This is an interactive test. Read each question and select the proper answer by clicking on the appropriate answer. If a "Y" appears, your choice is correct. If a "N" appears, more study may be in order.
79: The rate of increase in hour angle is the slowest for __________.
N a. the Sun Y b. the Moon N c. Mars N d. Mercury 107: The average height of the surface of the sea for all stages of the tide over a 19 year period is called __________.
N a. mean high water N b. mean low water N c. half-tide level Y d. mean sea level 110: A millibar is a unit of __________.
N a. humidity N b. precipitation Y c. pressure N d. temperature 242: The difference between the heights of low and high tide is the __________.
Y a. range N b. period N c. depth N d. distance 328: The direction of prevailing winds in the Northern hemisphere is caused by the __________.
N a. magnetic field at the North Pole N b. Gulf Stream Y c. Earth's rotation N d. Arctic cold fronts 341: Buoys which only mark the left or right side of the channel will never exhibit a light with which characteristic?
N a. Flashing N b. Quick flashing Y c. Composite group flashing N d. Equal interval (isophase) 344: A marine sextant has the index arm set at zero and the reflected image of the horizon forms a continuous line with the actual image. When the sextant is rotated about the line of sight the images separate. The sextant has __________.
N a. error of perpendicularity Y b. side error N c. prismatic error N d. centering error 416: A ship is on course 195° at a speed of 15 knots. The apparent wind is from 40° on the port bow, speed 30 knots. The direction and speed of the true wind are __________.
N a. 068°T, 30 knots Y b. 127°T, 21 knots N c. 263°T, 42 knots N d. 292°T, 42 knots 559: A great circle crosses the equator at 162°E. It will also cross the equator at what other longitude?
N a. 62°E N b. 126°W N c. 162°W Y d. 18°W 566: You are attempting to locate your position relative to a hurricane in the Northern Hemisphere. If the wind direction remains steady, but with diminishing velocity, you are most likely __________.
N a. in the right semicircle N b. in the left semicircle N c. on the storm track ahead of the center Y d. on the storm track behind the center 597: You will be loading in Boston Harbor to a maximum draft of 32'06". The charted depth of an obstruction in the channel near Boston Light is 30 feet and you wish to have 3 feet of keel clearance. The steaming time from the pier to the obstruction is 01h 05m. What is the latest time (ZD +4) you can sail on 17 May 1983 and meet these requirements?
N a. 1610 Y b. 1728 N c. 1821 N d. 2350 610: The apparent wind's speed can be zero, but only when two conditions are present. One condition is that the true wind __________.
N a. must be from dead ahead N b. speed must be zero Y c. must be from dead astern N d. must be on the beam 669: It is desirable that a vessel encountering hurricane or typhoon conditions sends weather reports to the closest meteorological service at least every __________.
N a. hour Y b. 3 hours N c. 6 hours N d. 8 hours 755: The sidereal day begins when the __________.
N a. Sun is over the lower branch of the reference meridian N b. Sun is over the upper branch of the reference meridian N c. first point of Aries is over the lower branch of the reference meridian Y d. first point of Aries is over the upper branch of the reference meridian 866: Anticyclones are usually characterized by __________.
Y a. dry, fair weather N b. high winds and cloudiness N c. gustiness and continuous precipitation N d. overcast skies 925: Your vessel is at the equator at midnight on 1 January, and a star is observed rising. At what time will this same star rise on 1 February, assuming your vessel's location is still at the equator?
N a. 2208 N b. 2110 Y c. 2158 N d. 2317 996: Warm air masses will generally have __________.
N a. turbulence within the mass Y b. stratiform clouds N c. heavy precipitation N d. good visibility 1063: When adjusting a magnetic compass using the fore-and-aft permanent magnets, you should __________.
N a. use the magnets one at a time, putting one in one side and then one on the opposite side, one step higher. N b. use the magnets in pairs, starting at the top, with trays at the highest point of travel Y c. use the magnets in pairs, from the bottom up, with the trays at the lowest point of travel N d. fill all the trays with magnets, then remove them one-by-one until the deviation is removed 1137: When the declination of the Moon is 0°12.5'S, you can expect some tidal currents in Gulf Coast ports to __________.
Y a. become weak and variable N b. exceed the predicted velocities N c. become reversing currents N d. have either a double ebb or a double flood 1182: Referring to the illustration, which wind speed is reported in position C? (D049NG )
N a. 3 knots N b. 10 knots N c. 20 knots Y d. 30 knots 1249: What is the light characteristic of a lighted, preferred-channel buoy?
