Deck 14: Glaciers, shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Question 1

Which feature on this diagram is a hanging valley?

A)1,the circular depression at the head of the valley
B)2,a lake in the upper valley
C)3,a steep ridge
D)4,a valley that is above the level of the main valley

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What happens when a glacier encounters the sea or a lake?

A)the ice is more dense than water and so scrapes along the bottom
B)white icebergs float but blue icebergs sink to the bottom
C)large blocks of ice collapse off the front of the glacier and become icebergs
D)rocks released from melted icebergs float on the water surface
E)all of these

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What carved this U-shaped valley?

A)a rapidly downcutting river
B)a slowly downcutting river
C)wind
D)glacier

Answer 3

D

Question 4

What type of glacier is shown in the center of this image?

A)ribbon glacier
B)valley glacier
C)low-elevation glacier
D)high-elevation glacier

Question 5

What name best describes the area of the lake in this photograph?

A)terminal moraine
B)equilibrium line
C)hanging valley
D)lateral moraine
E)drumlin

Question 6

What happens on either side of the equilibrium line in a glacier?

A)sublimation occurs only above the line and melting occurs only below the line
B)melting occurs only above the line and sublimation occurs only below the line
C)above the equilibrium line,the amount of accumulation exceeds the amount lost by various processes
D)air temperatures are below freezing below the line and above freezing above the line

Question 7

What do these teardrop-shaped hills (drumlins)record?

A)ancient lake levels
B)piles of sediment recording past positions of the end of the glacier
C)erosion and sculpting of soft materials by a moving glacier
D)melting of large blocks of rock in the ice

Question 8

What is this bowl-shaped,glacially carved feature?

A)hanging valley
B)arête
C)cirque
D)continental ice sheet

Question 9

What is the origin of smooth troughs (T on this figure)cutting across the landscape in the Great Lakes area?

A)the areas were covered by soft marine sediments
B)a huge flood coming from Iowa flowed toward the Great Lakes
C)glaciers carved the smooth troughs
D)all of these

Question 10

What are these sharp,glacially carved ridges?

A)cirque
B)arête
C)hogback
D)razorback
E)flatiron

Question 11

What type of glacier is shown on the gently sloping land near the coastline?

A)tropical coast glacier
B)shoreline glacier
C)piedmont glacier
D)continental ice sheet

Question 12

Which feature on this diagram is a cirque?

A)1,the circular depression at the head of the valley
B)2,a lake in the upper valley
C)3,a steep ridge
D)4,a valley that is above the level of the main valley

Question 13

What happens to snowflakes as they become progressively buried within glaciers?

A)they become less dense because of large amounts of trapped air
B)they begin to melt as they are insulated from the cold air
C)they become interlocking crystals of ice
D)they can become brighter white because of trapped air
E)all of these

Question 14

What is the origin of curved ridges (R on this figure)in the Great Lakes area?

A)folds produced during a continental collision
B)paths of ancient rivers
C)piles of sediment deposited by retreating glaciers
D)remnants of a meteoroid impact

Question 15

Which feature on this diagram is an arête?

A)1,the circular depression at the head of the valley
B)2,a lake in the upper valley
C)3,a steep ridge
D)4,a valley that is above the level of the main valley

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a way glaciers move downhill?

A)the glacier can slide over bedrock
B)a glacier can move by internal shear and flow
C)the upper parts of glaciers can fracture
D)the lower part of a glacier flows faster than the upper part

Question 17

What feature will be formed by the sediment carried along the sides of this glacier?

A)cirque
B)tarn
C)arête
D)lateral moraine
E)none of these

Question 18

What is one reason why the East Coast has so many bays and islands?

A)the land has been uplifted by recent faulting
B)the land has been downdropped by recent faulting
C)water released from melting glaciers raised sea level
D)a large tsunami from a meteoroid impact scoured the coastline

Question 19

Which feature on this diagram is a tarn?

A)1,the circular depression at the head of the valley
B)2,a lake in the upper valley
C)3,a steep ridge
D)4,a valley that is above the level of the main valley

Question 20

What is the origin of smooth troughs cutting across the landscape in the Great Lakes area?

