Earth Science Chapter 16
What is a hypothermal vent?
A hole in the seafloor through which fluid heated by magma erupts.
What is a tombolo?
A ridge of sand that connects an island to the mainland to for the tip of a peninsula.
What is a wave-cut platform?
Flat surface formed when a headland is eroded.
What are abyssal plains?
Flat, smooth part of the ocean floor that is covered with fine-grained sediments and sedimentary rock.
What is a longshore current?
Flows parallel to the shore and is produced when water from incoming breakers spills over the longshore bar.
What are seawalls?
Protects property from storm waves by reflecting the energy of waves back towards the beach (causing erosion).
What is turbidity current?
Rapid, flowing current along the bottom of the ocean.
What is a longshore bar?
Sandbar that forms in front of most beaches.
What prevents beach erosion?
Seawalls, groins, jetties, and breakwaters.
What can modify a seafloor structure?
Sediments.
What is wave refraction?
Bending of wave crests as they reach shallow water.
What is a terrigenous sediment?
Deep-sea sediment from a land source.
What is ooze?
Deep-sea sediments formed by shells and hard parts of marine animals.
What are black and white smokers?
Hydrothermal vents.
What is a barrier island?
Long ridges separated from the mainland and made of sediment deposited by longshore currents.
What is deep-sea mud?
Made of fine silt, clay, and volcanic ash.
What are continental margins?
Submerged parts of the continents.
What forms submarine canyons?
Turbidity currents.
What are groins?
Wall-like structure built perpendicular to the shoreline to trap beach sand (causing erosion down the beach).
