TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

All about Oceans

Image Credit: flickr

1. The term “Gyre” in oceans refers to the extensive a) Hawaii and California
system of spiralling oceanic currents. Which of the b) San Francisco and California
following are the five significant gyres?
c) Los Angeles and Hawaii
a) North Pacific Subtropical, South Pacific Subtropical,
North Atlantic Subtropical, South Atlantic d) San Diego and Hawaii
Subtropical, and Indian Ocean Subtropical
b) North Arctic Subtropical, South Arctic Subtropical, 4. Factors such as water ________,________ &
North Atlantic Subtropical, South Atlantic __________ restrict the geographic distribution of
Subtropical, and Indian Ocean Subtropical reef-building corals. __________ Ocean basin has the
c) Only a most corals.

d) Both a & b a) Temperature, Salinity & Clarity and Pacific

b) Temperature, Salinity & Clarity and Atlantic

2. “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” — the largest c) Only a

accumulation of oceanic garbage patch — lies in which d) Both a & b
of the following oceanic divisions.
a) South Pacific Ocean
5. Higher rates of evaporation result in increased salinity
b) North Pacific Ocean of the ocean. The saltiest areas in the sea are typically
c) West Pacific Ocean regions with high evaporation rates or large water
bodies with no outlet to the sea. Identify the saltiest
d) East Pacific Ocean ocean basin from the following options.
a) Atlantic Ocean b) Pacific Ocean
3. Which of the following stretches of the “Great Pacific c) Indian Ocean d) Arctic Ocean
Garbage Patch” has a high concentration of marine
trash? e) Southern Ocean

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6. This sea’s high salinity increases the water’s density, a) Regional Seas Programme & Regional Seas
making objects in the water more buoyant. This makes Conventions and Action Plans
swimming in the sea difficult. Which of the following b) United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea &
natural waters is known for having the saltiest water Regional Seas Programme
and containing the most mineral content, in the world?
c) Only a
a) Black Sea
d) Both a & b
b) Baltic Sea
c) Salton Sea
12. Which of the following is the UN’s institution
d) Dead Sea responsible for creating a “fair and effective,
generally accepted and implemented legal framework
for the shipping industry”?
7. Select the right option for the units used in measuring
the distance travelled and speed in water, respectively. a) The International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
a) Kilometre & Mile b) Global Oceanographic Data Archaeology and Rescue
(GODAR)
b) Knot & Nautical miles
c) National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
c) Nautical miles & Knot
d) None of the above
d) Mile & Kilometre

13. In which year was the Coastal Regulation Zone

8. The “Ring of Fire”, around the edges of the Pacific
(CRZ) established, a regulatory framework for
Ocean, is the home of the majority of the Earth’s active
India’s coastal areas aimed at conserving ecosystems
volcanoes and is defined as the_______________.
and resources?
a) String of underwater volcanoes and earthquake sites
a) 1990
b) Magma on land
b) 1992
c) Only a
c) 1993
d) Both a & b
d) 1991

9. The globally recognised regime “United Nations

14. What plan does the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) have
Convention on the Law of the Sea” (UNCLOS) deals
to respond to oil spills in Indian waters that apply to
with ____________.
shipping, ports, and oil industries?
a) “Matters relating to the law of the sea”
a) National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan
b) “Cleaning the world’s oceans only” (NOSDCP)
c) Only a b) Coast Guard Act
d) Both a & b c) Coastal Regulation Zone
d) All above
10. The UNCLOS came into force in accordance with its
article 308 on ______________________
15. Which of the following is the ocean’s twilight zone,
a) 17 November 1994 found between lighter and darker areas? It is a layer
b) 16 November 1994 of water stretching around the whole globe.
c) 20 November 1994 a) Mesopelagic zone
d) 15 November 1994 b) Torrid zone
c) Abyssal zone
11. UNEP, primarily through its ___________________, d) All above
aims to safeguard oceans and seas while
promoting the sustainable use of marine resources. Answers
___________________ is the sole legal framework in 1.a 2.b 3.a 4.a 5.a 6.d 7.c 8.c
the world that protects oceans & seas at the regional
9.c 10.b 11.c 12.a 13.d 14.a 15.a
level.

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