Question 1

When prevailing winds blow from onshore to offshore,what generally happens?

Accepted Answer

A) The winds cause offshore surface water to flow away from shore,forcing deeper water to rise to the surface. 
B) The dry conditions from the land evaporate surface waters,making them more dense due to salinity increase,and they sink. 
C) The wind drives a longshore current,which draws cold air from higher latitudes,producing a cold climate. 
D) The wind drives the water away from shore,forcing the water to descend in a downwelling zone. 
A) The winds cause offshore surface water to flow away from shore,forcing deeper water to rise to the surface. 
B) The dry conditions from the land evaporate surface waters,making them more dense due to salinity increase,and they sink. 
C) The wind drives a longshore current,which draws cold air from higher latitudes,producing a cold climate. 
D) The wind drives the water away from shore,forcing the water to descend in a downwelling zone.

Question 2

What term denotes a sand bar built across the former mouth of an estuary,separating it from the open sea?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What term denotes a sand bar built...

Question 3

Sand transport parallel to the shoreline is common on beaches and is called longshore transport.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Why would sand be deposited behind a small island to form a spit or tombolo?

Accepted Answer

A) The tidal affects are trivial behind the island,so the sand is not swept away. 
B) The island protects the coast from rip currents,preserving the sand. 
C) Waves refract around the island and the wave energy is dissipated on the island,allowing quiescent water behind,and sand drift to accumulate behind the island. 
D) The onshore current from one direction piles up sand here. 
A) The tidal affects are trivial behind the island,so the sand is not swept away. 
B) The island protects the coast from rip currents,preserving the sand. 
C) Waves refract around the island and the wave energy is dissipated on the island,allowing quiescent water behind,and sand drift to accumulate behind the island. 
D) The onshore current from one direction piles up sand here.

Question 5

Upwelling zones are frequently dead zones because high nutrients produce biologic activity leading to anoxic water conditions.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

You are standing above a 20 m high sea cliff with a large beach below you.All around you is a flat surface with thin soil on a rocky base.In the distance you see another flat bench but it is about 30 m higher than you are.Where are you?

Accepted Answer

A) on an uplifted wave-cut terrace along an emergent coastline 
B) on a subsiding coastline where a recent earthquake happened to uplift the seabed 
C) on a dune field behind an active shoreline 
D) You must be on the moon; there is nothing like that on Earth. 
A) on an uplifted wave-cut terrace along an emergent coastline 
B) on a subsiding coastline where a recent earthquake happened to uplift the seabed 
C) on a dune field behind an active shoreline 
D) You must be on the moon; there is nothing like that on Earth.

Question 7

Which of the following is a tidal current?

Accepted Answer

A) spring tide 
B) flood tide 
C) ebb tide 
D) both flood and ebb tide 
A) spring tide 
B) flood tide 
C) ebb tide 
D) both flood and ebb tide

Question 8

The shoreline and the coastline are defined as the same thing.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

As a deep-water wave enters shallow water,the wave slows down and rotates toward being parallel with the shoreline.This process is known as ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of As a deep-water wave enters shallow water,the...

Question 10

A sandbar that completely crosses a bay,sealing it off from the open ocean,is a ________.

Accepted Answer

A) sea stack 
B) tombolo 
C) coastal barrier 
D) none of these 
A) sea stack 
B) tombolo 
C) coastal barrier 
D) none of these

Question 11

Construction of a breakwater produces the same effect as what kind of natural coastal structure?

Accepted Answer

A) a sea cliff producing erosion at the base of the sea cliff (i.e.breakwater) 
B) an island offshore breaking waves and trapping sand behind to form a tombolo 
C) a barrier island,which forms an artificial beach at the front of the breakwater 
D) a spit,formed by sand moving by longshore drift accumulating along the opening of a tidal channel 
A) a sea cliff producing erosion at the base of the sea cliff (i.e.breakwater) 
B) an island offshore breaking waves and trapping sand behind to form a tombolo 
C) a barrier island,which forms an artificial beach at the front of the breakwater 
D) a spit,formed by sand moving by longshore drift accumulating along the opening of a tidal channel

Question 12

Which one of the following is a landform created by wave erosion?

Accepted Answer

A) spit 
B) estuary 
C) tombolo 
D) sea arch 
A) spit 
B) estuary 
C) tombolo 
D) sea arch

Question 13

Shorelines are temporary geologic and topographic features.Explain this statement.

Accepted Answer

Shorelines are temporary geologic and to

Question 14

Which of the following is correct regarding a wave in the open ocean?

