Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
1
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
1. What percentage of the Earth's surface is covered by water?
a) 50%
b) 61%
c) 71%
d) 81%
Answer: c) 71%
2. Which ocean was named the newest of Earth's five oceans by the National Geographic Society in
June 2021?
a) Pacific Ocean
b) Southern Ocean
c) Arctic Ocean
d) Indian Ocean
Answer: b) Southern Ocean
3. Which of the following is NOT a subdivision of the ocean basins?
a) Continental shelf
b) Oceanic ridge
c) Abyssal plains
d) Ocean deeps
Answer: b) Oceanic ridge
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
2
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
3
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
1. What is the shallow submerged extension of a continent called?
a) Continental slope
b) Continental shelf
c) Abyssal plain
d) Ocean deeps
Answer: b) Continental shelf
2. What is the width of the continental shelf off the coast of Florida?
a) 1200 kilometers
b) 240 kilometers
c) 3200 kilometers
d) 600 kilometers
Answer: b) 240 kilometers
3. Which zone enables sunlight to penetrate through the water on continental shelves?
a) Aphotic Zone
b) Benthic Zone
c) Photic Zone
d) Abyssal Zone
Answer: c) Photic Zone
4. Which natural resources are extensively obtained from continental shelves?
a) Coal and iron
b) Petroleum and natural gas
c) Gold and silver
d) Copper and zinc
Answer: b) Petroleum and natural gas
5. What type of marine structure is commonly found on continental shelves?
a) Abyssal hills
b) Coral reefs
c) Submarine ridges
d) Guyots
Answer: b) Coral reefs
6. What characterizes the continental slopes?
a) Rich deposits of sediments
b) Gentle slopes and abundant marine life
c) Steepness and lack of sediment deposits
d) Flat and featureless surfaces
Answer: c) Steepness and lack of sediment deposits
7. What covers the floor of abyssal plains?
a) Sand and gravel
b) Living coral reefs
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
4
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
c) Sediments including dead remains and materials from land
d) Volcanic lava
Answer: c) Sediments including dead remains and materials from land
8. What are long, narrow, steep-sided depressions on the ocean floor called?
a) Seamounts
b) Submarine plateaus
c) Submarine trenches
d) Mid-ocean ridges
Answer: c) Submarine trenches
9. Where are submarine trenches typically located?
a) In the middle of ocean basins
b) Near or parallel to continents bordered by fold mountains
c) At the ocean's surface
d) On continental shelves
Answer: b) Near or parallel to continents bordered by fold mountains
10. What does UNCLOS stand for?
a) United Nations Convention on Ocean and Sea Laws
b) United Nations Charter on Law of Oceans
c) United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
d) Universal Network for Coordinated Laws of the Sea
Answer: c) United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
5
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
6
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
1. Which year was the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) adopted and
signed?
a) 1973
b) 1980
c) 1982
d) 1985
Answer: c) 1982
2. Which of the following is NOT an institution created by UNCLOS?
a) International Tribunal for Laws of the Sea
b) International Maritime Organization
c) International Seabed Authority
d) Commission on the Limits of Continental Shelf
Answer: b) International Maritime Organization
3. How many main marine zones are identified by UNCLOS?
a) Three
b) Five
c) Four
d) Six
Answer: b) Five
4. What is the distance of 1 nautical mile in kilometers?
a) 1.6 km
b) 1.85 km
c) 2.0 km
d) 1.75 km
Answer: b) 1.85 km
5. Which of the following is NOT an example of internal waters?
a) Bays
b) Ports
c) Lakes connected to the sea
d) High seas
Answer: d) High seas
6. What is a unique feature of the territorial sea?
a) No sovereignty for coastal states
b) Sovereignty extends to seabed, subsoil, and airspace
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
7
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
c) Only includes surface waters
d) Does not allow innocent passage
Answer: b) Sovereignty extends to seabed, subsoil, and airspace
7. What is the purpose of the contiguous zone?
a) To allow unlimited air and space rights
b) To act as a buffer zone to enforce fiscal, immigration, sanitary, and customs laws
c) To allow innocent passage through the area
d) To restrict overflight
Answer: b) To act as a buffer zone to enforce fiscal, immigration, sanitary, and customs laws
