Deck 19: Coastal Processes and Landforms

Question 1

The water level during the Wisconsin glacial period was ________ than current levels.

A) slightly higher
B) lower
C) the same
D) not enough information to tell
E) much higher

Answer 1

B

Question 2

A saltwater body of water that is partially enclosed by land is called

A) ocean.
B) sea.
C) gulf.
D) bay.
E) estuary.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Fluctuations in sea level associated with adjustments in the hydrologic cycle are called _________ change.

A) hydrologic
B) salinity
C) brackish
D) eustatic
E) static

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Water that has a salinity between 15 and 35 parts per thousand is considered

A) saline.
B) brine.
C) brackish.
D) eustatic.
E) ria.

Question 5

Global salinity of the world oceans varies between 34 and 37 parts per

A) hundred.
B) million.
C) trillion.
D) thousand.
E) billion.

Question 6

When water has a salinity of greater than 35 parts per thousand,the water is considered

A) saline.
B) brine.
C) brackish.
D) eustatic.
E) ria.

Question 7

A relatively small body of salt water that is surrounded by land on three sides and opens to a see or ocean is called a(n)

A) ocean.
B) sea.
C) gulf.
D) bay.
E) estuary

Question 8

The Moon's gravitational pull is responsible for __________ of the ocean's daily tides than the Sun's gravitational pull.

A) slightly less
B) much less
C) more
D) the same percentage
E) about 50% less

Question 9

The concentration of dissolved solids in water,measured in parts per thousand,is called

A) brackish.
B) brine.
C) salinity.
D) charge.
E) specific heat.

Question 10

A former glaciated valley along the coast that is flooded by rising sea level is termed a(n)

A) ria.
B) fjord.
C) bay.
D) estuary.
E) gulf.

Question 11

_______ are regular and predictable oscillations that occur with respect to the level of the world's oceans.

A) Waves
B) Eustatic changes
C) Tides
D) Breakers
E) Ocean oscillations

Question 12

The largest ocean on Earth is the

A) Atlantic Ocean.
B) Indian Ocean.
C) Pacific Ocean.
D) Arctic Ocean.
E) Southern Ocean.

Question 13

The "newest" body of water recognized to be an ocean is the

A) Atlantic Ocean.
B) Indian Ocean.
C) Pacific Ocean.
D) Arctic Ocean
E) Southern Ocean.

Question 14

The _______ Sea is located off the coast of Antarctica.

A) Sargasso
B) Banda
C) Beaufort
D) Chukchi
E) Weddell

Question 15

The entire body of salt water that covers about 71% of the Earth is called _________.

A) the sea.
B) the ocean.
C) a gulf.
D) a bay.
E) a saline lake.

Question 16

A former river valley along the coast that is flooded by rising sea level is called a(n)

A) ria.
B) fjord.
C) bay.
D) estuary.
E) gulf.

Question 17

The Sun's gravitational pull is responsible for ____% of the ocean's daily tides.

A) 19
B) 20
C) 44
D) 8.2
E) 56

Question 18

Oceans cover about _____% surface of the Earth.

A) 55
B) 62
C) 71
D) 83
E) 94

Question 19

There are ____ geographic divisions of the world ocean.

A) two
B) three
C) five
D) six
E) seven

Question 20

The Moon's gravitational pull is responsible for ____% of the ocean's daily tides.

A) 19
B) 20
C) 44
D) 8.2
E) 56

Question 21

_____________ refer(s)to the vertical distance between the wave crest and the level of water if it were still.

A) Wave height
B) Swells
C) Wave amplitude
D) Wavelength
E) Wave base

Question 22

Which letter in the diagram represents surf?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D

Question 23

After the high point of a wave passes,the water lowers into the

A) wave trough.
B) wave crest.
C) wave base.
D) wave amplitude.
E) wave height.

Question 24

Which letter in the diagram represents breakers?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D

Question 25

The alternating cycles of high and low tides last roughly ____ hours.

