 5.2, page 130, figures 5.3 and 5.4, page 131
  3. Know What Other Important Properties Does Water Possess?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Pay attention to figures 5.5 and 5.6, page 133, figure 5.8, page 134, and figiure 5.12, page 138.
  4. Know How Salty Is Seawater?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs.
  5. Know Why Does Seawater Salinity Vary?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs.
  6. Know Is Seawater Acidic or Basic?
    Be sure to review your notes on how the concentration of H+ and OH- ions is measured. Know what buffering is.
  7. Know How Does Seawater Salinity Vary at the Surface and With Depth?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Review figure 5.22, page 151, figure 5.23, page 152, and figure 5.24, page 153.
  8. Know How Does Seawater Density Vary With Depth?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Be sure to know what the halocline, thermocline, and pycnocline are. Know about the variations in salinity, temperature, and density at the surface and with the depth. This is a fundamental section in order to understand how water circulates in the oceans. Be sure to review figure 5.25, page 154.
  9. Know What Methods Are Used to Desalinate Seawater?
    Know the main methods and how they work.

Chapter 6 - Air-Sea Interaction
Study the whole chapter

  1. Know the Introduction
  2. Know What Causes Earth's Seasons?
  3. Know How Does Uneven Solar Heating Affect Earth?
  4. Know What Physical Properties Does the Atmosphere Possess?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Review figure 6.7, page 166, and figure 6.8, page 167.
  5. Know How Does the Coriolis Effect Influence Moving Objects?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs.
  6. Know What Global Atmospheric Circulation Patterns Exist?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Review figure 6.11, page 171, and table 6.2, page 173
  7. Know What Weather and Climate Patterns Does the Ocean Exhibit?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Review figure 6.13, page 176, figure 6.14, page 177, figure 6.16,page 178, and figure 6.19,page 184.
  8. Know How Do Sea Ice and Icebergs Form?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Review figure 6.22, page 186.
  9. Read Can Power from Wind Be Harnessed as a Source of Energy?

Chapter 7 - Ocean Circulation
Study the whole chapter

  1. Know the Introduction
  2. Know How Are Ocean Currents Measured?
  3. Know How Are Ocean Surface Currents Organized?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Review figure 7.5, page 198, table 7.1, page 199, figures 7.6 and 7.7, page 201, figure 7.8, page 203, table 7.2, page 204, and figure 7.9, page 205.
  4. Know What Causes Upwelling and Downwelling?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Review figures 7.10 and 7.11, page 206, and figures 7.12 and 7.13, page 207.
  5. Know What Are the Main Surface Circulation Patterns in Each Ocean?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs and to review all figures, including figure 7.21, page 217.
  6. Know What Deep Ocean Currents Exist?
    Be sure to study all the subparagraphs. Review figure 7.27, page 224, and figure 7.28, page 225
  7. Read Can Power from Currents Be Harnessed as a Source of Energy?
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