Environmental Geology - Chapter 9

36. Which part of a hurricane consists of dry, descending air? A) Eye B) Spiral bands C) Eye wall D) There are no dry conditions in a hurricane.

A) Eye

32. Hurricanes and strong winds can produce tsunamis. T/F

False

42. Should you ever find yourself being swept out to sea in a rip current, it is important to immediately try to swim directly back to shore. T/F

False

5. Although many elements are dissolved in seawater; no gases are dissolved in it. T/F

False

6. As the evaporation rate increases, salinity decreases. T/F

False

7. Brine water tends to occur near coastal deltas. T/F

False

Seawater is not a solution. T/F

False

33. Tropical cyclones are called __________in North America, __________ in China, and ________________ in Australia.

Hurricanes (North America) Typhoons (China) Cyclones (Australia)

1. The largest ocean in the world in terms of area is the _______________ ocean and the smallest ocean in terms of area is the ______________ ocean.

Pacific and Arctic

19. The Moon's gravitational pull on the Earth is greater than that of the Sun's. T/F

True

34. Tropical cyclones originate entirely within tropical air masses. T/F

True

41. Mass wasting hazards are less likely to occur along trailing edge (passive) shoreline than along leading edge (tectonically active) since the slopes are typically much more gentle. T/F

True

21. Which of the following are key characteristics of ocean waves? A) energy travels horizontally and water molecules move in a circular manner B) energy travels in a circular manner and water molecules travel horizontally C) waves only involve the transmission of energy D) both water molecules and energy travel horizontally

A) energy travels horizontally and water molecules move in a circular manner

37. Seawalls are commonly used to stop shoreline retreat. Which of the following is a negative consequence of building a seawall? A) loss of the beach at high tide B) are costly and must be periodically rebuilt C) creates a beach composed of very coarse particles D) unwanted deposition on the down-drift side

A) loss of the beach at high tide

18. 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) none of the above are true

A) maximum tidal ranges occur

10. About 2% of the oceanic mass comprise A) the 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 surprisingly warmer than surface layers

A) the mixing zone of blended solutes and temperatures

17. Which of the following is not true of tides? A) they are produced solely by the gravitational pull of the Sun B) they are complex daily oscillations in sea level C) they are influenced by the size, depth, and topography of ocean basins D) they are influenced by shoreline configuration and latitude.

A) they are produced solely by the gravitational pull of the Sun

30. What best describes why irregular shorelines evolve and become straighter over time? A) waves erode headlands and deposit sediment in coves and bays B) continuous sea level rise C) plate tectonics causes uplift of the land, producing a more uniform coastline D) waves smooth out differences in the width of the beach

A) waves erode headlands and deposit sediment in coves and bays

22. What is meant by wave base? A) Water depth where waves are first generated B) Water depth affected by a wave C) Average height of waves D) Average height of sea level

B) Water depth affected by a wave

29. Why are longshore currents important in environmental geology? A) pose a hazard to boats and swimmers B) cause the beach itself to migrate over time C) transport heat energy from the tropics to the polar regions D) transport nutrients that are important to fisheries

B) cause the beach itself to migrate over time

39. Breakwaters are commonly used in coastal engineering. What is the basic purpose of installing a breakwater? A) keep sediment from filling a navigational channel B) create a quiet area to moor boats and reduce erosion C) increase the amount of sediment moving through the surf zone D) cause sediment to be deposited on the up-drift side

B) create a quiet area to moor boats and reduce erosion

31. Hurricanes cause a regional rise in sea level (dome of water) that can result in a very dangerous phenomenon known as storm surge. What best explains the cause for this rise in sea level? A) shallow water near the shoreline B) high winds and lower air pressure within the storm C) heavy rains within the storm D) convergence of high winds and longshore currents

B) high winds and lower air pressure within the storm

12. Which of the following best describes leading edge shorelines? A) gentle slopes, straight coastline, broad beaches B) steep slopes, irregular coastline, restricted beaches C) gentle slopes, irregular coastline, broad beaches D) steep slopes, straight coastline, restricted beaches

