Geology 131 Study Guide Ch16

Front 1

What is the term for a bulge in ocean surface due to hurricanes?

Back 1

Storm surge

Front 2

What is the term for the long, relatively narrow zone where marine processes affect land?

Back 2

Shoreline

Front 3

What is the term for oscillations of water surface?

Back 3

Waves

Front 4

What is the term for the depth limit of wave motion, equal to wavelength divided by 2?

Back 4

Wave base

Front 5

What is the term for waves bend?

Back 5

Wave refraction

Front 6

What is the term for long, narrow current with net motion parallel to shore?

Back 6

Longshore current

Front 7

What is the term for narrow surface currents that flow out ot sea?

Back 7

Rip Current

Front 8

What is the term for the deposit of unconsolidated sediment from low tide to topography change?

Back 8

Beach

Front 9

What is the term for long narrow ridges of sand above sea level, offshore?

Back 9

Barrier island

Front 10

What is the term for theconcept based on gains and losses of sediment along shoreline?

Back 10

Sediment budget

Front 11

What is the term for the coast form where land has risen with respect to sea level?

Back 11

Depositional coast

Front 12

What is the term for a coast with headlands, sea stacks, cliffs arches, etc.?

Back 12

Erosional coast

Front 13

What is the term for a coastal region that is flooded or drowned?

Back 13

Submergent coast

Front 14

What os the term for a coast form where land has risen with respect to sea level?

Back 14

Emergent coast

Front 15

What is the term for the regular rise and fall of ocean surface due to gravitational pull of Moon and Sun?

Back 15

Tides

Front 16

Along most coasts an observer would see how many tidal cycles per day?

Back 16

2 tidal cycles per day

Front 17

What are the 2 tidal cycles seen at most coasts due chiefly to?

Back 17

Gravitational attraction of the Moon

Front 18

Name the 3 influences that control surface wave size in part:

Back 18

1. wind velocity
2. fetch
3. duration

Front 19

Name 3 features created by deposition along coasts:

Back 19

1. Beaches
2. Spits
3. Tombolos

Front 20

What type of mineral is beach sand usually?

Back 20

Quartz

Front 21

What is the sand in Florida usually made of?

Back 21

Shell

Front 22

What is the sand in Hawaii usually made of?

Back 22

Basalt

Front 23

Name the 2 ways beaches gain sand?

Back 23

1. Erosion of sea cliffs
2. Streams

Front 24

Name the 4 types of erosion that form sea cliffs?

Back 24

1. Hydraulic action
2. Abrasion
3. Corrosion
4. Mass wasting

Front 25

Name 4 hazards on coastlines:

Back 25

1. Destructive hurricanes
2. Sea level rise
3. Mass wasting
4. Shifting barrier islands landward

Front 26

Why do rising global temperatures cause sea level to rise?

Back 26

1. Melting of glacial ice
2. Expansion of near surface water

Front 27

Name 3 lands forms that result from longshore currents:

Back 27

1. Tombolos
2. Baymouth bars
3. Spits

Front 28

Wave base is the lower limit of what done by waves?

Back 28

Erosion done by waves

Front 29

Why is wave base the lower limit of erosion done by waves?

Back 29

The depth at which wave motion dies out.

Front 30

Name 4 hazards along shorelines:

Back 30

1. Collapse of sea cliffs
2. landward migration of the shore
3. Hurricanes
4. Rising sea level

Front 31

Where are the greatest differences between high and low tides?

Back 31

Found along steep, irregular shorelines

Front 32

How do tidal currents affect bays?

Back 32

Keep bays clear of sediment

Front 33

Why is wave base a useful concept?

Back 33

Because the seafloor below it is not eroded by surface waves.

Front 34

In what direction will shorelines with high energy levels and lots of erosion retreat?

Back 34

They will retreat landward

Front 35

In what direction will longshore currents transport sediment?

Back 35

Longshore currents can transport sediment in the same general direction as the approaching waves.

Front 36

Name the ocean process that has the greatest effect on beaches?