Accepted Answer

A) Water particles move in an almost circular path. 
B) Such waves are called waves of oscillation. 
C) Waves do not exist in the open ocean - only near the coast. 
D) None of these 
A) Water particles move in an almost circular path. 
B) Such waves are called waves of oscillation. 
C) Waves do not exist in the open ocean - only near the coast. 
D) None of these

Question 15

You are interested in buying a piece of land overlooking the sea.You find a place atop a 50m high sea cliff.The lot is only about 30m wide but is 200m long parallel to the coast,so you think you are getting a large expanse of the coastline.What would be the most important thing to look for in considering this purchase?

Accepted Answer

A) the view 
B) quality of the beach 
C) the stability of the sea cliff,rock type,etc. 
D) accessibility of the beach 
A) the view 
B) quality of the beach 
C) the stability of the sea cliff,rock type,etc. 
D) accessibility of the beach

Question 16

A ridge of sand projecting into a bay and often having a hooked end is a ________.

Accepted Answer

A) spit 
B) jetty 
C) groin 
D) sea stack 
A) spit 
B) jetty 
C) groin 
D) sea stack

Question 17

The energy that drives surface ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream comes from ________.

Accepted Answer

A) salinity variations 
B) Coriolis effect 
C) prevailing winds 
D) density differences 
A) salinity variations 
B) Coriolis effect 
C) prevailing winds 
D) density differences

Question 18

The low-lying zones that are alternately covered by water during flood tide and exposed following ebb tide are called ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The low-lying zones that are alternately covered...

Question 19

When sea ice forms in high latitudes,the sea ice has ________.

Accepted Answer

A) lower salinity than the ocean waters it forms from 
B) higher salinity than the ocean waters it forms from 
C) the same salinity as the ocean waters it forms from 
D) It depends on the temperature.If conditions are far below freezing,the salinity is the same as the adjacent seawater; if it is close to freezing,the ice is essentially fresh water 
A) lower salinity than the ocean waters it forms from 
B) higher salinity than the ocean waters it forms from 
C) the same salinity as the ocean waters it forms from 
D) It depends on the temperature.If conditions are far below freezing,the salinity is the same as the adjacent seawater; if it is close to freezing,the ice is essentially fresh water

Question 20

Fetch is ________.

Accepted Answer

A) a method of shoreline erosion control 
B) the distance between the trough of a wave and the still water level 
C) the circular pattern made by water particles when a wave passes 
D) none of these 
A) a method of shoreline erosion control 
B) the distance between the trough of a wave and the still water level 
C) the circular pattern made by water particles when a wave passes 
D) none of these

Exam 15: The Dynamic Ocean

When prevailing winds blow from onshore to offshore,what generally happens?

What term denotes a sand bar built across the former mouth of an estuary,separating it from the open sea?

Sand transport parallel to the shoreline is common on beaches and is called longshore transport.

Why would sand be deposited behind a small island to form a spit or tombolo?

Upwelling zones are frequently dead zones because high nutrients produce biologic activity leading to anoxic water conditions.

You are standing above a 20 m high sea cliff with a large beach below you.All around you is a flat surface with thin soil on a rocky base.In the distance you see another flat bench but it is about 30 m higher than you are.Where are you?

Which of the following is a tidal current?

The shoreline and the coastline are defined as the same thing.

As a deep-water wave enters shallow water,the wave slows down and rotates toward being parallel with the shoreline.This process is known as ________.

A sandbar that completely crosses a bay,sealing it off from the open ocean,is a ________.

Construction of a breakwater produces the same effect as what kind of natural coastal structure?

Which one of the following is a landform created by wave erosion?

Shorelines are temporary geologic and topographic features.Explain this statement.

Which of the following is correct regarding a wave in the open ocean?

A ridge of sand projecting into a bay and often having a hooked end is a ________.

The energy that drives surface ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream comes from ________.

The low-lying zones that are alternately covered by water during flood tide and exposed following ebb tide are called ________.

When sea ice forms in high latitudes,the sea ice has ________.

Fetch is ________.

Introduction to Earth Science

Matter and Minerals

Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth

Weathering, soil, and Mass Wasting

Running Water and Groundwater

Glaciers, deserts, and Wind

Plate Tectonics: a Scientific Revolution Unfolds

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity

Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building

Geologic Time

Earths Evolution Through Geologic Time

The Ocean Floor

Ocean Water and Ocean Life

The Atmosphere: Composition,structure,and Temperature

Moisture, clouds, and Precipitation

Air Pressure and Wind

Weather Patterns and Severe Weather

World Climates and Global Climate Change

Origin of Modern Astronomy

Touring Our Solar System

Light,astronomical Observations,and the Sun

Beyond Our Solar System

Filters