TOSS-UP #1 Multiple Choice - Physical
What period of the tidal cycle has the least amount of
movement within the body of water?
W. Neap Tide
X. Spring Tide
Y. Slack Tide
Z. Ebb Tide
BONUS #1 Short Answer - Physical
What is the name for a zone in the ocean where salinity
of the water rapidly changes with depth?
ANSWER: HALOCLINE
TOSS-UP #2 Multiple Choice - Geology
Off the northern coast of New Zealand, what trench contains
the 35,700 feet Horizon Deep, second only to Challenger Deep
of the Mariana Trench?
W. Tonga Trench
X. Java Trench
Y. Puerto Rico Trench
Z. Ryukyu Trench
BONUS #2 Short Answer - Geology
To the nearest thousand miles, about how long is the Tonga Trench?
ANSWER: 1,000 MILES
TOSS-UP #3 Multiple Choice - Geology
The Peru-Chili Trench is the longest trench in the world,
reaching what estimated length?
W. 1,200 miles
X. 2,500 miles
Y. 3,200 miles
Z. 3,700 miles
BONUS #3 Short Answer - Geology
The first ever successful descent to the bottom of Challenger Deep
was aboard the manned submarine named what?
ANSWER: TRIESTE
TOSS-UP #4 Multiple Choice - Technology
When was the first documented use of a underwater submersible
in battle?
W. 1681
X. 1775
Y. 1817
Z. 1856
BONUS #4 Short Answer - Technology
What was the name of this submersible?
ANSWER: TURTLE (AMERICAN TURTLE)
TOSS-UP #5 Multiple Choice - Geology
What is nearest to the elevation of Mauna Loa, Hawaii?
W. 2,500 feet
X. 5,200 feet
Y. 10,700 feet
Z. 13,700 feet
BONUS #5 Short Answer - Geology
What type of volcano is Mauna Loa?
ANSWER: SHIELD
TOSS-UP #6 Multiple Choice - Geology
What small tectonic plate is located just off the West coast
of Canada?
W. Cocos Plate
X. Nazca Plate
Y. Juan de Fuca Plate
Z. Scotia Plate
BONUS #6 Short Answer - Geology
To the nearest hundred-thousand square miles, approximately how big is
the Juan de Fuca plate?
ANSWER: 100,000 square miles (actual 97,000 sq mi or 250,000 sq km)
TOSS-UP #7 Multiple Choice - Chemistry
Which of the following ions is the most concentrated in the ocean at 0.0528 moles per kilogram?
W. MG2+
X. Ca2+
Y. K+
Z. F-
BONUS #7 Short Answer - Chemistry
What kind of water has a higher filtration rate?
ANSWER: FRESHWATER
TOSS-UP #8 Multiple Choice - Biology
What shark species has been recorded as the fastest known in the world?
W. Tiger
X. Bull
Y. Blue
Z. Mako
BONUS #8 Short Answer - Biology
How fast have these sharks been recorded?
ANSWER: accept any answer between 42-46 miles per hour
TOSS-UP #9 Multiple Choice - Biology
What species of shark is third largest, only being beat by the Basking Shark and
the Whale Shark?
W. Great White Shark
X. Tiger Shark
Y. Blue Shark
Z. Gulper Shark
BONUS #9 Short Answer - Biology
To what length have whale sharks been known to grow? Round to the nearest ten feet.
ANSWER: accept any answer between or including 40 and 70 feet
TOSS-UP #10 Multiple Choice - Geography
What was the name of the sea between the two major continents during much of the
Mesozoic era?
W. Thetys Sea
X. Panthalassic Sea
Y. Rheic Sea
Z. Blue Sea
BONUS #10 Short Answer - Geography
What were the names of these two continents?
ANSWER: Gondwana and Laurasia
TOSS-UP #11 Multiple Choice - Geography
How long is the longest barrier island along the coast of the contiguous United States?