A) 6
B) 8
C) 10
D) 12
E) 16

Question 26

Sediment transported in the surf zone by swash and backwash,which form due to the oblique angle of the breaking waves,is called:

A) beach drift.
B) lateral drift.
C) littoral drift.
D) longshore current.
E) none of these

Question 27

_______ are oscillations in a body of water that form due to the wind blowing across the surface of the water.

A) Rip tides
B) Tsunamis
C) Waves
D) Breakers
E) None of these

Question 28

The distance of unimpeded air flow along the surface of a body of water is called:

A) fetch
B) stretch
C) wind strength
D) wind duration
E) swell

Question 29

The word tsunami is Japanese meaning

A) killer wave.
B) abnormal wave.
C) enormous wave.
D) strong wave.
E) fast wave.

Question 30

The lowest of high tides are called _______ tides.

A) spring
B) direct
C) neap
D) eustatic
E) opposite

Question 31

______________ is the current that develops parallel to the coast when waves approach a coast at an oblique angle.

A) Longshore current
B) Littoral current
C) Longshore drift
D) Beach current
E) Beach drift

Question 32

The horizontal distance between two successive wave crests is called the

A) wave height.
B) swells.
C) wave amplitude.
D) wavelength.
E) wave base.

Question 33

The processes through which sediment is transported and deposited in the shore zone are called

A) shoaling.
B) longshore drift.
C) beach drift.
D) littoral processes.
E) wave action.

Question 34

Another name for a tsunami is a(n)

A) seismic sea wave.
B) eustatic wave.
C) grand wave.
D) ocean wave.
E) deep-water wave.

Question 35

The highest of high tides are called ______ tides.

A) spring
B) direct
C) neap
D) eustatic
E) opposite

Question 36

When the gravitational pull from the Moon pulls directly on the water body and is perpendicular to the Sun,it is called a(n)_______ tide.

A) spring
B) direct
C) neap
D) eustatic
E) opposite

Question 37

As waves move out of an area where they are generated,they continue to move forward and are known as

A) wave progressions.
B) water propagation.
C) breakers.
D) swells.
E) none of these

Question 38

The transport of sediment by longshore current is called

A) swash.
B) backwash.
C) beach drift.
D) longshore drift.
E) littoral drift.

Question 39

The high spot of an individual wave is called

A) a wave trough.
B) a wave crest.
C) a wave base.
D) wave amplitude.
E) wave height.

Question 40

___________ is (are)the vertical distance between the wave crest and the base of the wave trough.

A) Wave height
B) Swells
C) Wave amplitude
D) Wavelength
E) Wave base

Question 41

____________ is the part of the beach that lies between the beach ridge and the foredune.

A) The backshore
B) The beach ridge
C) The foreshore
D) The offshore
E) The offshore bar

Question 42

__________ is the combined movement of both longshore drift and beach drift.

A) Longshore current
B) Beach transport
C) Littoral drift
D) Combined flow
E) Swash

Question 43

A portion of the coast that extends outward into a large body of water is called a

A) bay.
B) pocket beach.
C) headland.
D) spit.
E) foredune.

Question 44

A small island connected to a landmass by a spit is called a(n)

A) spit.
B) baymouth bar.
C) lagoon.
D) tombolo.
E) jetty.

Question 45

The nearshore zone where waves break is called the

A) offshore.
B) foreshore.
C) backshore.
D) offshore bar.
E) beach ridge.

Question 46

From the accompanying diagram,which letter represents the incoming waves?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) A and C only

Question 47

The process through which a shoreline retreats through erosion is called

A) retrogradation.
B) progradation.
C) deflation.
D) wave cutting.
E) tombolo formation.

Question 48

A brackish body of water that lies behind a baymouth bar is called a(n)

A) spit.
B) enclosed pond.
C) lagoon.
D) tombolo.
E) jetty.

Question 49

The surge of water from breaking waves onto the beach is called

A) beach flow.
B) beach drift.
C) swash.
D) backwash.
E) wave current.

Question 50

From the accompanying diagram,which letter represents the headland?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) A and B

Question 51

The erosional ridge that marks the high-water line and lies at the landward margin of the foreshore is called the

A) backshore.
B) beach ridge.
C) foreshore.
D) offshore.
E) offshore bar.

Question 52

The nearshore zone that is permanently submerged is called the

A) backshore.
B) beach ridge.
C) foreshore.
D) offshore.
E) offshore bar.

Question 53

___________ is the nearshore zone that is regularly uncovered through the tidal fluctuations and movement of surf.

A) The backshore
B) The beach ridge
C) The foreshore
D) The offshore
E) The offshore bar

Question 54

After water breaking on the beach reaches its apex,it flows back to the ocean at a right angle to the shore as

A) beach flow.
B) beach drift.
C) swash.
D) backwash.
E) return current.

