Question 1

The height of a tsunami grows as it approaches a coastline primarily because
A) its energy level increases.
B) its wavelength shortens.
C) the height of the surf is added to the height of the tsunami.
D) trick question-the height of a tsunami remains constant from the time of its origin.

Accepted Answer

The height of a tsunami grows as it approaches a coastline primarily because its wavelength shortens. The energy level of the wave does not change, but as it enters shallower water, its frequency decreases, causing its wavelength to shorten and its height to increase. The height of the surf is also a factor for waves breaking on the shore, but it is not the primary reason for the increasing height of a tsunami. The fourth choice is a trick question as the height of a tsunami can vary depending on various factors.

Question 2

Undercutting action of the sea results in
A) barrier splits.
B) sea cliffs.
C) lagoons.
D) tombolos.

Accepted Answer

Undercutting action of the sea results in the formation of sea cliffs. The sea erodes the base of a rock, causing it to collapse and the cliff face to retreat inland.

Question 3

As a wave approaches the shoreline and enters shallower water, energy and water move forward causing the water to rise and cascade down from the wave crest as a breaker. These waves are called
A) waves of translation.
B) swells.
C) waves of transition.
D) tidal waves.

Accepted Answer

As waves approach the shore and enter shallower water, they slow down, increase in height, and eventually break. These are known as waves of translation, where the energy and water move forward, causing the wave to break.

Question 4

A longshore current involves all of the following except
A) effective wind direction.
B) effective wave direction.
C) waves of transition.
D) transportation of large amounts of sand and coastal materials.

Accepted Answer

A longshore current is a current that runs parallel to the shore, caused by the movement of waves at an angle to the shoreline. It is influenced by the effective wind direction and effective wave direction. The longshore current transports large amounts of sand and coastal materials along the coast. Waves of transition are a type of wave that occur when there is a change in the depth of the water, they do not specifically relate to longshore currents.

Question 5

High tides are known as ________ whereas low tides are kown as ________.
A) flood tides; ebb tides
B) ebb tides; flood tides
C) spring tides; neap tides
D) neap tides; spring tides

Accepted Answer

High tides are referred to as flood tides, and low tides are referred to as ebb tides.

Question 6

In deep water, a wave is not really migrating but is transferring energy through the water in simple cyclic undulations. These are called
A) waves of translation.
B) swells.
C) waves of transition.
D) tidal waves.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In deep water, a wave is not...

Question 7

When the Sun and Moon are neither in conjunction or opposition, the ________ occurs and results in the ________ tidal range between low and high tides.
A) spring tides; lowest
B) spring tides; greatest
C) neap tides; lowest
D) neap tides; greatest

Accepted Answer

The answer of When the Sun and Moon are neither...

Question 8

Particles of sand, gravels, and shells that move along the shore form the
A) breakers.
B) longshore current.
C) beach drift.
D) translation effects.

Accepted Answer

Beach drift refers to the movement of sand, gravel, and shells along the shore by the action of waves and currents. This term better describes the movement of particles along the beach compared to the other choices. Breakers refer to the wave action when a wave breaks, longshore current refers to the current that moves parallel to the shore, and translation effects do not directly relate to the movement of particles along the shore.

Question 9

Which of the following is correct regarding waves that travel in wave trains?
A) They are produced by storm centers and generating regions far distant from the shore where they may break.
B) They usually form relatively close to the affected coastline.
C) They experience refraction by the deep seafloor.
D) They are called breakers as they travel in the open sea.

Accepted Answer

Wave trains are groups of waves produced by distant storm centers and generating regions, traveling across the ocean until they reach the shore.

Question 10

A wave-cut platform is the erosional remnant of a
A) barrier island.
B) spit.
C) tombolo.
D) cliff.

Accepted Answer

A wave-cut platform is a rock platform at sea level formed by the erosion of a cliff or promontory by waves. Therefore, the correct answer is D, cliff.

Question 11

Which of the following is not correct regarding tides?
A) They are produced solely by the gravitational pull of the Sun.
B) They are complex twice daily oscillations in sea level.
C) They are influenced by the size, depth, and topography of ocean basins.
D) They are influenced by shoreline configuration and latitude.

Accepted Answer

Tides are primarily produced by the gravitational pull of the Moon, with a smaller contribution from the Sun. Therefore, choice A is not correct.

Question 12

Regular patterns of smooth, rounded waves are called
A) breakers.
B) wave ripples.
C) wave trains.
D) swells.

Accepted Answer

Smooth, rounded waves are typically created by steady, long-lasting winds blowing over a large stretch of water known as a fetch. These waves are known as swells, and they tend to move steadily and predictably across the ocean's surface, making them a popular target for surfers and sailors looking for a smooth ride. Breakers typically occur when waves reach shallow water near shore, causing them to slow down and steepen, while wave ripples refer to small-scale, short-lived waves caused by local disturbances in the water's surface. Wave trains, on the other hand, refer to a series of waves traveling together in the same direction, regardless of their shape or size.

Question 13

Wave action works to straighten a coast as wave energy focuses around headlands and tends to disperse energy in coves and bays in a process called
A) longshore current.
B) breakers.
C) wave refraction.
D) tidal bore.

