2.5.2: Chapter Questions
- Page ID
- 45770
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Study Questions
- Why did oceanography develop as an interdisciplinary science?
- Why was the art of navigation developed to a much greater degree by the early Polynesian and Micronesian civilizations than by the contemporary European civilizations?
- Why were early mapmakers able to measure distances accurately in a north–south direction but not in an east–west direction?
- Why was the Challenger expedition so important to the development of oceanography?
- Why don’t we generate a significant amount of energy from tides, waves, and currents?
- List the human uses and resources of the oceans.
- Why is an international treaty that establishes a special set of laws for the oceans important?
- Discuss how you would apply the “common heritage of mankind” principle to the protection and hunting of terrestrial wild animals whose habitats cross national boundaries
Critical Thinking Questions
- During the early part of the Dark Ages, observations about the oceans were made by people we now call “philosophers.” Today those who study the oceans are known as “scientists,” not philosophers. Do you agree with this distinction? Why? What are some differences between philosophy and science?
- In 1492, Columbus used Poseidonius’s highly inaccurate calculation for the circumference of the Earth to identify the New World as Asia. Recall that Eratosthenes had calculated the circumference of the Earth with great accuracy well before Poseidonius. For what reasons do you think Columbus used the later, incorrect circumference?
- Darwin’s observations about evolution are well known. His ideas of continent movement (mountains once having been under the sea, for example) are just now being noticed. Why do you suppose this is?
- For what reasons do you think the Law of the Sea Treaty established a limit of 200 miles for exclusive economic zones (EEZs)? Why do you think the treaty allows some nations to establish limits that are farther offshore than 200 miles? Explain why you think such exceptions should or should not be allowed.
- Who has the right to decide who can use the biological and mineral resources of the oceans in areas outside the EEZs of the nations? Who should benefit economically from this use? How should use of these resources be managed, and by whom? If a nation disagrees with a management decision and allows its citizens to exploit these resources without following the internationally agreed-upon rules, how should the situation be resolved?
- Who do you think should finance the search for beneficial drugs and pollution-fighting organisms in the oceans? Who should benefit economically from the discovery of such commercially valuable compounds? Who should benefit from harvesting organisms to make the compounds? How should the harvesting be regulated, and by whom?
- Nearly 71% of the Earth’s crust lies under its oceans. Available supplies of valuable minerals and oil and gas in the deposits beneath land are steadily becoming scarcer as they are depleted. Should minerals and oil and gas be removed from under the ocean? What factors need to be considered to make this decision?