Deck 19: Shorelines and Shoreline Processes

Question 1

The moon's influence on tides is greater than the sun's.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Spring tides are higher because spring rains result in higher water levels.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The speed or celerity of a wave can be calculated by observing the distance a water particle moves over a given time period.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

A breaker is different from a wave in that it is characterized by forward motion as opposed to oscillatory motion.

Question 5

Wave refraction occurs because the wavefront moves at different velocities depending on depth of water.

Question 6

Longshore currents transport and deposit sediment parallel to the coastline.

Question 7

Beaches are, by definition, composed of sand.

Question 8

Beach sand is, by definition, composed of quartz.

Question 9

Beach sand in general is dominated by quartz.

Question 10

Spits and baymouth bars are evidence that the system is unable to transport sediment.

Question 11

Barrier islands are currently under sustained erosion and migrating seaward.

Question 12

A rise in sea level causes barriers to migrate landward.

Question 13

Shoreline erosion occurs in response to wave action, regardless of wave height.

Question 14

Rising sea level is the result of either increased volume of ocean water or the subsidence of land or both.

Question 15

Marine terraces along emergent coasts represent old floodplains of rivers.

Question 16

If the amount of sediment available to a shoreline from inland sources decreases, nearby beaches will experience which of the following:?

A) deposition
B) no change
C) erosion
D) no net change but the shoreline will migrate landward
E) no net change but the shoreline will migrate seaward

Question 17

The processes most important for modifying shorelines are

A) biological
B) chemical
C) physical
D) all of the above are equally important

Question 18

Neap tides are small because

A) not as much water is in the ocean system at this time
B) winds are offshore during the fall
C) the moon's influence on tides is counteracted by the sun's
D) the moon is furthest from earth during the fall.

Question 19

Tide ranges vary due to

A) time of year
B) storm activity
C) shoreline configuration
D) size of the water body
E) all of the above

Question 20

Wave height and velocity is influenced by

A) source of the wave energy
B) wave refraction
C) coastal development
D) type of coast
E) all of the above

Question 21

Longshore currents occur because of

A) shore parallel ocean currents like the Gulf stream
B) refraction of incoming waves
C) offshore winds interacting with incoming waves
D) river-like currents running between the shoreline and offshore bars
E) rogue waves

Question 22

If you find yourself in a rip current, you should

A) swim as quickly as possible to shore over the shortest route possible
B) float with the current until it dies out
C) swim parallel to shore for a short distance and then towards shore
D) attempt to maintain position until the rogue current dies out

Question 23

As wave approach a shoreline which of the following takes place?

A) waves are refracted
B) wave motion is no longer purely oscillatory
C) wave velocity decreases
D) wave height increases
E) all of the above

Question 24

Compared to a winter beach, the summer beach

A) exhibits a wide beach berm
B) is sand covered
C) has a steep beach face
D) has a smooth offshore profile
E) all of the above

Question 25

The change in beach profiles over time is another example of

A) uniformitarianism.
B) catastrophism.
C) continual progressive change.
D) cyclicity and equilibrium or balancing change.
E) the lack of any significant change over time.

Question 26

Baymouth bars or spits occur because

A) sand is transported parallel to shore
B) river sediments are deposited at their mouths
C) too much sediment is in the system
D) incoming offshore waves and currents collide with outgoing river currents
E) all of the above

Question 27

Barrier islands along the southeastern coast of the U.S. are migrating inland because

A) the shoreline is sediment-starved
B) recent hurricanes are more disasterous and more frequent
C) sea level is rising
D) the shoreline is increasingly being developed
E) all of the above

Question 28

Effective coastal management might include which of the following components?

A) an understanding of the dynamic nature of a shoreline
B) an understanding the interplay between sediment supply, wave energy, and climate
C) a moratorium on building structures within 10 km of the coastline
D) A and B
E) all of the above

Question 29

Which of the following combinations include only emergent coastlines?

A) central-southern east coast, northeastern states, Delaware/Chesapeake Bay
B) Texas Gulf coast, Oregon-Washington, California coast
C) northeastern Canada, western coast of South America, Scandinavia
D) central-southern east coast, western coast of South America, Scandinavia
E) Texas Gulf coast, central-southern east coast, Delaware/Chesapeake Bay

Question 30

In which of the following areas would you expect to see marine terraces and wave-cut platforms abandoned above current wave base?

A) Scandanavia
B) southern California
C) northern California
D) B and C
E) all of the above

Question 31

The wave___________ is the distance from one crest (or trough) to the next.

Question 32

When wave base is reached, wave ___________length and wave decrease, while wave height (increases/decreases)___________ .

Question 33

___________ ___________ What are spring tides?

Question 34

___________ ___________ What are neap tides?

Question 35

Tidal ranges are lowest where the sea bottom slope is (steep/gradual) ___________and the inlet is (wide/narrow) ___________and are highest where the slope is (steep/gradual)___________and the inlet (wide/narrow)___________ .

Question 36

The surf zone is the portion of the___________ zone in which water moves___________ as backwash.

Question 37

What are two models that may explain the formation of barrier islands? Why are these models significant to the coastal community?

Question 38

What geologic agent is responsible for most geologic work along shorelines?

Question 39

At a shoreline, what is the first indication of the approach of a tsunami?

Question 40

How can hurricanes cause flooding?

Question 41

What is one of the notable differences between lake shores and seashores?

Question 42

How can the position of shorelines change so rapidly?

Question 43

Approximately how much of the world's population is concentrated near shorelines?

Question 44

At what depth do the orbiting molecules of water in a wave touch the sea or lake floor?

Question 45

What is the fetch of waves?

Question 46

What is the cause of the once or twice daily tides which occur along the coast?

Question 47

Which body exerts the stronger tide-generating force, the Sun or the Moon? Explain why.

Question 48

What wave measurement determines the width of the nearshore zone?

Question 49

What are the two important types of nearshore currents?

Question 50

What is a rip current?

Question 51

Briefly explain how longshore currents form.

Question 52

What would be two advantages of energy developed from the oceans?

Question 53

What are three possible sources of ocean energy which might be harnessed?

Question 54

Which form of ocean energy has been most successfully harnessed, and in which country has this been done on the largest scale?

Question 55

What is a beach?

Question 56

What three characteristics typify the summer beach profile?

Question 57

What three characteristics typify the winter beach?

Question 58

Spits and baymouth bars are formed and grow as a result of what factor?

Question 59

What is a tombolo?

Question 60

Where do barrier islands form?

Question 61

Longshore drift accounts for approximately what percentage of shoreline sediment?

Question 62

What are three ways by which most sediment is lost from the nearshore zone?

Question 63

What is a recurved spit or hook?

Question 64

What is a groin?

Question 65

What is a baymouth bar?

Question 66

Briefly explain why migration and erosion of barrier islands is important to many coastal communities.

Question 67

Briefly explain why erosion occurs on the downcurrent side of a groin.

Question 68

What Pleistocene event is responsible for the existence of Cape Cod and the adjacent islands?

Question 69

What is the glacial origin of the numerous circular to oval ponds found on Cape Cod?

Question 70

What was the location of the terminal moraine of the glacier which occupied the Cape Cod region?

Question 71

what are three ways by which sea cliffs are eroded?

Question 72

What is the most effective cause of sea cliff erosion?

Question 73

Approximately how much has sea level risen over the past century?

Question 74

What is the cause of the rise in sea level?

Question 75

Other than classifying coasts as depositional or erosional, what is another way in which coasts can be broadly categorized?

Question 76

What are two possible characteristics of an emergent coast which has risen in response to tectonism?