Question 1

To what depth of water do waves commonly move sand?

Accepted Answer

A)  about 1 meter 
B)  about 5 meters 
C)  about 10 meters 
D)  about 30 meters 
E)  about 100 meters 
A)  about 1 meter 
B)  about 5 meters 
C)  about 10 meters 
D)  about 30 meters 
E)  about 100 meters

Question 2

What is the main reason that once sandy beaches on the West Coast are now disappearing?

Accepted Answer

A)  Sea level is rising with global warming, so waves are reaching farther onshore. 
B)  More frequent El Niño storms are eroding them. 
C)  More vigorous longshore drift is removing the sand. 
D)  Dams on rivers no longer supply sand and gravel to feed longshore drift. 
E)  People have placed riprap and cliff-protection structures, so less sea cliff material is eroding to make sand. 
A)  Sea level is rising with global warming, so waves are reaching farther onshore. 
B)  More frequent El Niño storms are eroding them. 
C)  More vigorous longshore drift is removing the sand. 
D)  Dams on rivers no longer supply sand and gravel to feed longshore drift. 
E)  People have placed riprap and cliff-protection structures, so less sea cliff material is eroding to make sand.

Question 3

In addition to sand moving along shore,how is beach sand permanently lost to the beach system?

Accepted Answer

Nature gets rid of some of it.Some is bl

Question 4

Why do waves not break in the open ocean?

Accepted Answer

A)  Onshore winds drawn by rising warm air over land pull the tops of the waves to break. 
B)  Water in deep-water waves does not move forward with the wave; it moves in a circular motion. 
C)  Waves speed up in shallow water, so they lurch forward and break. 
D)  Water in deep-water waves moves only up and down; it switches to forward and back in shallow water. 
E)  Waves only break in the deep ocean during tropical storms. 
A)  Onshore winds drawn by rising warm air over land pull the tops of the waves to break. 
B)  Water in deep-water waves does not move forward with the wave; it moves in a circular motion. 
C)  Waves speed up in shallow water, so they lurch forward and break. 
D)  Water in deep-water waves moves only up and down; it switches to forward and back in shallow water. 
E)  Waves only break in the deep ocean during tropical storms.

Question 5

What is the relationship between wave height and energy of the wave?

Accepted Answer

Energy is

Question 6

What happens to wave energy and erosion when riprap or seawalls are installed?

Accepted Answer

A)  Wave height rises against the wall, and erosion concentrates at the base of the wall. 
B)  Waves that strike the riprap are reflected back against the incoming waves to cancel them. 
C)  Waves move up and down against steep surfaces in deep water, so they don't do anything. 
D)  Waves lose their energy against riprap or seawalls, so they permanently protect the coast. 
E)  Waves pulverize the riprap and seawalls, creating sand that helps maintain the beach. 
A)  Wave height rises against the wall, and erosion concentrates at the base of the wall. 
B)  Waves that strike the riprap are reflected back against the incoming waves to cancel them. 
C)  Waves move up and down against steep surfaces in deep water, so they don't do anything. 
D)  Waves lose their energy against riprap or seawalls, so they permanently protect the coast. 
E)  Waves pulverize the riprap and seawalls, creating sand that helps maintain the beach.

Question 7

How can there often be big waves at the coast when there is little or no wind?

Accepted Answer

A)  The storm generating the waves is far offshore. 
B)  There must be a point of land that is sheltering your location from the wind. 
C)  These are small tsunami waves generated by an earthquake. 
D)  A big ship must have gone by. 
E)  A playful elephant jumped into the water across the bay. 
A)  The storm generating the waves is far offshore. 
B)  There must be a point of land that is sheltering your location from the wind. 
C)  These are small tsunami waves generated by an earthquake. 
D)  A big ship must have gone by. 
E)  A playful elephant jumped into the water across the bay.

Question 8

What factors most affect the energy of a wave impacting the shore?

