Deck 20: Coastal Processes and Landforms

Question 1

A concrete obstruction built out into the water from a beach to inhibit sediment removal by littoral drifting is called a(n)_____. ​

A)barrier spit
B)tombolo
C)groin
D)lagoon
E)longshore bar

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Wave refraction _____. ​

A)is the suspension of sediment by a breaking wave
B)is caused by swash and backwash
C)occurs because of rip currents
D)occurs in the offshore zone
E)causes erosion of headlands and deposition in embayments

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Energy in a wind wave increases with _____. ​

A)slower wind speeds
B)increasing wave height
C)decreasing fetch
D)storms of shorter duration
E)storms of smaller area

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which type of reef is separated from the coast of an island by a shallow lagoon? ​

A)barrier reef
B)longshore reef
C)atoll reef
D)fringing reef
E)active-margin reef

Question 5

The world ocean covers what percentage of Earth's surface? ​

A)1%
B)21%
C)51%
D)71%
E)91%

Question 6

The coastal erosion process of _____works to remove ions that have been separated from rock-forming minerals by solution and other chemical weathering processes. ​

A)hydraulic action
B)corrosion
C)longshore drifting
D)abrasion
E)wave refraction

Question 7

Spring tide occurs only _____. ​

A)during new and full moons
B)at the equinoxes
C)once a year
D)in the months of spring
E)at the solstices ​

Question 8

Rip currents _____.

A)move parallel to the shoreline
B)are fast moving swash
C)are caused by the motion of the combined Earth-Moon system
D)are due to the centrifugal force of rotation
E)flow toward deep water from the nearshore zone

Question 9

Most of the waves that impact the coastal zone are caused by _____. ​

A)hurricanes
B)earthquakes
C)ships
D)gravity
E)wind

Question 10

Wave base is _____. ​

A)the level of a wave trough
B)the level of a wave crest
C)found at a depth of one half the wavelength
D)found at a depth of twice the wave period
E)sea level

Question 11

Beach drifting is caused by _____. ​

A)changes in sea level
B)corrosion ​
C)headland erosion
D)incomplete wave refraction
E)longshore currents

Question 12

Abrasion platforms that are raised above sea level by tectonic activity are called _____. ​

A)longshore bars
B)lagoons
C)sea stacks
D)deltas
E)marine terraces

Question 13

A wind wave that arrives at the coast on a calm day is best referred to as _____.

A)an erratic wave
B)an anomaly wave
C)an exotic wave
D)swell
E)fetch

Question 14

A coast that is tectonically quiescent, with little mountain-building or volcanic activity, is known as a(n)_____. ​

A)coastline of emergence
B)active-margin coast
C)barrier beach
D)passive-margin coast
E)coastline of submergence

Question 15

Coral reefs are formed by _____. ​

A)volcanic eruptions
B)wave refraction
C)longshore current sand deposition
D)sea level rising above ridges that formed on land
E)the accumulation of calcium carbonate skeletons of marine animals

Question 16

Which of these coastal features can create lagoons? ​

A)tombolos
B)notches
C)barrier islands
D)marine terraces
E)swashes

Question 17

Waves begin to "feel" bottom when the water depth _____. ​

A)is 2 meters
B)is half the distance between wave crests
C)equals twice the wave height
D)is twice the wave steepness
E)is half the wave height ​

Question 18

The Moon completes one revolution around Earth every _____. ​

A)29.5 seconds
B)29.5 minutes
C)29.5 hours
D)29.5 days
E)29.5 days

Question 19

The most effective form of wave erosion is _____. ​

A)deflation
B)hydraulic action
C)abrasion
D)corrosion
E)salt wedging

Question 20

Which of these statements about Earth's tides is correct? ​

A)The tides consist of two very long wavelength waves.
B)There are typically six hours between successive high tides.
C)Most places on Earth have one high and one low tide per day.
D)They are caused by convection currents in the mantle.
E)They are caused by the gravitational attraction between Earth and Mars.

