Deck 16: The Oceans, Coastal Processes, and Landforms

Question 1

The coast extends inland

A)to the foreshore dune.
B)to the backshore dune.
C)to the trough between the primary and secondary dune.
D)to the highest water line that occurs during a storm.
E)from the high tide level to the first major landform change.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Which of the following is true regarding the chemical content of Earth's oceans?

A)salinity varies all over the world,and the ratio of individual salts to each other changes.
B)salinity varies all over the world,but the ratio of individual salts to each other does not change.
C)salinity does not vary all over the world,and the ratio of individual salts to each other does not change as well.
D)salinity does not vary all over the world,but the ratio of individual salts to each other changes.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

About 2 percent of the oceanic mass comprises the

A)mixing zone of blended solutes and temperatures.
B)deep cold zone that is near freezing.
C)thermocline transition zone.
D)bottom-most layers of each ocean basin that are surprisingly warmer than surface layers.
E)coldest bottom water.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

After water itself,what are the primary elements which occur in sea water?

A)chlorine and sodium
B)potassium and chlorine
C)hydrogen and sodium
D)sodium and magnesium
E)sodium and bromine

Question 5

The coastal environment is considered to extend seaward

A)usually to depths of 60 m,where storm waves can no longer move sediments.
B)only to the contact point between the sea and the land i.e. ,the shoreline.
C)out to as far as you can see the bottom.
D)into the breakers.
E)out as far as an average person can safely swim.

Question 6

The average salinity of sea water may be expressed as

A)25 grams per kilogram.
B)3)5 percent,or 35 parts per thousand.
C)45 percent,or 450 parts per thousand.
D)5 000 parts per million.
E)62 000 parts per thousand.

Question 7

Which of the following is true of tides?

A)they are produced solely by the gravitational pull of the Sun.
B)they are complex weekly oscillations in sea level.
C)they are influenced by the size,height,and topography of the continents.
D)they are influenced by shoreline configuration and latitude.
E)they are consistent from month to month.

Question 8

Brine results from

A)the influx of river water into the ocean.
B)stagnation of water in a floodplain swamp.
C)high evapotranspiration rates.
D)heavy rainfall and low temperatures.
E)water in the Arctic region.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of the ocean deep zone?

A)temperatures remain approximately 4°C within most of this layer.
B)the water in this zone does not freeze because of the intense pressure exerted by the weight of overlying water.
C)The water in this zone freezes in spite of its salinity.
D)moving deeper,the water warms geothermally.
E)salt accumulates in this zone,creating super-saline water.

Question 10

Brackish water would most likely occur

A)in the subtropics.
B)in the Mediterranean region.
C)in a tropical lagoon.
D)in a deltaic swamp.
E)at the equator.

Question 11

Which of the following areas would have briny water?

A)Baltic Sea
B)Husdon Bay
C)Barents Sea
D)Red Sea
E)Weddell Sea

Question 12

Which of the following is correctly matched?

A)rising tides - ebb tides
B)ebb tides - rising tides
C)spring tides - high tides only
D)spring tides - maximum tidal range
E)neap tides - low tides only.

Question 13

Approximately what percentage of the world's population lives near the ocean?

A)one tenth
B)one quarter
C)one half
D)two thirds
E)three quarters.

Question 14

Which of the following is true regarding Earth's oceans?

A)global water level has stabilized.
B)22% of Earth's population lives in coastal areas.
C)5% of the oceans' coastlines are at risk of loss or disruption.
D)coral bleaching is affecting reefs worldwide.

Question 15

The fact that the mixing zone in the ocean constitutes a ________ percentage of the total ocean volume means that wastes dumped into the ocean will be ________ diluted.

A)large quickly
B)large slowly
C)small quickly
D)small slowly

Question 16

A general term for the coastal environment is

A)shoreline.
B)coast.
C)coastline.
D)littoral zone.
E)beach.

Question 17

The littoral zone extends inland to

A)the foreshore dune.
B)the backshore dune.
C)the trough between the primary and secondary dune.
D)the highest water line that occurs during a storm.
E)to the 100 year floodline.