8. What is the maximum extent of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from the baseline?
a) 12 nautical miles
b) 24 nautical miles
c) 100 nautical miles
d) 200 nautical miles
Answer: d) 200 nautical miles
9. Which sea is unique for having no coastline?
a) Arabian Sea
b) Sargasso Sea
c) Baltic Sea
d) Red Sea
Answer: b) Sargasso Sea
10. What is the Gulf of Mexico's "dead zone" caused by?
a) Overfishing
b) Nutrient-laden water
c) Lack of sunlight
d) High salinity levels
Answer: b) Nutrient-laden water
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
8
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
9
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
1. What causes the "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico?
a) Rising sea temperatures
b) Nutrient-laden water spilling from the Mississippi River
c) Excessive fishing activities
d) High salinity levels
Answer: b) Nutrient-laden water spilling from the Mississippi River
2. What drives surface ocean currents?
a) Earth's gravity
b) Global wind systems powered by solar energy
c) Variations in salinity
d) Oceanic plate movements
Answer: b) Global wind systems powered by solar energy
3. What is the process causing deep ocean currents known as?
a) Hydrodynamic cycle
b) Thermohaline circulation
c) Oceanic conveyor
d) Halothermal exchange
Answer: b) Thermohaline circulation
4. What happens to seawater in cold regions when it freezes?
a) It releases heat into the atmosphere
b) It becomes less dense due to reduced salinity
c) It leaves salt behind, increasing the surrounding water's density
d) It mixes with warm water from deeper levels
Answer: c) It leaves salt behind, increasing the surrounding water's density
5. What is the primary difference between warm and cold ocean currents?
a) Warm currents move from poles to the equator; cold currents move from equator to poles
b) Warm currents move from equator to poles; cold currents move from poles to the equator
c) Warm currents are faster than cold currents
d) Cold currents flow at the surface while warm currents flow deep
Answer: b) Warm currents move from equator to poles; cold currents move from poles to the
equator
6. What is the importance of upwelling in the ocean?
a) It causes faster ocean currents
b) It brings nutrient-rich water to the surface, promoting fish populations
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
10
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
c) It warms the surface of the ocean
d) It reduces salinity in the surrounding areas
Answer: b) It brings nutrient-rich water to the surface, promoting fish populations
7. What is the term for the difference in height between high tide and low tide?
a) Tidal crest
b) Tidal range
c) Tidal ebb
d) Tidal flow
Answer: b) Tidal range
8. What is the time called when the tide is falling between high tide and low tide?
a) Flood
b) Ebb
c) Flow
d) Trough
Answer: b) Ebb
9. What are the two main factors responsible for the formation of tides?
a) Earth's gravity and the Sun's energy
b) Moon’s gravitational pull and Earth's rotational force
c) Wind patterns and ocean currents
d) Sun's heat and thermohaline circulation
Answer: b) Moon’s gravitational pull and Earth's rotational force
10. What type of ocean current is the Gulf Stream?
a) Cold current
b) Deep ocean current
c) Warm current
d) Upwelling current
Answer: c) Warm current
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
11
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
12
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
1. What causes high tides on the side of the Earth facing the Moon?
a) The Sun's gravitational pull
b) Earth's rotational force
c) The Moon's gravitational pull
d) Wind patterns
Answer: c) The Moon's gravitational pull
2. What causes high tides on the side of the Earth facing away from the Moon?
a) The Moon's gravitational pull
b) Earth's rotational force
c) The Sun's gravitational pull
d) Ocean currents
Answer: b) Earth's rotational force
3. What is a tidal bore?
a) A high tide caused by the Sun's gravitational pull
b) A wave formed when the incoming tide moves against a river or bay's current
c) A phenomenon where tides occur twice a day
d) A bloom of algae in the ocean
Answer: b) A wave formed when the incoming tide moves against a river or bay's current
4. What is a "Brown Tide"?
a) A harmful algal bloom that produces toxins
b) A tide with excessive growth of small marine algae
c) A tidal wave caused by the Sun's gravity
d) A tide occurring once a day
Answer: b) A tide with excessive growth of small marine algae
5. What type of tides occur twice a day?
a) Semi-diurnal tides
b) Diurnal tides
c) Spring tides
d) Neap tides
Answer: a) Semi-diurnal tides
6. Which of the following is true about hard corals?
a) They are bendable and often resemble plants or trees
b) They extract calcium carbonate to build durable exoskeletons
c) They do not contribute to reef building
d) They are also known as "soft" corals
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
13
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
Answer: b) They extract calcium carbonate to build durable exoskeletons
7. Which corals are not involved in reef building?
a) Hard corals
b) Soft corals
c) Hermatypic corals
d) Colonial corals
Answer: b) Soft corals
8. What is the primary material used by hermatypic corals to build reefs?
a) Silica
b) Calcium carbonate
c) Magnesium sulfate
d) Sodium chloride
Answer: b) Calcium carbonate
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
14
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
15
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
1. What is the primary food source for deep-sea corals?
a) Zooxanthellae
b) Photosynthesis
c) Plankton and organic matter
d) Sunlight
Answer: c) Plankton and organic matter
2. What is the ideal temperature range for coral growth?
a) 20-22 degrees Celsius
b) 25-27 degrees Celsius
c) 30-32 degrees Celsius
d) 15-18 degrees Celsius
Answer: b) 25-27 degrees Celsius
3. Which of the following is an example of an atoll coral reef in India?
a) Palk Bay
b) Gulf of Mannar
c) Lakshadweep Islands
d) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Answer: c) Lakshadweep Islands