Accepted Answer

A)  incoming wave velocity and water density 
B)  water depth and wave velocity 
C)  wave height and water depth 
D)  wind strength and wave height 
E)  height of the wave and wave length 
A)  incoming wave velocity and water density 
B)  water depth and wave velocity 
C)  wave height and water depth 
D)  wind strength and wave height 
E)  height of the wave and wave length

Question 9

Which of the following evidence does NOT indicate that a barrier island migrated landward?

Accepted Answer

A)  A lighthouse that was built onshore is now well offshore. 
B)  Oyster shells that grew in the sheltered lagoon behind the barrier island are now found on the front beach. 
C)  Stumps of trees that grew along the lagoon are now found on the front beach. 
D)  Barrier island beaches are now more easily eroded than they were one hundred years ago. 
E)  Fine-grained lagoon sediments are layered beneath the sands of the barrier island. 
A)  A lighthouse that was built onshore is now well offshore. 
B)  Oyster shells that grew in the sheltered lagoon behind the barrier island are now found on the front beach. 
C)  Stumps of trees that grew along the lagoon are now found on the front beach. 
D)  Barrier island beaches are now more easily eroded than they were one hundred years ago. 
E)  Fine-grained lagoon sediments are layered beneath the sands of the barrier island.

Question 10

What factors promote a steeper slope on the active underwater part of the beach?

Accepted Answer

A)  deeper water 
B)  shallower water 
C)  larger waves 
D)  finer grains 
E)  higher average winds 
A)  deeper water 
B)  shallower water 
C)  larger waves 
D)  finer grains 
E)  higher average winds

Question 11

What happens to a barrier island as sea level rises?

Accepted Answer

A)  It gradually moves landward, rising with the sea level. 
B)  It completely erodes away. 
C)  It is gradually submerged beneath the sea. 
D)  Its sand is swept farther inland, disappearing in the former lagoon behind the island. 
E)  Companies try to scoop it up for use in road building before it completely submerges. 
A)  It gradually moves landward, rising with the sea level. 
B)  It completely erodes away. 
C)  It is gradually submerged beneath the sea. 
D)  Its sand is swept farther inland, disappearing in the former lagoon behind the island. 
E)  Companies try to scoop it up for use in road building before it completely submerges.

Question 12

What is the motion of a stick (or a water molecule)in a deep-water wave?

Accepted Answer

A)  It moves straight up and down with the water surface. 
B)  It doesn't move. The wave merely moves over anything in deep water. 
C)  It shifts back and forth in a horizontal plane. 
D)  It moves in a circular motion in a vertical plane, with the top of the wave moving in the direction of wave travel. 
E)  It moves in a circular motion in a horizontal plane. 
A)  It moves straight up and down with the water surface. 
B)  It doesn't move. The wave merely moves over anything in deep water. 
C)  It shifts back and forth in a horizontal plane. 
D)  It moves in a circular motion in a vertical plane, with the top of the wave moving in the direction of wave travel. 
E)  It moves in a circular motion in a horizontal plane.

Question 13

Why does removal of logs and rocks from a beach endanger the sea cliffs behind them?

Accepted Answer

A)  Waves can't get over the logs to get to the sea cliffs. 
B)  Waves have to be higher to reach over the logs and rocks to reach the sea cliffs. 
C)  Wave energy is taken up in moving the logs and rocks. 
D)  Logs bouncing up and down on the beach pound the grains together, making them more difficult to erode. 
E)  Logs and rocks break up the direct forward thrust of the waves, making them more erratic. 
A)  Waves can't get over the logs to get to the sea cliffs. 
B)  Waves have to be higher to reach over the logs and rocks to reach the sea cliffs. 
C)  Wave energy is taken up in moving the logs and rocks. 
D)  Logs bouncing up and down on the beach pound the grains together, making them more difficult to erode. 
E)  Logs and rocks break up the direct forward thrust of the waves, making them more erratic.