Question 18

Climate change induced sea level rise

A)is exacerbated as a coastal hazard along developed shorelines in communities ranging from Tuktoyaktuk to Halifax.
B)is not being felt in Canadian cities.
C)is not expected to impact people until well into the next century.
D)will result in more sediment deposition than erosion,so will have a net benefit.
E)effects can easily be offset by sound engineering practices.

Question 19

Which of the following is true regarding mean sea level?

A)a consistent value has yet to be determined due to all the variables involved in producing the tides.
B)It is at the same level along the entire North American coast.
C)it is calculated based on average tidal levels recorded hourly at a given site over a period of many years.
D)the sea level along the Gulf Coast is the lowest for the coasts of the lower 48 United States.

Question 20

From inland to the ocean,which sequence of zones is correct?

A)nearshore,backshore,coast
B)beach,surf zone,coast
C)coast,backshore,foreshore,nearshore
D)ocean,beach,cliffs
E)beach,shoreline,littoral zone.

Question 21

Which of the following would lead to an increase in sea level-either locally or globally?

A)growth of ice in Antarctica and Greenland
B)melting of sea ice (pack ice)
C)decrease in size of the midocean ridge
D)coastal subsidence
E)decrease in temperature of ocean water

Question 22

Which of the following is true of worldwide sea level?

A)over the long term,levels have been very constant.
B)changes in sea level are usually unrelated to tectonic processes.
C)changes seem to occur without any relation to global average temperatures.
D)it was about 130 m lower 18 000 B.P. ,and about 10 cm lower 100 years or so ago.
E)it did not exist 100 000 years ago as all the water was ice.488

Question 23

Near the shore,waves of transition begin to "feel bottom" and,as a result,the orbits of the water molecules in the wave become more ________.This process eventually causes ________ to form.

A)circular swells
B)circular breakers
C)elliptical swells
D)elliptical breakers
E)rectangular storm waves

Question 24

Which of the following is true of tides?

A)the Moon's gravitational pull on Earth is smaller than that of the Sun's.
B)inertia produces a bulge on the side of Earth closets to the Moon.
C)Tidal bulges rotate with Earth i.e. ,they move with the landmasses as Earth rotates.
D)The tidal bulge located on the side of Earth opposite that of the Moon results from the fact that it is "left in position" while the water on the side facing the Moon is drawn toward the Moon.
E)most places on Earth experience one high tide and oe low tide each day.

Question 25

Waves in shallow water that "feel bottom" are ________ and more ________ spaced than the swell they are related to.

A)taller closely
B)taller widely
C)smaller closely
D)smaller widely

Question 26

As a wave approaches the shoreline and enters shallower water,energy and water move forward causing the water to rise and cascade down from the wave crest as a breaker.These waves are called

A)waves of translation.
B)swells.
C)waves of transition.
D)tidal waves.
E)bores.

Question 27

A sea stack (i.e. ,an isolated pillar of rock located offshore)is the erosional remnant of a

A)volcanic neck.
B)spit.
C)tombolo.
D)rocky headland.
E)bar

Question 28

Which of the following is true of waves of transition?

A)Their wavelength decreases as they move out of their generating region.
B)The orbits of the individual water particles increase as depth increases.
C)Waves of transition travel forward and are responsible for breakers.
D)Waves of transition do not move as swells.
E)The energy in waves of transition propagates through the water.

Question 29

Wave action works to straighten a coast as wave energy focuses around headlands and tends to disperse energy in coves and bays in a process called

A)longshore current.
B)breakers.
C)wave refraction.
D)tidal bore.
E)cell circulation

Question 30

Sand on a beach moves in a zigzag pattern when waves strike the beach ________,and this movement of material is known as ________.

A)at an angle longshore drift
B)at an angle beach drift
C)head on longshore drift
D)head on beach drift

Question 31

The height of a tsunami grows as it approaches a coastline primarily because

A)its energy level increases.
B)its wavelength shortens.
C)the height of the surf is added to the height of the tsunami.
D)the water is shallower.
E)the water is warmer.

