Here are some examples of questions that could be used as an evaluation of concepts presented in this Workshop.

1. The general direction of flow of surface ocean currents results primarily from
1. gravitational forces from the Sun and the Moon
2. planetary wind patterns in the troposphere
3. temperature and salinity differences
4. vectors involving Earth’s rotational and revolutionary forces

2. Which current flows in the same direction and side of another ocean basin as the Gulf Stream?
1. Agulhas 2. Benguela 3. Kuroshio 4. West Wind Drift

3. Which current creates a warmer climate in western Europe than in eastern North America at the same latitudes?
1. Canaries 2. Florida 3. Labrador 4. North Atlantic

4. Which current is mostly directly affected by the El Nino conditions in the Pacific?
1. California 2. East Australia 3. Kuroshio 4. Peru

Base your answers to questions 5 - 6 on Chart 1 below. The chart shows the salinities and densities of three different water samples taken at the same location but different depths. Salinity is a measure of the total amount of dissolved minerals in the sea water expressed in parts per thousand (o/oo). 

Chart 1
Water Sample Salinity (o/oo) Density (g/cm3)
          N                 35.2                  1.0249
          R                 35.8                  1.0254
          P                 34.8                  1.0246


5. What can be concluded about their relative vertical positions?
1. N would be above both R and P
2. R would be below both N and P
3. R would be above P and below N
4. P would be below both N and R

6. The dissolved minerals in the seawater came mostly from
1. chemical precipitation forming carbonates on the sea floor
2. eruptions of submarine volcanoes
3. land-derived minerals carried to the ocean in rivers and streams
4. shells of marine organisms that dissolved after sinking

7. Evaporating seawater collected in the Azores would probably form
1. calcite (calcium carbonate) 
2. gypsum (calcium sulphate)
3. halite (sodium chloride) 
4. quartz (silicon dioxide)


8. Explain, using a diagram and complete sentences, what keeps the Moon in orbit around the Earth.

A core containing different species of plankton fossils was brought up from the ocean floor. 
Species K is known to occur commonly when surface waters are warm. Species S is known to occur commonly in cold waters. Species N does not seem to be affective much by the temperature. When it was opened, the species were found in the order represented below:

[top of core]
         0    10    20    30    40    50    60    70    80    90   100 cm
         KN  KN   N    NS   NS   S     SK     K      K      KS      S
 

9. Explain what can be inferred about changes in the ocean temperatures based upon this pattern.

10. Using C-14 testing on the carbonate minerals in the core, it was determined that the sediments were deposited at a rate of 2 cm per thousand years. What would be the approximate age of the layer that contained only species S? Show your work, and include proper units.