4. What causes coral bleaching?
a) Overfishing near coral reefs
b) Corals expelling zooxanthellae due to stress
c) Coral reefs being buried under sediment
d) Corals growing in turbulent water
Answer: b) Corals expelling zooxanthellae due to stress
5. Which of the following is NOT a reason for coral bleaching?
a) Global warming
b) Ocean acidification
c) Coral mining
d) Algal blooms
Answer: c) Coral mining
6. Which law in India explicitly outlaws coral mining?
a) Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
b) Environment Protection Act, 1986
c) Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991
d) Marine Protection Act, 1999
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
16
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
Answer: c) Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991
7. What happens to corals when they experience coral bleaching?
a) They turn black due to pollutants
b) They die immediately due to suffocation
c) They appear white as they lose zooxanthellae
d) They grow faster to adapt to stress
Answer: c) They appear white as they lose zooxanthellae
8. Which act confers exclusive jurisdiction to the Indian government to protect the marine environment?
a) Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
b) Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991
c) Environment Protection Act, 1986
d) National Marine Preservation Act, 2000
Answer: c) Environment Protection Act, 1986
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
17
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
18
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
1. Which of the following is NOT a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in India with coral reefs?
a) Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve
b) Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park
c) Rani Jhansi Marine National Park
d) Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve
Answer: d) Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve
2. What are "No Take Zones" (NTZs) in Marine Protected Areas?
a) Zones where tourism is promoted
b) Zones where fishing is encouraged
c) Zones where all forms of exploitation are prohibited
d) Zones where only coral mining is allowed
Answer: c) Zones where all forms of exploitation are prohibited
3. What is the primary task of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN)?
a) Restoring damaged coral reefs
b) Reporting on the condition of the world’s coral reefs
c) Enforcing fishing laws in coral reef regions
d) Conducting research on coral bleaching
Answer: b) Reporting on the condition of the world’s coral reefs
4. Which of the following contributes the most to ocean salinity?
a) Magnesium chloride
b) Sodium chloride
c) Potassium sulphate
d) Calcium sulphate
Answer: b) Sodium chloride
5. What percentage of solar radiation absorbed by the Earth is taken in by the oceans?
a) 50%
b) 60%
c) 80%
d) 90%
Answer: c) 80%
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
19
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
20
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
1. What is the temperature range of the upper warm water mass layer in the ocean?
a) 15°C to 20°C
b) 20°C to 25°C
c) 25°C to 30°C
d) 10°C to 15°C
Answer: b) 20°C to 25°C
2. What is the transitional zone of rapid temperature change between the upper and lower ocean layers
called?
a) Thermocline
b) Stratocline
c) Isocline
d) Halocline
Answer: a) Thermocline
3. Which of the following is NOT a factor influencing the distribution of ocean temperature?
a) Latitude
b) Ocean salinity
c) Prevailing winds
d) Ocean currents
Answer: b) Ocean salinity
4. What does the "Blue Economy" primarily advocate?
a) Maximizing ocean resource exploitation for short-term profits
b) Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth and ecosystem health
c) Exclusive focus on marine mineral extraction
d) Expansion of fishing industries worldwide
Answer: b) Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth and ecosystem health
5. What occurs during normal conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean?
a) Trade winds move strongly from west to east
b) A high-pressure system develops near Indonesia and Australia
c) Warm surface waters are pushed westward, causing cold, nutrient-rich water to upwell near Peru
d) Cold waters are pulled westward by trade winds
Answer: c) Warm surface waters are pushed westward, causing cold, nutrient-rich water to upwell
near Peru
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
21
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
22
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
23
Oceanography ONE-LINERS
1. What does the term "El Nino" refer to?
a) The warming of the central and eastern Pacific
b) The cooling of the central and eastern Pacific
c) An annual oceanic event in the Indian Ocean
d) The trade winds becoming stronger in the Pacific
Answer: a) The warming of the central and eastern Pacific
2. How often do El Nino events typically occur?
a) Every year
b) Once every 2–7 years
c) Once every 10 years
d) Every 5–8 years
Answer: b) Once every 2–7 years
3. How does El Nino impact Indian monsoons?
a) It enhances rainfall during the monsoon season.
b) It is directly proportional to the monsoon's strength.
c) It is inversely related to the strength of Indian monsoons.
d) It has no impact on Indian monsoons.
Answer: c) It is inversely related to the strength of Indian monsoons.
4. What is "La Nina"?
a) The neutral state after an El Nino event
b) An abnormal accumulation of cold water in the central and eastern Pacific
c) A prolonged warming of the Pacific Ocean
d) A drought-causing phenomenon in India
Answer: b) An abnormal accumulation of cold water in the central and eastern Pacific
5. What is a common impact of La Nina on India?
a) Severe droughts in Northern India
b) Better monsoon rains and prolonged winters in North India
c) Reduced fishing activities in South America
d) Increased rainfall in the Western Ghats
Answer: b) Better monsoon rains and prolonged winters in North India
SPM IAS Academy, Times Square Mall 4th floor, Sundarpur Road R.G Baruah Road, Zoo Rd, Guwahati,
Assam – 781005 Phone: 6901259799, Students’ Support Team: 7099064717,
Email: spmiasacademy@gmail.com
24