Question 32

Which of the following is true of waves that travel in wave trains?

A)they are produced by storm centers and generating regions far distant from the shore where they may break.
B)they usually form relatively close to the affected coastline.
C)they experience refraction by the deep seafloor.
D)they are called breakers as they travel in the open sea.
E)they are chaotic and disorganized.

Question 33

Which of the following occurs when the Sun,Moon,and Earth are in alignment (i.e. ,in opposition or conjunction)?

A)maximum tidal ranges occur
B)neap tides occur
C)a lower tidal range occurs
D)the tidal range is the same as for other alignments of celestial bodies
E)minimum tidal ranges occur

Question 34

Regular patterns of smooth,rounded waves are called

A)breakers.
B)wave ripples.
C)wave trains.
D)swells.
E)wavelets

Question 35

When the Sun,Earth and Moon are in conjunction,the arrangement of these three celestial bodies forms a ________ and it results in the ________ tidal range.

A)line largest
B)line smallest
C)right angle largest
D)right angle smallest

Question 36

In deep water,a wave is not really migrating but is transferring energy through the water in simple cyclic undulations.These are called

A)waves of translation.
B)swells.
C)waves of transition.
D)tidal waves.
E)wave displacements.

Question 37

Several years ago,a movie (The Poseidon Adventure)was made about a cruise ship that was overturned by a tsunami while at sea.This plot is not valid because

A)tsunamis do not have the energy to overturn a ship of that size.
B)tsunamis do not occur in the open ocean.
C)tsunamis do not form high waves while in the open ocean.

Question 38

When people go swimming along a coast,they often find themselves,after a while,down the coast from where they first entered the water.They moved downshore because of

A)tsunamis.
B)beach drift.
C)longshore currents.
D)tidal currents.
E)the wind

Question 39

An earthquake,submarine landslide,or eruption of an undersea volcano is capable of producing a

A)tsunami.
B)tidal wave.
C)slow-moving giant swell.
D)wave in the open ocean of great height.
E)killer wave

Question 40

Particles of sand,gravels,and shells that move along the shore form the

A)breakers.
B)longshore current.
C)beach drift.
D)translation effects.
E)tidal bore.

Question 41

In order to reestablish eroding beaches,some municipalities deposit sand on the beach using trucks.In the process,known as beach nourishment,the beach front may be steepened relative to its original slope.Based on the relationship between beach slope and wave type,you know that this restoration process will result in the generation of

A)small breakers that will maintain the beach.
B)small breakers that will build the beach up even more in a cycle of positive feedback.
C)plunging breakers that will erode the newly deposited sand.
D)plunging breakers that will maintain the beach.
E)wave reflection and erosion.

Question 42

Human intervention along a coastline intended to interrupt beach drift can include

A)tombolo placement.
B)spit deposition
C)breakwater.
D)barrier island development.
E)longshore sediment movement.

Question 43

In order to preserve their beaches,cities located along a coast will often build groynes that protrude into the sea.What is the result of this process?

A)sediment is deposited on the side of the groyne downcurrent,and this results in deposition in the desired location.
B)more sediment is made available to areas downshore,so they also benefit from this engineering process.
C)less sediment is available to areas downshore,so their beaches begin to erode.
D)more sediment is eroded updrift resulting in too much sediment supplied to the downdrift properties.
E)erosion is halted for the entire reach.

Question 44

Which of the following would be found along a tectonically active shoreline?

A)sea stacks,terraces,and cliffs
B)terraces,barrier islands and spits
C)barrier islands,spits and tombolos
D)cliffs,lagoons,and barrier islands
E)lagoons,barrier islands,and tombolos

Question 45

Which of the following is characteristic of the leading edge of a drifting lithospheric plate?