A)the areas were covered by soft marine sediments
B)a huge flood coming from Iowa flowed toward the Great Lakes
C)glaciers carved the smooth troughs
D)all of these

Question 21

Which of the numbered features is a lateral moraine

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)1 and 3

Question 22

What is the feature numbered 2 on this photograph?

A)medial moraine
B)terminal moraine
C)recessional moraine
D)esker
E)kettle

Question 23

What is the feature numbered 3 in the center of this figure?

A)cirque
B)U-shaped valley
C)lateral moraine
D)terminal moraine

Question 24

How is a terminal or recessional moraine from a continental ice sheet typically expressed in the landscape?

A)as teardrop-shaped hills
B)as a series of small depressions,many of which are lakes
C)as a series of jagged ridges in the mountains
D)as a series of gently curved ridges
E)as hills that are smooth on one side and rough on the other side

Question 25

What are some features that were or are associated with the emptying of lakes formed during glacial times?

A)the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah
B)the Channeled Scablands
C)enormous potholes carved into bedrock
D)enormous ripples hundreds of feet high
E)all of these

Question 26

How are silt deposits called loess related to glaciers?

A)they accumulate in lakes trapped behind glaciers
B)they form in lakes as the lakes dried up at the end of the ice ages
C)they were deposited by large glacially caused floods in the Pacific Northwest
D)they are wind-blown accumulations and commonly are derived from glaciers

Question 27

Which of the features labeled on this figure is a terminal or recessional moraine?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Question 28

What is the feature numbered 2 in the upper left part of this figure?

A)cirque
B)U-shaped valley
C)lateral moraine
D)terminal moraine

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a type of evidence left behind by glaciers?

A)scratched and polished bedrock
B)scattered stones (dropstones)in fine-grained sediment
C)changes in the isotopic compositions of marine shells
D)V-shaped valleys
E)all of these are evidence left behind by glaciers

Question 30

Which of the features labeled on this figure is an esker?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Question 31

What is permafrost?

A)curly crystals of frost that form early in the morning
B)ice and snow that exist throughout the entire year
C)ice and snow that are permanently in motion
D)the upper part of the ground that remains frozen throughout the year

Question 32

Which of the features labeled on this figure is a drumlin?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Question 33

Which numbered feature(s)on this photograph are consistent with the presence of glaciers sometime in the past?

A)1,an arête
B)2,U-shaped valley
C)3,tarn
D)all of these

Question 34

What is the feature numbered 1 in the upper part of this figure?

A)cirque
B)U-shaped valley
C)lateral moraine
D)terminal moraine

Question 35

Which of the features labeled on this figure is a kettle?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Question 36

The margins of glaciers are usually darker than the interior primarily because:

A)shearing causes the ice to expel air and become darker
B)glaciers are transparent so the underlying bedrock is visible
C)the sides are moving faster than the interior of the glacier
D)the sides have a higher concentration of rocks and other debris
E)all of these

Question 37

What do these curved ridges (eskers)record?

A)ancient shorelines
B)meltwater channels below or within a glacier
C)soft glacial sediment shaped by the moving glacier
D)glacially derived,wind-blown dust

Question 38

What happens to different isotopes of oxygen in this figure?

A)evaporation concentrates lighter isotopes in the resulting water vapor
B)precipitation forms ice that is enriched in heavier isotopes relative to seawater
C)melting of ice preferentially releases heavier isotopes back into the ocean
D)all of these

Question 39

What does a terminal moraine represent?

A)the end of a polished and scratched segment of bedrock
B)the sharp ends of a jagged ridge formed by glaciers
C)the end of an ice sheet that is floating in the sea
D)a pile of sediment deposited at the end of the glacier
E)the final time that two glaciers come together

Question 40

What is the feature numbered 4 in the lower right of this figure?

A)cirque
B)U-shaped valley
C)lateral moraine
D)terminal moraine

Question 41

With the Sun and Moon in this position,what does the side of the earth facing the moon experience?

A)a normal high tide
B)a normal low tide
C)a spring tide
D)a neap tide

Question 42

The present-day tilt of earth's axis of rotation is 23.5º.What would be the result of more tilt,as shown here?

A)high latitudes would receive less direct sunlight during the summer,causing cooler temperatures
B)a decrease in glaciers
C)a decrease in the effects of the seasons
D)all of these

Question 43

Which of the following is true about how shorelines are affected from the land side?