W. 57 miles
X. 81 miles
Y. 113 miles
Z. 273 miles
BONUS #11 Short Answer - Geography
What is the name of this barrier island?
ANSWER: Padre Island
TOSS-UP #12 Multiple Choice - Physical Oceanography
What is the name of the main eastern boundary current in the North Atlantic Ocean?
W. Gulf Stream
X. Cannary Current
Y. Benguela Current
Z. Kuroshio Current
BONUS #12 Short Answer - Physical Oceanography
In what direction does the North Atlantic Gyre rotate?
ANSWER: Clockwise
TOSS-UP #13 Multiple Choice - Geography
Besides the North American and Australian plates, what plate borders the Pacific
plate to the west?
W. Eurasian Plate
X. Indonesian Plate
Y. Southeast Asian Plate
Z. Filipino Plate
BONUS #13 Short Answer - Geography
What tectonic plate is second largest only to the Pacific Plate?
ANSWER: North American Plate
TOSS-UP #14 Multiple Choice - Geography
What type of energy transfer is used to transfer heat from the core of the earth to
the surface?
W. Conduction
X. Metallic
Y. Radiation
Z. Convection
BONUS #14 Short Answer - Geography
In what layer of the mantle does convection occur?
ANSWER: Asthenosphere
TOSS-UP #15 Multiple Choice - Biology
If a large whale was found dead beached on a shore only a few hours after being
seen alive on that same shore, what was the probable cause of death?
W. Suffocation
X. Dehydration
Y. Organ Collapse
Z. Starvation
BONUS #15 Short Answer - Geography
Made of the same material as fingernails, baleen is found attached to which jaw of large whales?
ANSWER: Upper Jaw
TOSS-UP #16 Multiple Choice - Biology
What is the scientific family for porpoises?
W. Delphinidae
X. Phocoenidae
Y. Cetacea
Z. Odontoceti
BONUS #16 Short Answer - Biology
What porpoise-like mammal inhabits the Arctic Ocean and boasts one of the longest teeth in the
animal kingdom?
ANSWER: Narwhal
TOSS-UP #17 Multiple Choice - Biology
The action of breaking the surface of water and falling back down, creating a tsunami like
splash, by whales is known as what?
W. Tail Slap
X. Head Rise or Spy Hop
Y. Head Lunge
Z. Breaching
BONUS #17 Short Answer - Biology
What other animal related to sharks breaches up to six feet high in groups called shoals?
ANSWER: accept any type of ray
TOSS-UP #18 Multiple Choice - Geology
What era of geological time was the Earth comprised of two main continents, the Paleo-Tethys Sea and
the Panthalassic Ocean?
W. Cenozoic
X. Paleozoic
Y. Mesozoic
Z. Cambrian
BONUS #18 Short Answer - Geology
What type of animal ruled the ocean during much of the Mesozoic era?
ANSWER: Ichthyosaurs
TOSS-UP #19 Multiple Choice - Geology
What plate is directly west of modern-day Mexico?
W. Pacific Plate
X. Nazca Plate
Y. Cocos Plate
Z. Carribean Plate
BONUS #19 Short Answer - Geology
What plate makes up most of the southern border of the South American Plate?
ANSWER: Scotia Plate
TOSS-UP #20 Multiple Choice - Physical Oceanography
What current is the eastern boundary current for the South Pacific?
W. Canary Current
X. Brazil Current
Y. South African Current
Z. Benguela Current
BONUS #20 Short Answer - Physical Oceanography
Is the Benguela Current a warm or cold water current?
ANSWER: Cold water
TOSS-UP #21 Multiple Choice - Physical Oceanography
The highest tides in the world are located in the Bay of Fundy. About how high are they?
W. 12 feet
X. 35 feet
Y. 50 feet
Z. 65 feet
BONUS #21 Short Answer - Physical Oceanography
What is the main reason we have tides on Earth?
ANSWER: the Moon's gravity
TOSS-UP #22 Multiple Choice - Mythology
The most famous picture of the Loch Ness monster taken by Robert Kenneth Wilson
is popularly known as what because he refused to publish his name along with the photograph in the London Daily Mail?