A)low relief coastal areas
B)barrier islands and spits
C)depositional processes and inundation
D)compression,folding and faulting of high relief coasts
E)beach and sand dune complexes extending far inland

Question 46

Given present global warming trends and predicted climate change for the next century,sea level is estimated to rise

A)between 1.0-1.4 m.
B)in an amount unrelated to the temperature of the ocean.
C)more than 30 m.
D)in a way that will not threaten coastal inhabitants.
E)between 1 and 3 m.

Question 47

The energy of waves striking a headland that protrudes into the sea is ________ than that which strikes the beaches adjacent to it because ________.

A)greater refraction concentrates energy into the headland
B)greater reflection concentrates energy into the headland
C)less refraction concentrates energy into the beach
D)less reflection concentrates energy into the beach
E)less energy is dispersed into the water

Question 48

The diagram below shows a structure protruding into the water.What is the name for this structure and on which side of it will sediment be deposited? beach
-------------------------------------------
Current → → → A ∣___∣ B

A)breakwater A
B)breakwater B
C)groyne A
D)groyne B

Question 49

Generally speaking,"beaches" span the zone

A)between high and low spring tides.
B)from several metres above high tide to several metres below low tide.
C)between high and low neap tides.
D)from the high tide line during a spring tide to the low tide line during a neap tide.
E)of wave activity on the shoreline.

Question 50

Which of the following conditions is conducive to the formation of barrier islands?

A)tectonically active coasts
B)large sediment supply from rivers
C)large tidal range
D)narrow continental shelf
E)high relief coast

Question 51

Which of the following is an example of a depositional coastal landform?

A)terrace
B)sea arch
C)bay barrier
D)wave-cut platform
E)sea stack

Question 52

Which of the following is characteristic of the trailing edge of a drifting lithospheric plate?

A)tectonic activity
B)landslides and multiple marine terraces
C)actively eroding coastlines
D)compression,folding and faulting of high relief coasts
E)beach and sand dune complexes extending far inland

Question 53

The most extensive chain of barrier islands in the world is along

A)the western coast of Australia.
B)the coasts that surround the periphery of the Indian Ocean.
C)the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of North America.
D)the coast of California,Oregon,Washington,and British Columbia.
E)the coast in the southern Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

Question 54

Spits are formed by

A)longshore currents.
B)waves with approach parallel to shore
C)rip currents
D)tectonic uplift
E)cliffbase erosion

Question 55

Sand that extends from a bend in the coast into open water is called a

A)barrier island.
B)lagoon.
C)barrier spit.
D)tombolo.
E)arch

Question 56

In order for a tombolo to form,which of the following processes would have to dominate the local beach environment?

A)refraction
B)strong longshore currents
C)swell action
D)large tidal range
E)diffraction

Question 57

Beaches are

A)places where sediment is stable and unchanging.
B)permanent coastal features.
C)places along the coast where sediment is in motion.
D)always composed of sand.
E)present on all active tectonic coasts.

Question 58

A shore platform is the erosional remnant of a

A)barrier island.
B)spit.
C)tombolo.
D)cliff.
E)longshore bar

Question 59

A terrace is

A)an uplifted sea stack.
B)an uplifted shore platform.
C)an erosional surface created by a massive tsunami.
D)an uplifted foreshore dune.
E)an uplifted barrier island.

Question 60

Which of the following is an example of an erosional coastal landform?

A)sea arch
B)tombolo
C)barrier island
D)spit
E)longshore bar

Question 61

Which of the following areas along a coast is most tolerant of construction?

A)beach
B)primary dune
C)secondary dune
D)back dune
E)bayshore

Question 62

Barrier beaches and islands occur worldwide,lying offshore of nearly ________ of Earth's coastlines.

A)10 percent
B)30 percent
C)50 percent
D)70 percent
E)90 percent

Question 63

The geographic boundary between salt marshes and mangrove swamps is determined by

A)tectonic activity.
B)salinity.
C)the occurrence of freezing conditions.
D)precipitation levels.
E)quantity of insolation.

