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.
143: Under the IALA - A Buoyage System, a buoy used as a port hand mark would not show which light characteristic?
N a. Isophase N b. Quick flashing N c. Long flashing Y d. Group Flashing (2 + 1) 182: The scale on a chart is given as 1:5,000,000. This means that __________.
N a. 1 inch is equal to 5,000 inches on the Earth's surface N b. 1 nautical mile on the chart is equal to 5,000 inches on the Earth's surface Y c. 1 inch is equal to 5,000,000 inches on the Earth's surface N d. 1 nautical mile on the chart is equal to 5,000,000 inches on the Earth's surface 277: Your vessel goes aground in soft mud. You would have the best chance of refloating it on the next tide if it grounded at __________.
N a. low water neap Y b. low water spring N c. high water neap N d. high water spring 320: Sometimes foreign charts are reproduced by NGA (NIMA). On such a chart, a wire-dragged, swept area may be shown in green or __________.
N a. red N b. black Y c. purple N d. yellow 340: Information about the direction and velocity of rotary tidal currents is found in the __________.
N a. Mariner's Guide N b. Nautical Almanac N c. Tide Tables Y d. Tidal Current Tables 363: Your dead reckoning position should be plotted __________.
N a. whenever an estimated position is plotted N b. when it agrees with your loran position N c. when coming on or going off soundings Y d. at least every hour on the hour in the open waters of the sea 370: Prevailing winds between 30°N and 60°N latitude are from the __________.
N a. north N b. south N c. east Y d. west 372: You would find the variation on a polyconic projection chart __________.
Y a. on the compass rose N b. on the mileage scale N c. written on the chart title N d. at each line of longitude 377: Determine the height of the tide at 2045 EST (ZD +5) at Augusta, ME, on 8 March 1983.
N a. 1.4 feet (0.5 meter) Y b. 1.9 feet (0.6 meter) N c. 2.3 feet (0.7 meter) N d. 2.6 feet (0.8 meter) 550: The description "Racon" beside an illustration on a chart would mean a __________.
Y a. radar transponder beacon N b. radar conspicuous beacon N c. radar calibration beacon N d. circular radio beacon 591: White lights may be found on __________.
N a. special purpose buoys N b. preferred channel buoys Y c. information and regulatory buoys N d. numbered buoys 604: Chronometer error may be found by __________.
N a. radio time signal N b. comparison with a timepiece of known error N c. applying the prevailing chronometer rate to previous readings Y d. All of the above 627: You are on a coastwise voyage bound for Marcus Hook, PA. Your speed is 15 knots. You wish to use the flood tide to facilitate docking starboard side to, heading seaward. To have the most favorable tide throughout, you should time your arrival at the entrance to Delaware Bay __________.
N a. for 1 hour before flood begins N b. for 1 hour after flood begins Y c. for 3 hours after flood begins N d. for 1 hour before ebb begins 658: Monsoons are characterized by __________.
N a. light, variable winds with little or no humidity N b. strong, gusty winds that blow from the same general direction all year Y c. steady winds that reverse direction semiannually N d. strong, cyclonic winds that change direction to conform to the passage of an extreme low pressure system 710: What is the FIRST sign of the existence of a well developed tropical cyclone?
N a. Gale force winds from the north Y b. An unusually long ocean swell N c. Steep, short-period waves and light wind N d. Thunderstorms and higher than usual humidity 827: The Benguela Current flows in a __________.
N a. SW'ly direction along the NW coast of Africa N b. S'ly direction off the East Coast of Australia Y c. NW'ly direction along the SW coast of Africa N d. SW'ly direction along the SE coast of Greenland 885: The daily path of a celestial body that is parallel to the celestial equator is the __________.
N a. altitude circle N b. vertical circle Y c. diurnal circle N d. hour circle 969: The population of northern right whales, an endangered species, numbers approximately __________.
Y a. 300 N b. 5000 N c. 100,000 N d. 1,000,000 976: The atmosphere in the vicinity of a high pressure area is called a(n) __________.
