<strong>How well do you know the deep sea? Test your knowledge with this quiz</strong>&nbsp;

As most of us know, the earth’s surface is covered with 70 percent oceans and the rest 30 percent land. However, we know much more about the land surface rather than the marine, as parts of it still remain vastly unexplored. As a matter of fact, the scientist community estimates that around 90 percent of the deep sea continues to remain a mystery to mankind, even though it is earth’s final frontier.  

The phrase ‘deep sea’ means different things to different people. To fishermen, the deep sea is any part of the ocean beyond the shallow continental shelf. In contrast, to marine biologists and oceanographers, deep sea happens to be the lowest part of the ocean, right above the sea floor. This region is extremely difficult to navigate as it is dark, frigid and is also a high-pressure area. Till 19^th century, humans believed that deep sea was a lifeless wasteland, however, modern scientists now identify deep sea as the largest ecosystem on the planet. Today, deep sea exploration is a multi-disciplinary field that includes oceanography, biology, geography, archaeology and engineering.  

Take this quiz to find out how much you know about deep sea and deep-sea exploration. 

Q1) What is the term for the deepest layer of the ocean where heating and cooling from sunlight cease to have an effect? 

1. Thermocline 

2. Hydrothermal vents 

3. Pycnocline 

4. Halocline 

Q2) Which Hollywood film director reached a record depth of 35756 feet under the oceanic surface in 2012? 

1. Steven Spielberg 

2. Christopher Nolan 

3. James Cameron 

4. Martin Scorsese 

Q3) What is the name of the deepest part of the ocean in the Mariana Trench? 

1. Challenger Feet 

2. Challenger Deep 

3. Pacific Deep 

4. Atlantic Deep 

Q4) What is the name of the observatory system that rests on the floor of the Pacific Ocean? 

1. Monterey Accelerated Research System 

2. Pacific Accelerated Research System 

3. Autonomous Underwater Vehicle 

4. Remotely Operated Vehicle 

Q5) Who patented the first underwater breathing apparatus? 

1. Cornelius Drebbel 

2. Jack Cousteau & Emile Gagnan 

3. Benoit Rouquarol & Auguste Denayrouse 

4. John Murray 

ANSWERS 

Q1. (a) 

Thermocline is the deepest layer of the ocean where heating and cooling from sunlight have no visible effects. In simpler terms, it is the transition layer between the warmer mixed water at the ocean’s surface and the cooler deep water below it. It is the layer of ocean where temperature decreases rapidly with enhancing depth.  

Q2. (c) 

James Cameron, the revered Hollywood director, widely known for his film Titanic, is the only Hollywood film director who reached a record depth of 35756 feet under water in 2012. He achieved this feat during a solo submersible dive in a vessel called DeepSea Challenger. In fact, it was Cameron who completed the first solo dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.  

Q3. (b) 

The deepest part of the ocean in the Mariana Trench is called Challenger Deep. It is located at 36070 feet below sea level. Its name is derived from the first ever deep-sea expedition, that was known as HMS Challenger.  

Q4. (a) 

The observatory system that rests on the floor of the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 980 metres is called Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS). Its primary purpose is to monitor under-water seismic faults. It has been operational since 2008.  

Q5. (c) 

Benoit Rouquarol & Auguste Denayrouse patented the first underwater breathing apparatus in 1865. However, almost a century later in 1964, ‘Alvin’ or the modern-day under-water breathing apparatus was built by General Mills and operated by the US Navy and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. This allows as many as three people to stay underwater for as long as nine hours at a depth of 14800 feet.