Practice Quiz

MTEL Earth Science Practice Test - Question List

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41.
Which of the following ocean surface water masses is likely to have the greatest density?
  1. Cold and relatively high salinity waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.
  2. Warm and high salinity waters of the Caribbean Sea.
  3. Cold and moderately saline waters of the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean.
  4. Warm and low salinity waters of the South China Sea.
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42.
In recent years, scientists have documented a drop in the salinity of the North Atlantic Ocean. The primary concern of scientists studying this phenomenon is that a large drop in the salinity of North Atlantic water would affect the:
  1. Acidity of the surface water in one of the world's most important fisheries.
  2. Amount of precipitation in the temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
  3. Rate at which heat is transferred northward by the Gulf Stream.D. Formation of sea ice in a region already under stress from climate change.
  4. Formation of sea ice in a region already under stress from climate change.
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43.
The movement of deep-ocean currents is driven primarily by which of the following?
  1. The transfer of surface wave energy through friction.
  2. Gravitational effects of the Moon.
  3. The orbit and rotational motion of Earth.
  4. Temperature and salinity gradients.
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44.
Over the past 50 years, the Mississippi Delta has diminished in size as the Gulf of Mexico has flooded many areas that were previously above sea level. This has been primarily the result of which of the following processes?
  1. Overuse of groundwater resources and the consequent sinking of the land surface of the delta.
  2. Down warping of the North American plate and the resulting drop in the overlying delta deposits.
  3. Increased frequency of major tropical storms and the related increase in erosion of the delta.
  4. Reduced replenishment of sediment and ongoing compaction of delta deposits.
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45.
The narrow longshore currents that transport sand grains along the immediate coastline are primarily produced by:
  1. Tidal forces that fluctuate throughout the day.
  2. Local winds that blow parallel to the beach.
  3. Waves that strike the beach at an angle.
  4. Beach runoff that carries water back into the surf.
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