Y a. anticyclone N b. cold front N c. occluded front N d. cyclone 1014: Relative humidity is the percentage of water vapor that is in the air as compared to the maximum amount it can hold at __________.
N a. a specific barometric pressure Y b. a specific temperature N c. a specific wind speed N d. any time 1030: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. The dry bulb thermometer reads 78°F, and the wet bulb thermometer reads 75°F. How would you encode the air temperature groups in the report? (D041NG )
Y a. 10256, 2023/ N b. 10780, 2074/ N c. 00256, 0023/ N d. 10256, 2074/ 1049: At 0000 you fix your position and change course to 270°T. At 0030 you again fix your position, and it is 0.5 mile east of your DR. Which statement is TRUE?
N a. The set is 090°, drift 0.5 knot. Y b. The set is 090°, drift 1.0 knot. N c. The set is 270°, drift 0.5 knot. N d. The set is 270°, drift 1.0 knot. 1186: As a cold front passes an observer, pressure __________.
N a. drops and winds become variable Y b. rises and winds become gusty N c. drops and winds become gusty N d. rises and winds become variable 1186: As a cold front passes an observer, pressure __________.
N a. drops and winds become variable Y b. rises and winds become gusty N c. drops and winds become gusty N d. rises and winds become variable 1401: The maximum distance at which a light may be seen under existing visibility conditions is called __________.
N a. nominal range Y b. luminous range N c. charted range N d. geographic range 1420: the position labeled "E" was plotted because __________. (D051NG )
N a. the vessel's position was fixed at 1145 N b. a dead reckoning position is plotted within a half-hour of each course change N c. the position is a running fix Y d. a dead reckoning position is plotted for each speed change 1513: Scales on aneroid barometers are usually graduated in inches of mercury in the general range of __________.
N a. 26 to 29 inches Y b. 28 to 31 inches N c. 30 to 33 inches N d. 32 to 35 inches 1547: Which light combination does NOT indicate a navigational channel passing under a fixed bridge?
Y a. Red lights on the LDB and green lights on the RDB N b. Three white lights in a vertical line N c. Two green lights in a range under the span N d. A fixed red light on each pier at the channel edge 1589: You are enroute to Savannah, GA, from Recife, Brazil. There is a strong N'ly wind blowing. As you cross the axis of the Gulf Stream you would expect to encounter __________.
N a. smoother seas and warmer water Y b. steeper waves, closer together N c. long swells N d. cirrus clouds 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 1638: Clouds form __________.
Y a. as a mass of warm, humid air rises into the atmosphere and cools, condensing moisture into small droplets N b. as winds blow across bodies of water, the sun causes the moisture to be absorbed and move upward forming clouds N c. dry air compresses moisture from the atmosphere into clouds N d. when the relative humidity of the atmosphere is low 1660: Which of the following is TRUE of advection fog?
N a. It commonly occurs on coastal waters during cold seasons. N b. It moves in a bank or dense cloud. N c. It is caused by warmer air moving to a cooler location. Y d. All of the above 1695: Compared to a low pressure system, generally the air in a high is __________.
N a. warmer, less dense, and less stable Y b. cool, more dense, and drier N c. muggy and cloudy N d. extremely moist with high relative humidity 1716: The hurricane season in the North Atlantic Ocean reaches its peak during the month of __________.
N a. June Y b. September N c. November N d. July 1746: Swells that have outrun the storm are produced in the __________.
N a. left front quadrant Y b. right front quadrant N c. rear N d. directly ahead on the storms projected track 1755: Which weather system produces strong cold winds called "Northers" during the winter months in the Gulf of Mexico?
N a. An anticyclone N b. A high pressure system N c. A cyclone Y d. Both A and B 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 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 1773: A "Norther" in the Gulf of Mexico is __________.
N a. a wind shift to the north accompanied by a drop in temperature N b. a forcible northerly wind of at least 20 knots N c. a strong northerly wind that generally occurs between November and March Y d. All of the above 1818: In order to utilize the capacity of a lock to its maximum, pleasure craft are locked through with all of the following EXCEPT __________.