Question 55

This is a small,linear dune that fronts the backshore.

A) the backshore
B) the foreshore
C) the dune development
D) the foredune
E) the backdune

Question 56

________ is a spit that entirely closes a bay.

A) A spit
B) A baymouth bar
C) A lagoon
D) A tombolo
E) A jetty

Question 57

From the accompanying diagram,which letter represents the pocket beach?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) A and D

Question 58

_______ is a linear bank of land that extends into a bay made by the deposition of longshore sediment.

A) A spit
B) A baymouth bar
C) A lagoon
D) A tombolo
E) A jetty

Question 59

____________ is the outward extension of the shoreline through deposition of sediment.

A) Retrogradation
B) Progradation
C) Offshore development
D) Foreshore
E) Backshore

Question 60

___________ is a small ridge on the bottom of the ocean that typically separates the offshore and foreshore.

A) The beach ridge
B) The backshore cliff
C) The offshore bar
D) The foreshore transition
E) The offshore transition

Question 61

A semicircular reef that is most closely associated with degradation of volcanic islands is called a(n)

A) fringing reef.
B) barrier reef.
C) atoll.
D) lagoon.
E) coral reef.

Question 62

A benchlike cut at the high water line along shores is called a

A) baymouth bar.
B) tombolo.
C) spit.
D) barrier island.
E) berm scarp

Question 63

A low wall built at a right angle from the shore out a short distance into the water is called

A) a jetty.
B) a groin.
C) a sea wall.
D) a ocean barrier.
E) none of these

Question 64

When the Moon and Sun are at right angles to the Earth,this is called a ______ tide.

A) neat
B) spring
C) fall
D) meap
E) This cannot happen.

Question 65

_________ tides will have the highest high tides.

A) Neat
B) Spring
C) Fall
D) Neap
E) Indirect

Question 66

A spit that extends all the way across a bay is called a

A) baymouth bar.
B) tombolo.
C) longshore spit.
D) barrier island.
E) berm scarp.

Question 67

A linear bank of land that extends into a bay is called a

A) baymouth bar.
B) tombolo.
C) spit.
D) barrier Island.
E) berm scarp.

Question 68

An indentation in the shoreline that is generally associated with an ocean,sea,or gulf is called a bay.

Question 69

Water that is under 35% but over 15% salinity is called ________ water.

A) fresh
B) marsh
C) brackish
D) brine

Question 70

________ is a long stone or concrete structure used to create a permanent opening for a channel by reinforcing both sides of the passageway.

A) A jetty
B) A groin
C) A sea wall
D) An ocean barrier
E) none of these

Question 71

The vertical measurement of a wave from its crest to the average level of the water is called

A) wave trough.
B) wavelength.
C) wave amplitude.
D) wave height.
E) wave base.

Question 72

The largest of the oceans on Earth is the Pacific Ocean.

Question 73

The vertical measurement of a wave from its crest to the base is called

A) wave trough.
B) wavelength.
C) wave amplitude.
D) wave height.
E) wave base.

Question 74

When the Earth,Moon,and Sun are in alignment,this is called a ______ tide.

A) neat
B) spring
C) fall
D) neap
E) This cannot happen.

Question 75

A subdivision of an ocean that is partially enclosed by land is called a bay.

Question 76

This is a resistant marine ridge or mound consisting largely of compacted coral together with algal material and biochemically deposited calcium carbonates.

A) ocean karst
B) pillar karst
C) coral reefs
D) atolls
E) shallow lagoons

Question 77

A spit that reaches an island or sea stack is called a

A) baymouth bar.
B) tombolo.
C) spit.
D) barrier island.
E) berm scarp.

Question 78

The horizontal measurement of a wave from its crest to crest is called

A) wave trough.
B) wavelength.
C) wave amplitude.
D) wave height.
E) wave base.

Question 79

An elongated bar of sand that forms parallel to the shore that is not connected to the shore and stretches for some distance is called a(n)

A) barrier island.
B) lagoon.
C) tombolo.
D) spit.
E) baymouth bar.

Question 80

Water that is over 35% salinity is called _______ water.

A) fresh
B) marsh
C) brackish
D) brine