Accepted Answer

Wave refraction causes wave energy to focus around headlands and disperse in coves and bays, leading to the straightening of the coast. Longshore currents move parallel to the shore, breakers are the waves that break on the shore, and tidal bores are a rare phenomenon where a wave moves up a river against the direction of the current.

Question 14

When the height of a wave exceeds its vertical stability, the wave is called a
A) rip current.
B) wave of transition.
C) breaker.
D) tidal wave.

Accepted Answer

A wave is considered a breaker when its height exceeds the stability of the water surface, causing the wave to collapse and crash onto the shore. Rip currents are a water current caused by tides, while a wave of transition and tidal wave are not accurate descriptions for waves breaking onto the shore.

Question 15

When the Sun and Moon are on the same side Earth or on opposite sides of earth, the ________ occurs and results in the ________ tidal range between low and high tides.
A) spring tides; lowest
B) spring tides; greatest
C) neap tides; lowest
D) neap tides; greatest

Accepted Answer

When the Sun and Moon are aligned either on the same side or opposite sides of the Earth, it results in spring tides, which have the greatest tidal range between low and high tides.

Question 16

In the movie The Poseidon Adventure, a cruise ship is overturned by a tsunami while at sea. This plot is not valid because
A) tsunamis do not have the energy to overturn a ship of that size.
B) tsunamis do not occur in the open ocean.
C) tsunamis do not form high waves while in the open ocean.
D) the tsunami in the movie didn't occur in a tectonically active area.

Accepted Answer

Tsunamis in the open ocean have long wavelengths and low amplitudes, making them difficult to detect and unlikely to overturn large ships. They only form high waves when they approach shallow coastal areas.

Question 17

Which of the following occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in alignment (i.e., in opposition or conjunction)?
A) maximum tidal ranges occur
B) neap tides occur
C) a lower tidal range occurs
D) ebb tides occur

Accepted Answer

When the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in alignment, the gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon combine, resulting in maximum tidal ranges known as spring tides. This occurs during the full moon and new moon phases.

Question 18

Which of the following is not an example of an erosional coastal landform?
A) sea arch
B) tombolo
C) wave-cut platform
D) notched cliff

Accepted Answer

A tombolo is a depositional coastal landform created by sediment accumulation, not erosion. The other options are all erosional coastal landforms.

Question 19

Which of the following is correct regarding mean sea level?
A) A consistent value has yet to be determined due to all the variables involved in producing the tides.
B) It is at the same level along the entire North American coast.
C) It is calculated based on average tidal levels recorded hourly at a given site over a period of many years.
D) It has very little variability across all ocean basins and, therefore, is treated as an absolute value.

Accepted Answer

Mean sea level is calculated based on average tidal levels recorded hourly at a given site over a period of many years, usually around 19 years. It is a standardized reference point used for various purposes including navigation, engineering, and climate monitoring. While there are some regional variations due to factors such as ocean currents, atmospheric pressure, and tectonic uplift or subsidence, mean sea level is generally treated as a relative value across all ocean basins.

Question 20

An earthquake, a submarine landslide, or an eruption of an undersea volcano is capable of producing a
A) tsunami.
B) tidal wave.
C) slow-moving giant swell.
D) wave in the open ocean of great height.

Accepted Answer

Only an earthquake, submarine landslide, or undersea volcano can produce a tsunami, which is a series of ocean waves with very long wavelengths that can travel across entire ocean basins. Tidal waves, slow-moving giant swells, and waves of great height can be caused by other factors such as wind, tides, or storm surges.

Quiz 16: The Oceans, Coastal Processes, and Wind Processes

The height of a tsunami grows as it approaches a coastline primarily because

Undercutting action of the sea results in

As a wave approaches the shoreline and enters shallower water, energy and water move forward causing the water to rise and cascade down from the wave crest as a breaker. These waves are called

A longshore current involves all of the following except

High tides are known as whereas low tides are kown as .

In deep water, a wave is not really migrating but is transferring energy through the water in simple cyclic undulations. These are called

When the Sun and Moon are neither in conjunction or opposition, the occurs and results in the tidal range between low and high tides.

Particles of sand, gravels, and shells that move along the shore form the

Which of the following is correct regarding waves that travel in wave trains?

A wave-cut platform is the erosional remnant of a

Which of the following is not correct regarding tides?

Regular patterns of smooth, rounded waves are called

Wave action works to straighten a coast as wave energy focuses around headlands and tends to disperse energy in coves and bays in a process called

When the height of a wave exceeds its vertical stability, the wave is called a

When the Sun and Moon are on the same side Earth or on opposite sides of earth, the occurs and results in the tidal range between low and high tides.

In the movie The Poseidon Adventure, a cruise ship is overturned by a tsunami while at sea. This plot is not valid because

Which of the following occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in alignment (i.e., in opposition or conjunction) ?

Which of the following is not an example of an erosional coastal landform?

Which of the following is correct regarding mean sea level?

An earthquake, a submarine landslide, or an eruption of an undersea volcano is capable of producing a