N a. coal barges Y b. oil barges N c. sand barges N d. cement barges 1908: What is the brightest navigational planet?
N a. Saturn N b. Jupiter N c. Mars Y d. Venus 1964: The great circle on the celestial sphere that passes through the zenith and the north and south poles is the __________.
N a. hour circle N b. prime vertical Y c. principal vertical N d. ecliptic 1969: The precession of the equinoxes of the Earth is __________.
N a. the gradual increase in the period of rotation caused by the effects of the Moon N b. the irregularity of the Earth's orbit caused by influences of the Sun and Moon N c. caused by the elliptical shape of the Earth's orbit Y d. similar to a top spinning with its axis tilted 2074: When approaching a lock and at a distance of not more than a mile, vessels desiring a single lockage shall sound which signal?
Y a. One long blast followed by one short blast N b. One short blast followed by one long blast N c. Two short blasts N d. Two long blasts 2081: You are taking bearings on two known objects ashore. The BEST fix is obtained when the angle between the lines of position is __________.
N a. 30° N b. 45° N c. 60° Y d. 90° 2085: Information about major breakdowns, repairs, or other emergency operations with regard to weirs and (or) wicket dams, on the western rivers, may be obtained from the __________.
Y a. Broadcast Notice to Mariners N b. Light List Vol. V N c. U.S. Coast Pilot N d. Sailing Directions 2165: The illustration 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 B if the lock walls and piers are not awash? (D037NG )
Y a. Three red lights N b. Two red lights N c. One red light N d. One amber light 2184: By convention, the south seeking ends of a compass' magnets are colored __________.
Y a. blue N b. red N c. white N d. black 2256: The constellation that contains Polaris is __________.
N a. Orion N b. Cassiopeia Y c. Ursa Minor N d. Corona Borealis 2309: The plane of the ecliptic is inclined to the plane of the celestial equator by what angle?
N a. 00°23' Y b. 23°27' N c. 45°00' N d. 90°00' 2332: Magnetic dip is a measurement of the angle between the __________.
N a. geographic pole and the magnetic pole N b. lubber's line and true north Y c. horizontal and the magnetic line of force N d. compass heading and the magnetic heading 2464: Under the IALA-A Buoyage System, when entering from seaward a lateral system buoy to be left to port may display which topmark shown? (D046NG )
N a. A Y b. B N c. C N d. D 2569: The mean sun used to measure time moves __________.
N a. along the ecliptic at 15° per hour N b. along the celestial equator at 15° per day N c. along the ecliptic at 15° per day Y d. along the celestial equator at 15° per hour 2651: Low pressure disturbances which travel along the intertropical convergence zone are called __________.
Y a. tropical waves N b. tropical disturbances N c. permanent waves N d. tidal waves 2851: You determine your vessel's position by taking a range and bearing to a buoy. Your position will be plotted as a(n) __________.
N a. dead-reckoning position Y b. estimated position N c. running fix N d. fix 2927: The position labeled C, as shown, was plotted because __________. (D051NG )
N a. the vessel's course changed from due North to due East Y b. running fixes are better estimates of true position than dead-reckoning positions N c. the vessel's speed changed N d. All of the above are correct 2939: The buoy indicated by the letter D as shown is a __________. (D044NG )
Y a. nun N b. can N c. spar N d. pillar 2999: When entering a channel from seaward, the numbers on buoys __________.
N a. are the same as their Light List number N b. are marked in 6 inch figures with retroreflective material Y c. increase with the even numbers to starboard N d. decrease with the odd numbers to starboard 3068: Which of the following data layer categories is NOT displayed on ECDIS?
N a. Notice to Mariners information N b. ECDIS warnings and messages Y c. Ship hydrodynamic information N d. Hydrographic Office data 3073: ECDIS must give an alarm for which of the following cases?
Y a. If the ship is going to reach a critical point on the planned route N b. When the speed of a dangerous target exceeds a set limit N c. If the ship's ETA has changed beyond the set limit N d. All of the above