Question 21

The shoreline of a standing body of water is constantly changing.

Question 22

A river valley drowned by a sinking of the land or a rise in sea level is called a(n)_____. ​

A)atoll ​
B)ria
C)lagoon
D)fringing reef
E)groin

Question 23

As waves reach water shallower than the wave base, they bunch up and wave height increases.

Question 24

Wind wave energy from a storm can travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometers.

Question 25

Moderated high and low tides occur during _____. ​

A)neap tides
B)wave periods
C)spring tides
D)swash tides
E)swell

Question 26

Beaches are always sandy.

Question 27

Tidal range is largest during neap tides and smallest during spring tides.

Question 28

A coastal depositional landform attached to the mainland at just one end point is called a _____. ​

A)notch
B)beach
C)spit
D)barrier island
E)baymouth barrier

Question 29

Backwash is pulled downslope by gravity.

Question 30

A smaller fetch results in wind waves of greater height and energy.

Question 31

Tidal range varies from place to place in response to factors like the shape of the coastline.

Question 32

Fjords are valleys that were carved by rivers.

Question 33

Groins starve the adjacent, downcoast beach area of sediment input.

Question 34

The Atlantic coast of the U.S. is an active-margin coastline.

Question 35

Tides are driven only by the gravitational pull of the Moon.

Question 36

Which of these are most effective at transporting water and sediment parallel to the coastline? ​

A)rip currents
B)longshore currents
C)sea stacks
D)backwash
E)tides

Question 37

Beach drifting occurs in the swash zone.

Question 38

Primary coastlines are those formed mainly by coastal geomorphic agents, especially waves, and by aquatic organisms.

Question 39

A strip of sediment deposited by coastal processes that connects the mainland to an island is called a(n)_____. ​

A)spit ​
B)longshore bar
C)fringing reef
D)groin
E)tombolo

Question 40

It is possible for coastal waters to become polluted.

Question 41

The expanse of open water across which the wind can blow without interruption is termed the _______________.

Question 42

Why do wind waves tend to straighten a coastline by focusing erosion on headlands?

Question 43

When the top of a sea arch collapses or when a sea cliff retreats, the erosion resistant pillar left standing is known as a(n)_______________. (two words)

Question 44

The zigzag-like transportation of sediment in the swash zone caused by incomplete wave refraction is termed _______________. (two words)

Question 45

What happens to a beach when a groin is installed?

Question 46

What causes spring tides and neap tides to have different tidal ranges?

Question 47

Drowned glacial valleys along coastlines of submergence are called _______________.

Question 48

A(n)_______________ is an island consisting of a ring of coral reefs that have grown up from a subsiding volcanic island and that encircle a central lagoon.

Question 49

Large waves that result from the sudden displacement of water by movement along faults, land-slides, volcanic eruptions, or other impulsive events are called _______________.

Question 50

A biologically very productive embayment that forms at some river mouths where saltwater and freshwater meet is called a(n)_______________.

Question 51

Explain how wind waves travel along the surface of the water.

Question 52

After a wave breaks the water continues to rush up the beach face toward land as a thin sheet of water called _______________.

Question 53

How does a fringing reef around an oceanic island become an atoll?

Question 54

Sediment transportation in the coastal zone is called _______________. (two words)

Question 55

The time it takes for one wavelength to pass a fixed point is called wave _______________.

Question 56

The bending of a wave in map view as it approaches a shoreline is called wave _______________.

Question 57

If a barrier spit crosses the mouth of the embayment to connect with the mainland at both ends, it becomes a(n)_______________.

Question 58

Coastlines of _______________ occur where the water level has fallen or the land has risen in the coastal zone.

Question 59

Dangerous rapid currents that can pull swimmers out to deeper water are called _______________. (two words)

Question 60

A(n)_______________ reef is attached to the coast, with no lagoon separating it from land.