Exam 16: Oceans and Coastlines

If waves strike shore at an angle, they __________ and create a/an __________ current that flows parallel to the beach.

Upwelling carries:

A sheltered body of water between the shore and a barrier island is a/an __________.

Once a wave breaks, its water flows toward the beach as a chaotic, turbulent mass called __________.

A/an __________ is any strip of shoreline washed by waves and tides.

The wave height is the:

The backshore is the:

A sand bar forming an island parallel to the shore is called a/an __________.

A neap tide is a:

The deflection of currents caused by the Earth's rotation is called the __________ __________.

Circular paths of ocean currents are called __________.

__________ are continuous flows of water in a particular direction.

High and low tides occur at the same time every day.

Longshore currents cannot carry sand and sediment for long distances.

Circular paths of ocean currents are called __________.

The Sea of Cortez lies in a subtropical region between the Baja Peninsula and the west coast of Mexico. Most of the surrounding land is desert, and the one large river, the Colorado, empties only a small amount of water into the sea. In contrast, the Strait of Georgia lies off the temperate coast of British Columbia and is fed by melting glaciers and many streams. Which of the following comparisons of the salinities of these regions is correct?

The __________ is the highest part of a wave.

Sea level has risen and fallen repeatedly in the geologic past, and coastlines have emerged and submerged throughout the history of the planet.

If a coastline is flooded or sea level rises a/an __________ coastline is created.

The salinity of the oceans has been relatively constant throughout geologic time because salt is removed at the same rate at which it has been added.