Question 14

On some beaches,why is gravel at the back part of the beach and sand is near shore?

Accepted Answer

In winter,sand is washed offsh

Question 15

What is NOT among the solutions to reducing beach erosion?

Accepted Answer

A)  Learn to live with actively eroding beaches, not fighting natural processes. 
B)  Move buildings and roads back from the beach after storms. 
C)  Remove old dams on rivers feeding sand to the beach. 
D)  Stabilize sea cliffs, so they don't collapse onto beaches. 
E)  Move cliff-top houses back from the cliffs to let cliffs erode. 
A)  Learn to live with actively eroding beaches, not fighting natural processes. 
B)  Move buildings and roads back from the beach after storms. 
C)  Remove old dams on rivers feeding sand to the beach. 
D)  Stabilize sea cliffs, so they don't collapse onto beaches. 
E)  Move cliff-top houses back from the cliffs to let cliffs erode.

To what depth of water do waves commonly move sand?

What is the main reason that once sandy beaches on the West Coast are now disappearing?

In addition to sand moving along shore,how is beach sand permanently lost to the beach system?

Why do waves not break in the open ocean?

What is the relationship between wave height and energy of the wave?

What happens to wave energy and erosion when riprap or seawalls are installed?

How can there often be big waves at the coast when there is little or no wind?

What factors most affect the energy of a wave impacting the shore?

Which of the following evidence does NOT indicate that a barrier island migrated landward?

What factors promote a steeper slope on the active underwater part of the beach?

What happens to a barrier island as sea level rises?

What is the motion of a stick (or a water molecule)in a deep-water wave?

Why does removal of logs and rocks from a beach endanger the sea cliffs behind them?

On some beaches,why is gravel at the back part of the beach and sand is near shore?

What is NOT among the solutions to reducing beach erosion?

Natural Hazards and Disasters

Plate Tectonics and Physical Hazards

Earthquakes and Their Causes

Earthquake Prediction and Mitigation

Tsunami

Volcanoes: Tectonic Environments and Eruptions

Volcanoes: Hazards and Mitigation

Landslides and Other Downslope Movements

Sinkholes, Land Subsidence, and Swelling Soils

Weather, Thunderstorms, And Tornadoes

Climate Change

Streams And Flood Processes

Floods And Human Interactions

Hurricanes and Nor’easters

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The Future: Where Do We Go From Here?

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Exam 14: Waves,Beaches,And Coastal Erosion

To what depth of water do waves commonly move sand?

What is the main reason that once sandy beaches on the West Coast are now disappearing?

In addition to sand moving along shore,how is beach sand permanently lost to the beach system?

Why do waves not break in the open ocean?

What is the relationship between wave height and energy of the wave?

What happens to wave energy and erosion when riprap or seawalls are installed?

How can there often be big waves at the coast when there is little or no wind?

What factors most affect the energy of a wave impacting the shore?

Which of the following evidence does NOT indicate that a barrier island migrated landward?

What factors promote a steeper slope on the active underwater part of the beach?

What happens to a barrier island as sea level rises?

What is the motion of a stick (or a water molecule)in a deep-water wave?

Why does removal of logs and rocks from a beach endanger the sea cliffs behind them?

On some beaches,why is gravel at the back part of the beach and sand is near shore?

What is NOT among the solutions to reducing beach erosion?

Natural Hazards and Disasters

Plate Tectonics and Physical Hazards

Earthquakes and Their Causes

Earthquake Prediction and Mitigation

Tsunami

Volcanoes: Tectonic Environments and Eruptions

Volcanoes: Hazards and Mitigation

Landslides and Other Downslope Movements

Sinkholes, Land Subsidence, and Swelling Soils

Weather, Thunderstorms, And Tornadoes

Climate Change

Streams And Flood Processes

Floods And Human Interactions

Hurricanes and Nor’easters

Wildfires

Impact of Asteroids and Comets

The Future: Where Do We Go From Here?

Filters