Back 36

Winter storms

Front 37

Name 4 characteristics of barrier islands:

Back 37

1. Often marshy on landward side
2. Formed on gently sloping continental shelves
3. Long, narrow ridges of sand
4. Usually migrate towards land

Front 38

When do beach disappear?

Back 38

1. The nearshore sediment budget is negative
2. Erosion exceeds deposition

Front 39

In California sediment retention dams have been built to protect communities built in the path of debris flows and floods, what effects do these dams have on the coastline?

Back 39

They cause beaches to disappear

Front 40

What does the typical features of a depositional coast include?

Back 40

Delta

Front 41

What do emergent coastlines typically form?

Back 41

Marine terraces

Front 42

Name 4 ways that emergent coast can form?

Back 42

1. When global sea level falls
2. During major glaciations
3. If area undergoes isostatic rebound
4. If area undergoes tectonic uplift

Front 43

T or F
Barrier islands are better places for development than sea cliffs.

Back 43

FALSE,
Neither is a safe place to build in the long run.

Front 44

What type of coast is a rocky and steep shoreline probably?

Back 44

An Emergent Coast

Front 45

What are tidal ranges affected by?

Back 45

Shoreline geography

Front 46

Name 4 characteristics of energy derived from tidal power:

Back 46

1. Requires a tidal range of 5 meters or more
2. Requires construction of a dam
3. Has high construction costs
4. Destroys estuarine wildlife

Front 47

What happens to waves as they enter shallow water?

Back 47

The waves get higher and break

Front 48

T or F
Rip currents transfer water brought in by waves back out to sea.

Back 48

TRUE

Front 49

Name the 4 ways humans fight the dunamic nature of the shoreline:

Back 49

1. Building groins
2. Building seawalls
3. Installing rip rap
4. Moving sand with large equipment

Front 50

Name the 4 reasons why tides are difficult to use for generating electrical energy?

Back 50

1. Their energy is spread out
2. Power plants must be very large
3. Power plants can harm the environment
4. Power plants are at risk in storms and from saltwater corrosion

Front 51

What causes tides?

Back 51

Gravity

Front 52

What causes Spring Tides?

Back 52

When the Sun and moon work together

Front 53

Name 2 characteristics of waves:

Back 53

1. Mostly generated by storm winds
2. Do most of the geologic work on shorelines

Front 54

T or F
Rip currents return water back out to sea.

Back 54

True

Front 55

Why are beaches generally wider in the Summer?

Back 55

Winter storm waves transport sand offshore

Front 56

Over time, what happens to wave action?

Back 56

Over time, wave action tends to straighten irregular shorelines

Front 57

Name 4 results of seal level rises:

Back 57

1. Barrier islands migrate landwards
2. Coastal wetlands flood
3. Beaches disappear
4. Bangladesh floods

Front 58

How are most victims killed in hurricanes?

Back 58

Coastal flooding

Front 59

What type of coast is Washington DC built on?

Back 59

Emergent coast

Front 60

T or F
Spring tides only occur in March, April and May after the Vernal Equinox and before the Summer Solstice.

Back 60

FALSE

Front 61

T or F
Generating electricity from marine processes is very challenging because the ocean's energy is so diffuse.

Back 61

TRUE

Front 62

T or F
Storms move beach sand offshore and form sandbars.

Back 62

TRUE

Front 63

T or F
If the nearshore sediment budget is positive, then longshore drift is NOT occuring.

Back 63

FALSE

Front 64

T or F
Sea cliffs tend to collapse into the sea and retreat landward over time.

Back 64

TRUE

Front 65

T or F
Wind generates most surface waves.

Back 65

TRUE

Front 66

T or F
Tides can cause significant erosion in large lakes like Lake Superior.

Back 66

FALSE

Front 67

T or F
Classification of coastlines into different types is a complex procedure since so many factors are involved.

Back 67

TRUE

Front 68

T or F
Shorelines are primarily modified by marine bilogical activity.

Back 68

FALSE

Front 69

T or F
Maximum wave heights have reached 34 meters in storms built up by strong winds blowing over a long distance.

Back 69

TRUE