A)many beach areas are backed by coastal dunes formed by the wind
B)rivers are not important contributors of sediment into the shoreline system
C)fine sediment in rivers is deposited close to shore and coarser sediment is carried farther away from shore
D)all of these

Question 44

Which of the following is true about how shorelines are affected from the water side?

A)most waves are generated by earthquakes and become larger upon approaching the shore
B)most erosion along shorelines occurs from offshore currents
C)waves can erode,deposit,or simply transport sediment
D)tides increase and decrease the size of waves but leave sea level unchanged
E)none of these

Question 45

The present-day tilt of earth's axis of rotation is 23.5º.What would be the result of less tilt,as shown here?

A)high latitudes would receive less direct sunlight during the summer,causing cooler temperatures
B)a decrease in glaciers
C)more hours of sunlight on the equator,resulting in warmer global temperatures
D)all of these

Question 46

What are some possible influences of ocean currents on glaciation?

A)Cold currents can cool the land allowing glaciers to form if there is sufficient precipitation.
B)Cold currents can inhibit the growth of glaciers because they put less moisture into the atmosphere.
C)Warm currents can warm parts of continents,inhibiting glaciation.
D)Warm currents bring warm moist air that can increase precipitation and snowfall if the temperature is cold enough.
E)All of these.

Question 47

With the Sun and Moon in this position,what does the side of the earth facing the moon experience?

A)a normal high tide
B)a normal low tide
C)a spring tide
D)a neap tide

Question 48

With the Moon in this position,which area will experience low tide?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)1 and 3
E)2 and 4

Question 49

The orientation of a coastline affects the appearance of a shoreline primarily because it influences:

A)the direction of prevailing winds
B)which way river sediment enters the shoreline system
C)the erosive effects of waves
D)how much sun it receives

Question 50

Factors that do NOT affect the appearance of a shoreline from the water side include:

A)strength of waves and tides
B)size and intensity of storms
C)orientation of the coastline
D)slope of the seafloor
E)all of these affect the appearance

Question 51

With the Sun and Moon in this position,what does the side of the earth facing the moon experience?

A)a normal high tide
B)a normal low tide
C)a spring tide
D)a neap tide

Question 52

The present-day tilt of earth's axis of rotation is 23.5º degrees.What would be the result of more tilt,as shown here?

A)high latitudes would receive more direct sunlight,causing warmer summer
B)a decrease in glacial activity
C)an increase in the effects of the seasons
D)all of these

Question 53

Factors that affect the appearance of a shoreline include:

A)the hardness of bedrock along the coast
B)climate and vegetation
C)whether sea level has risen or fallen relative to the coast
D)all of these

Question 54

Which site will most likely experience rapid erosion?

A)1,cliffs composed of hard rocks
B)2,sediments in a delta
C)3,the seafloor deep beneath the waves
D)4,the coastline of a bay
E)5,the coastline in a branching embayment

Question 55

With the Moon in this position,which area will experience high tide?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)1 and 3
E)2 and 4

Question 56

The amount of solar heating can increase from:

A)a decrease in sunspot activity and energy output from the Sun
B)a decrease in snow and ice cover on Earth's surface
C)a decrease in the amount of greenhouse gases
D)a huge volcanic eruption that adds ash and dust to the atmosphere

Question 57

How could changes in Earth's tilt influence global climate?

A)A high angle of tilt causes snow and ice to fall off the planet.
B)A minimum angle of tilt causes high latitudes to receive less sunlight during the summer,causing an increase in glaciers.
C)A maximum angle of tilt causes Earth to reflect more sunlight into space,causing an increase in glaciers.
D)A high angle of tilt causes the continents to move away from the poles leading to more glaciers.

Question 58

How can climate influence the processes along coastal landscapes

A)it controls the amount of precipitation,which affects the amount of erosion
B)it affects the size and intensity of storms
C)wet climates result in more vegetation which may stabilize the soil
D)melting glaciers cause sea level to rise
E)all of these

Question 59

What do the curved ridges shown on this diagram record?

A)ancient shoreline from the Great Lakes
B)folds formed by a continental collision
C)large fissures that formed within glacier and filled with wind-blown dust
D)past positions of the front of a glacier as it retreated

Question 60

When will an area experience high tide?