Question 64

The Pacific Rim can be characterized as

A)a place of embayments.
B)being dominated by estuaries.
C)being dominated by barrier islands.
D)tectonically active and emerging.
E)a trailing edge continental margin.

Question 65

Which of the following is related to coral rock formations?

A)atolls and reefs
B)bay barriers and barrier spits
C)barrier islands
D)tombolos
E)baymouth barrier

Question 66

Referring to coastal wetlands,which of the following is correctly matched?

A)salt marsh - between the equator and the 30th parallel in both hemispheres
B)mangrove swamps - poleward of the 30th parallel in either hemisphere
C)mangrove swamps - high energy shoreline
D)salt marshes - high energy shoreline
E)salt marshes - productive wetland

Question 67

The destruction of a mangrove swamp might lead to

A)the loss of aquatic species and erosion of the coast.
B)the welcome loss of mosquito breeding grounds.
C)sediment impoundment in the bay or estuary where the plants once lived.
D)uplift of the coast.
E)subsidence.

Question 68

Cape Hatteras is an example of

A)a barrier island.
B)the Inner Banks.
C)a type of breakwater.
D)a stable landform that is a good site for construction.
E)a shore platform.

Question 69

Approximately half of the world's population lives in or near a coastal region.

Question 70

Barrier islands make ________ sites for real estate development because ________.

A)good they provide excellent scenery
B)good they are made of rock and are quite stable
C)poor they are unstable and often mobile
D)poor they can be subsiding

Question 71

So-called "sleeper waves" result from

A)earthquakes.
B)volcanic eruptions.
C)submarine landslides.
D)constructive,in-phase interference.
E)hurricanes.

Question 72

The sinuous,branching channels that characterize a salt marsh result from

A)animal paths through the marsh.
B)storm tracks.
C)human made drainage canals.
D)the ebb and flood of tides.
E)fluvial drainage from higher elevations.

Question 73

Coral bleaching refers to

A)the killing of coral formations by chlorine bleach pollution.
B)the replacement of normal,coloured algae by white algae.
C)the loss of algae from the coral.
D)the killing of coral polyps by increased salinity resulting from climate change.
E)the camouflage mechanism that coral adopt to hide from prey.

Question 74

An atoll is approximately ________ in shape because it forms ________.

A)circular around seastacks
B)circular around submerged volcanic islands
C)linear along barrier islands
D)linear along continental shorelines

Question 75

In order for an atoll to form,what had to happen?

A)erosion and submergence
B)deposition and uplift
C)tectonic upwarping
D)folding and faulting
E)submergence and subduction

Question 76

A coral is a type of ________ that secretes ________ to form an organic rock home.

A)polyp calcium carbonate
B)polyp silica
C)algae calcium carbonate
D)algae silica
E)polyp hematite

Question 77

Which of the following is true regarding coral bleaching?

A)80% of coral reefs worldwide had been lost by 2000.
B)scientists have identified the reasons polyps eject their algae.
C)bleaching is related to a fall in sea-surface temperatures of 1-2 C°.
D)decreased salinity levels are causing the polyps to flee their host.
E)possible causes for bleaching include pollution,disease,sedimentation,salinity,and acidity.

Question 78

Cape Cod,Massachusetts,is used in the text as an example of

A)a natural,protected mangrove environment that was saved by planning using a GIS approach.
B)as an example of a coastal system under stress of urban development.
C)a coral atoll.
D)a nature preserve.
E)an area destroyed by human development.

Question 79

Because the algae which live in symbiotic relationship with coral perform ________,corals ________.

A)chemosynthesis must live in water that is penetrated by light
B)chemosynthesis can live at virtually any depth in the sea
C)photosynthesis must live in water that is penetrated by light
D)photosynthesis can live at virtually any depth in the sea
E)photosynthesis must live in water that is dark

Question 80

Coral formations

A)tend to occur poleward of 30° latitude.
B)survive in a broad ecological range because they are tolerant of temperature,salinity,and depth variation.
C)require water that is high in sediment concentration.
D)are made of animals living symbiotically with simple algae.
E)thrive in low salinity water.