N a. Fixed and flashing N b. Continuous quick N c. Isophase Y d. Composite group-flashing 1262: A safe water daymark has what shape?
N a. Triangular N b. Diamond N c. Circular Y d. Octagonal 1300: You are approaching a sea buoy which emits a racon signal. This signal is triggered by which type of radar?
Y a. 3 cm N b. 10 cm N c. Both 3 cm and 10 cm N d. Signal does not depend on radar type. 1337: What will be the time of maximum flood current at Sagamore Bridge on the Cape Cod Canal during the morning of 6 December 1983 (ZD +5)?
Y a. 0708 N b. 0712 N c. 0716 N d. 1020 1498: A true bearing of a charted object, when plotted on a chart, will establish a __________.
N a. fix Y b. line of position N c. relative bearing N d. range 1566: The illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which of these symbols indicates thunderstorms? (D042NG )
Y a. I N b. K N c. L N d. M 1582: Sextant C in illustration D043NG reads __________. (D043NG )
N a. 30°45.9' N b. 29°56.0' N c. 29°52.0' Y d. 29°47.5' 1627: An instrument that maintains a continuous record of humidity changes is called a __________.
N a. thermometer N b. barometer Y c. hygrograph N d. thermograph 1652: Small, visible mound-like protuberances on the bottom of cumulonimbus clouds, that are potential breeding grounds for waterspouts and tornadoes, are called __________.
N a. thunderheads Y b. mamma N c. rime N d. ice prisms 1696: Two well-developed high pressure areas may be separated by a __________.
N a. hill of low pressure Y b. trough of low pressure N c. valley of low pressure N d. ridge of low pressure 1763: Weather patterns in the Gulf Coast area of the United States are __________.
Y a. those of a transition zone between tropical and a temperate area N b. those of a tropical region N c. extremely hot in summer N d. tropical over Florida and subtropical over the rest of the Gulf Coast area 1808: A white buoy with an open-faced orange diamond on it indicates __________.
Y a. danger N b. vessels are excluded from the area N c. the buoy is a mooring buoy N d. operating restrictions are in effect 1922: In the North Sea area, you sight a buoy showing a quick white light with 9 flashes every 15 seconds. Which of the four topmarks shown would be fitted to the buoy? (D030NG )
N a. A N b. B Y c. C N d. D 2070: What is the relative bearing of an object on the port beam?
N a. 045° N b. 090° N c. 180° Y d. 270° 2159: Induced magnetism is found in __________.
N a. hard iron Y b. soft iron N c. vertical iron only N d. horizontal iron only 2177: This diagram represents a movable dam. If there is high water and the wickets are down so that there is an unobstructed navigable pass through the dam, what light(s) will be shown at D if the lock walls and piers are not awash? (D037NG )
N a. One amber light N b. Three red lights N c. Two red lights Y d. One red light 2230: A nautical mile is a distance of approximately how much greater than or less than a statute mile?
N a. 1/4 less N b. 1/7 less N c. 1/4 greater Y d. 1/7 greater 2258: The primary use of apparent time in marine navigation is to __________.
N a. calculate sunrise or sunset N b. determine zone time N c. enter an almanac Y d. determine the time of meridian transit 2262: The Milky Way is an example of a __________.
N a. cluster Y b. galaxy N c. nova N d. nebula 2290: Magnets in the binnacles of magnetic compasses are used to reduce the effect of __________.
Y a. deviation N b. variation N c. local attraction N d. All of the above 2414: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 20" by 28". The area includes latitude 38°S to 43°S and longitude 178°E to 175°W. Allow a one-half inch neat line on all sides. What is the maximum distance between each degree of longitude that will permit the area of the plotting sheet to be drawn within the stated limitations?
N a. 2.6 inches Y b. 2.9 inches N c. 3.2 inches N d. 3.5 inches 2436: Aphelion is the point where the Sun __________.
N a. and Moon and Earth form a right angle N b. and Moon and Earth are in line N c. crosses the celestial equator Y d. is farthest from the Earth 2482: When a vessel changes course from one cardinal heading to another cardinal heading while adjusting the compass, which action should be taken?