A)in the early afternoon when water temperatures are highest
B)when there is a quarter moon in the sky
C)when the moon is directly overhead or on the opposite side of Earth
D)during a period of intense sunspot activity

Question 61

How did the sea cave in this feature form?

A)erosion of a promontory by waves
B)erosion by blowing beach sand
C)removal of rocks by giant lobsters
D)a rapid drop in sea level

Question 62

What does this wave-cut platform indicate?

A)a rise of sea level relative to the land
B)a lowering of sea level relative to the land
C)movement of a large thrust fault
D)scouring of the land surface by a tsunami

Question 63

Which of the following shoreline features is generally composed of bedrock?

A)barrier island
B)offshore bar
C)spit
D)wave-cut platform
E)none of these

Question 64

Which of the following can influence whether a shoreline gains or losses sand with time?

A)the amount of precipitation on land
B)the amount of sediment in rivers
C)a longshore current
D)prevailing wind direction
E)all of these

Question 65

How do waves propagate across the water?

A)the wave moves forward but water moves in a circular motion
B)water near the surface moves less than water at depth
C)water within the wave travels as far as the wave does
D)all of these

Question 66

Which of the following parts of a shoreline is more likely to experience intense erosion?

A)a straight part of the shoreline
B)a gently curved part of the shoreline
C)areas within a bay
D)the seaward end of a promontory

Question 67

Which way is the current moving along this coastline?

A)out to sea
B)in toward the coast
C)from right to left
D)from left to right

Question 68

What is the depth of wave base?

A)the depth to which wave action extends
B)a depth equal to three times the wavelength of waves
C)the process by which waves move material along the bottom in very deep water
D)the inside of a tubular breaking wave that is perfect for surfing
E)none of these

Question 69

Which of the following is true about how waves form and break upon the shore?

A)most waves form from upwelling of deep waters
B)waves get smaller as wind speed increases
C)waves begin to change when they reach water shallower than wave base
D)waves break in a counterclockwise direction because of rotation of the Earth
E)none of these

Question 70

If waves approach the shore at an angle they:

A)die out before they reach the shore
B)begin to break in water depths deeper than the wave base
C)bend so they approach the shore more directly
D)do none of these because waves do not approach the shore at an angle

Question 71

There are two high tides and two low tides in each 25-hour period because:

A)Earth orbits around the Sun in a little over 24 hours
B)the Moon orbits Earth in 25 hours
C)Earth completes a full rotation every 24 hours but the Moon moves too
D)heating and cooling of the seas twice each day

Question 72

Which dashed line in this figure would be the wave base?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)1 and 2
E)2 and 3

Question 73

How deep would the affects of this wave likely reach?

A)only on the surface
B)1
C)2
D)3
E)much deeper than 3

Question 74

Sand and other sediment:

A)can move laterally along the coast if waves approach the beach at an angle
B)only move up and down the slope of the beach
C)can slump downward if the sea bottom has too gentle a slope
D)are moved by the wind if the material is coarser than sand
E)all of these

Question 75

What features are shown in this photograph?

A)coral reefs
B)karst topography
C)pinnacles and sea stacks
D)sea caves
E)none of these

Question 76

What causes high and low tides?

A)the tendency for water on a spinning globe to be thrown outward
B)daily heating and cooling of the seas,which causes seawater to contract and expand
C)a rise in sea level during the day because of an increase in storms
D)water is pulled by the gravity of the Moon
E)all of these

Question 77

Which of the following is NOT a possible source of large stones along a shoreline?

A)waves swirl away loose pieces of bedrock
B)undercutting by waves causes steep rock faces to collapse into the sea
C)some rivers can deposit large cobbles near the shoreline
D)large storms erode the deep seafloor and transport the rocks toward the beach

Question 78

In what direction does a spit typically grow with time?

A)toward a promontory
B)in the same direction as a longshore current
C)in the direction from which waves are approaching the coast
D)toward a wave-cut platform
E)none of these

Question 79

What is the typical setting of a sea cave or sea stack?

A)within a protected bay
B)on a barrier island
C)on a sandbar
D)on a baymouth bar
E)on a promontory

Question 80

High tides are higher than average and low tides are lower than average when:

A)the Moon and the Sun are aligned relative to the Earth
B)it is a full moon
C)it is a new moon
D)all of these