Exam 15: Shorelines and Shoreline Processes

A deposit of unconsolidated sediment that extends landward from low tide to a change in topography or to where permanent vegetation begins is a:

If hydraulic action and abrasion undercut headlands, structures known as ____________________ may form. When these join, they form a(n) ____________________, which might later collapse to give rise to a(n) ____________________.

Narrow surface currents that flow in the same general direction as the approaching waves are:

What options do geologists and engineers have in combating the effects of rising sea level?

How would a country, such as Bangladesh, be affected by a 2 meter rise in sea level?

Individual sand grains move along a beach:

By definition, beaches are composed of sand.

Describe how waves are generated.

Describe how a coral atoll forms.

A beach with a small berm, coarser sediment, and offshore sand bars is a:

A beach with a wide berm, a gentle slope, and a smooth offshore profile is a:

Spring tides are tides:

Tides that occur when the Sun and Moon are at right angles to one another and have wave-generating abilities that cancel each other out are ____________________ tides.

The highest part of a wave is known as its ____________________, and the lowest part is its ____________________. The wave ____________________ is the difference between these two points.

During the past century, sea level has risen 12 centimeters.

What is the most important agent for modifying the equilibrium profile of beaches?

Water in waves is displaced from the circular orbits when:

Rip currents are important in the erosion and deposition of sediment along shorelines.

What is the cause of rising sea level?

The transfer of water from depth to the surface is known as ____________________. The transfer of water in the opposite direction is known as ____________________.