B) steep slopes, irregular coastline, restricted beaches

4. Worldwide average salinity is _______ A) 1.5% B) 3.5% C) 5.5% D) 7.5%

B. 3.5%

3. The concentration of dissolved solids in the seawater is called_________ A) Density B) Salinity C) Discharge D) Sediment

B. Salinity

23. What is wave base a measure of? A) Wave length B) Wave height C) Wave energy D) Wave speed

C) Wave energy

15. 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

C) coast, backshore, foreshore, nearshore

24. The size of the contact area between the wind and water is called ______ A) anemometer B) front C) fetch D) storm surge

C) fetch

38. Beach nourishment is a common technique for minimizing shoreline retreat. Which of the following is a negative consequence of beach nourishment? A) unwanted deposition on the down-drift side B) unwanted deposition on the up-drift side C) is costly and must be done periodically D) loss of the beach at high tide

C) is costly and must be done periodically

16. Which of the following is incorrectly matched? A) rising tides- flood tides B) ebb tides-falling tides C) spring tides-high tides only D) spring tides-maximum tidal range

C) spring tides-high tides only

26. What best explains how surf forms along a shoreline? A) waves beginning to interact with rip currents B) waves beginning to encounter offshore winds C) waves beginning to drag on the seafloor and slowing down D) waves beginning to interacting with the tides

C) waves beginning to drag on the seafloor and slowing down

25. What is meant by the term surf zone? A. Zone above high-tide level B. Zone between high and low tide C. Zone of breaking waves D. Zone affected by tides

C. Zone of breaking waves

9. Brine water results from A) the influx of river water into ocean B) stagnation of water in a floodplain swamp C) high evaporation rates D) heavy rainfall and low temperature

C. high evaporation rates

8. Brackish water would be most likely to occur A) in the subtropics B) in the tropical lagoon C) in a deltaic swamp D) in the Red Sea

C. in a deltaic swamp

40. What is the problem with the use of beach groins? A) Up-drift areas experience beach starvation B) Natural jetties are formed in up-drift areas C) Down-drift areas experience coastal subsidence D) Down-drift areas will experience beach starvation

D) Down-drift areas will experience beach starvation

13. Which of the following best describes the cause of ocean tides? A) Plate tectonics and gravitational effect of the Moon and Sun. B) Prevailing wind direction and gravitational effect of the Moon and Sun. C) Earth's spinning motion and plate tectonics. D) Earth's spinning motion and gravitational effect of the Moon and Sun.

D) Earth's spinning motion and gravitational effect of the Moon and Sun.

35. Hurricanes are a coastal hazard for all of the following reasons except A) strong dangerous winds B) heavy rainfall and flooding C) storm surge increases flooding and wave erosion D) excessive beach development

D) excessive beach development

14. A general term for the coastal environment is A) shoreline B) coast C) coastline D) littoral zone

D) littoral zone

20. Currents out in the open ocean are primarily driven by which of the following? A) prevailing winds and tides B) tides and density differences of the water C) shape of the shoreline and prevailing winds D) prevailing winds and density differences of the water

D) prevailing winds and density differences of the water

28. Which of the following explains why longshore currents develop along shorelines? A) rip currents B) offshore winds C) tidal currents D) wave refraction

D) wave refraction

11. Which of the following is true of the ocean deep zone? A) The water in this zone does not freeze because of the intense pressure exerted by the weight of overlying water. B) The water in this zone does not freeze because of its salinity C) Temperature remains approximately 4°C with in most of this layer D) Only A and B are true.

D. Only A and B are true

27. List two types of wave breakers: _____________ breakers occur at steep beaches and tend to be highly erosive at the shoreline, and ___________ breakers occur at gentle slope beaches and are more gentle and may facilitate the deposition of sand on beaches.

Plunging (breakers occur at steep beaches) Spilling (breakers occur at gentle slope beaches)