Exam 12: Coasts

An erosional coast that has little tidal variation:

A coastline is covered with sea caves. What kind of beach is this likely to be?

What type of estuary has little vertical mixing?

How do sediments move along a beach?

What are some of the functions of an estuary? Can you hypothesize why it is important to save for animals? What about for humans?

Coasts refer to an entire area that is affected by biological processes in addition to tectonic activity.

Where is the seaward limit of a beach?

Most tropical beaches undergo seasonal transformations.

Despite their instability, over 70 barrier islands off the United States have been commercially developed.

Describe the three types of reefs that are formed. Can you hypothesize why they are important?

Seawalls increase the amount of erosion along the shore because they deflect wave energy.

How much of the United States coastline is considered to be depositional?

Fringing reefs are separated from land by a lagoon.

Coastal cells in southern California are smaller due to the location on an active, leading edge of a continent.

What is a fjord?

Coastlines have not come into equilibrium with modern sea levels.

Salt wedge estuaries form their circulation pattern due to the rapid river outflow mixing with ocean water.

The resistance of some rocks to erosion is the reason sea cliffs, stacks, and arches are so uneven in their characteristics.

What is not true of the backshore?

Deltas are present at every river mouth that brings sediment to a broad continental shelf.