N a. The course change should be made rapidly to prevent transient induced magnetism while passing the intercardinal headings. Y b. After the new heading is reached, the vessel should steam on that course for at least two minutes before the adjustment. N c. During the course change, you should gently tap the compass to remove any error caused by friction on the pivot bearing. N d. After steadying on the new heading, the compass card should be slewed by a magnet and allowed to oscillate freely to remove any gaussin error. 2505: At the approaches to Savannah, GA, with the wind coming out of the west, the wind-driven current will be flowing approximately __________.
N a. 280° N b. 260° N c. 100° Y d. 080° 2600: A parallel of latitude other than the equator is a __________.
N a. great circle N b. loxodromic curve Y c. small circle N d. gnomonic curve 2658: You must draw a plotting sheet covering latitudes 45°N to 49°N and longitudes 179°E to 178°W. If the distance between each degree of longitude is 5 3/4 inches, what is the distance between latitude 45°N and latitude 49°N?
N a. 33.1 inches N b. 33.3 inches Y c. 33.6 inches N d. 33.9 inches 2660: In the celestial equator system of coordinates what is equivalent to the longitude of the Earth system of coordinates?
N a. Zenith distance N b. Azimuth angle N c. Declination Y d. Greenwich hour angle 2704: The Light List shows a lighted aid to navigation on the right bank. This means that the light can be seen on the starboard side of a vessel __________.
N a. proceeding from seaward N b. crossing the river N c. ascending the river Y d. descending the river 2760: You are pushing a tow ahead, at high speed, near the right hand bank of a canal. The forces affecting your towboat and tow will tend to __________.
N a. push both the head of the tow and the stern of the towboat away from the right hand bank Y b. push the head of the tow away from, and pull the stern of the towboat into, the right hand bank N c. pull both the head of the tow and the stern of the towboat into the right hand bank N d. pull the head of the tow into, and push the stern of the towboat away from, the right hand bank 2801: Mean high water is used __________.
N a. as the reference for soundings on the Gulf coast of the U.S. Y b. to indicate the shoreline where there is a large tidal fluctuation N c. as the reference plane for bottom contour lines N d. as the sounding datum for rivers, lakes, etc. regulated by locks 2805: You are entering port and have been instructed to anchor, as your berth is not yet available. You are on a SW'ly heading, preparing to drop anchor, when you observe the range as shown on your starboard beam. You should __________. (D047NG )
N a. drop the anchor immediately as the range lights mark an area free of obstructions N b. drop the anchor immediately as a change in the position of the range lights will be an indication of dragging anchor N c. NOT drop the anchor until the lights are in line Y d. ensure your ship will NOT block the channel or obstruct the range while at anchor 2809: The diurnal variation of pressure is not visible in the middle latitudes in winter because __________.
Y a. it is masked by the pressure changes of moving weather systems N b. the decreased gravitational effect from the sun causes the variation to fade N c. the decreased average temperature is less than the critical temperature N d. the increased Coriolis force disperses the pressure variation 2926: You are inbound in a channel marked by a range. The range line is 309°T. You are steering 306°T and have the range in sight as shown. The range continues to open. Which action should you take? (D047NG )
Y a. Come left until the range closes then steer to the left of 306°T. N b. Alter course to the right to 309°T or more to bring the range in line. N c. Continue on course but be prepared to come right if the range continues to open. N d. Alter course to the left to close the range, then alter course to 309°T. 3003: The height of tide is the __________.
Y a. difference between the depth of the water and the area's tidal datum N b. depth of water at a specific time due to tidal effect N c. difference between the depth of the water and the high water tidal level N d. difference between the depth of the water at high tide and the depth of the water at low tide 3022: A green-and-red banded daymark, green band uppermost, will have the shape shown at letter __________. (D045NG )
Y a. A N b. B N c. C N d. D 3026: A compass card without north-seeking capability that is used for relative bearings is a(n) __________.
N a. bearing circle Y b. pelorus N c. bearing bar N d. alidade 3033: A navigator fixing a vessel's position by radar __________.
Y a. can use radar information from one object to fix the position N b. should never use radar bearings N c. should only use radar bearings when the range exceeds the distance to the horizon N d. must use information from targets forward of the beam 3064: ECDIS units incorporate Digital Chart Data Formats, which include __________.
N a. vector only N b. raster only Y c. vector and raster N d. imposed viewing 3077: ECDIS must have the capability to preserve the record of the voyage track for the previous __________.
N a. 4 hours N b. 6 hours Y c. 12 hours N d. 24 hours 3104: In general, on how many radio channels will an automatic identification system (AIS) operate?
Y a. 3 N b. 5 N c. 7 N d. 9