W. Surgeon's Photograph
X. Fisher's Photograph
Y. Trawler's Photograph
Z. Tourist's Photograph
BONUS #22 Short Answer - Mythology
The mysterious lake said to hold the Loch Ness monster, Loch Ness is located in what country?
ANSWER: Scotland
TOSS-UP #23 Multiple Choice - Physical Oceanography
If a wave has an amplitude of 3 feet and a wavelength of 20 feet, how deep does the water have to be for this wave to
be considered a deep water wave?
W. greater than 1.5 feet
X. greater than 10 feet
Y. greater than 100 feet
Z. greater than 1000 feet
BONUS #23 Short Answer - Physical Oceanography
How many oceans are there on the Earth today as designated by the International Hydrographic Organization?
ANSWER: Five
TOSS-UP #24 Multiple Choice - Pop Culture
What ancient sea creature was popularized in the movie Jurassic World?
W. Liopleurodon
X. Megladon
Y. Mosasaurus
Z. Tylosaurus
BONUS #24 Short Answer - Pop Culture
Mosasaurus lived during what peiod of the Mesozoic era?
ANSWER: Cretaceous
TOSS-UP #25 Multiple Choice - Pop Culture
What species haunts a New England island in the movie Jaws?
W. Bull
X. Megladon
Y. Mega White
Z. Great White
BONUS #25 Short Answer - Pop Culture
Who wrote Jaws?
ANSWER: Peter Benchley
TOSS-UP #26 Multiple Choice - Biology
Name the fin-like lobes that jut out from both sides of the Manta Ray's mouth to funnel in food?
W. Cephalic Lobes
X. Funneling Lobes
Y. Capital Lobes
Z. Cartilaginous Lobes
BONUS #26 Short Answer - Biology
What is the name of the opening on rays near there eyes that brings water
to there gills?
ANSWER: Spiracles
TOSS-UP #27 Multiple Choice - Biology
What oceanic zone does the angle shark inhabit?
W. Pelagic
X. Abyssal
Y. Hadal
Z. Benthic
BONUS #27 Short Answer - Biology
What oceanic zone does the whale shark inhabit?
ANSWER: Pelagic Zone
TOSS-UP #28 Multiple Choice - Biology
What are the two subclasses of the class of cartilaginous fish,
Chondrichthyes?
W. Rhincodontidae and Lamniformes
X. Elasmobranchii and Lamniformes
Y. Elasmobranchii and Holocephali
Z. Orectolobiformes and Holocephali
BONUS #28 Short Answer - Biology
What animals make up the subclass of Holocephali?
ANSWER: Pelagic Zone
TOSS-UP #29 Multiple Choice - Biology
What is the scientific name of the Whale Shark?
W. Rhincodon typus
X. Rhincodon flurodon
Y. Rhincodon simolaephodon
Z. Rhincodon cephalodon
BONUS #29 Short Answer - Biology
What is the scientific name of the Great White Shark?
ANSWER: Carcharodon carcharias
TOSS-UP #30 Multiple Choice - Biology
What is the smallest known shark in the world?
W. Pygmy Littleshark
X. Dwarf Dogshark
Y. Dwarf Lantershark
Z. Pygmy Cephaloshark
BONUS #30 Short Answer - Biology
What is the scientific name of the Dwarf Lanternshark?
ANSWER: Etmopterus perryi
TOSS-UP #31 Multiple Choice - Biology
What are the two parvorders of whales?
W. Odontoceti and Fisticeti
X. Rhincodon and Fisticeti
Y. Rhincodon and Odontoceti
Z. Odontoceti and Mysticeti
BONUS #31 Short Answer - Biology
Of the following four items, which are different between Odontoceti and Mysticeti?
1. Method of eating
2. Size
3. Number of blowholes
4. Caudal fin shape
ANSWER: 1, 2 and 3