Earth Science, Tarbuck Chapter 15

Question 1

How is Ocean Circulation Determined

Answer 1

pattern of surface-ocean circulation closely matches the
pattern of global winds but is also strongly influenced by
the distribution of major landmasses and by the spinning
of Earth on its axis.

Question 2

What are Gyres

Answer 2

large whirls of water within an ocean basin

Question 3

What are the 5 main Gyres

Answer 3

the North Pacific Gyre, the South Pacific Gyre, the North
Atlantic Gyre, the South Atlantic Gyre, and the Indian
Ocean Gyre

Question 4

At which latitude do the main 5 Gyres form

Answer 4

the center of each gyre coincides with the subtropics at about 30° north or south latitude

Question 5

What is the Coriolis effect that affects Both wind and Water currents

Answer 5

Due to Earth’s rotation, currents are deflected
to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in
the Southern Hemisphere

Question 6

What is the Only water current that completely circulates around the earth

Answer 6

West Wind Drift

Question 7

What is Upwelling

Answer 7

the rising of cold water from deeper layers to replace warmer surface water

Question 8

What causes upwelling

Answer 8

Wind

Question 9

What is Thermohaline Circulation

Answer 9

Also known as deep-ocean circulation, thermohaline circulation is caused by differences in density of Seawater

Question 10

What causes most waves in the ocean

Answer 10

Storms and Wind

Question 11

As waves get closer to the shore what happens to them

Answer 11

Wavelength gets shorter

Question 12

Waves are usually _______ to the shore

Answer 12

Parallel

Question 13

Where does most coastal upwelling occur

Answer 13

West Coast of Continents

Question 14

How does Deep-Ocean Circulation occur

Answer 14

When water gets denser at the surface, it sinks and spreads out

Question 15

What is the Shoreline

Answer 15

The area where the land touches the sea

Question 16

What is the shore

Answer 16

Area between Lowest tide level and highest land affected by Ocean waves

Question 17

Where is the Coastline found

Answer 17

The landward edge of the shore

Question 18

What is the foreshore

Answer 18

the area between Low tide and High tide water levels

Question 19

What is the backshore

Answer 19

The area between the foreshore and the coastline

Question 20

What is a berm

Answer 20

flat sandy platforms near dunes, and the beach face, the wet sloping area to the shoreline.

Question 21

What are beaches made up of

Answer 21

material nearby that is readily available

Question 22

What are beaches mostly composed of

Answer 22

Quartz grains

Question 23

What aree waves technically

Answer 23

energy traveling through water

Question 24

What are Whitecaps

Answer 24

when waves grow tall enough to break, forming white foam

Question 25

What is circular orbital motion

Answer 25

The idea that water moves in circles and returns to its original place in waves, while objects on top of the wave move slightly forward and backward while on the wave

Question 26

What is swash

Answer 26

the rush of seawater up the beach after the breaking of a wave.

Question 27

What is Beach Drift

Answer 27

zigzag movement of sediment along the beach caused by the angular motion of swash and the straight motion of backwash

Question 28

What is backwash

Answer 28

As swash recedes back into the ocean, it is called backwash

Question 29

What are rip currents

Answer 29

strong flows of water that move away from the shore, opposite to breaking waves

Question 30

What are wavecut hills

Answer 30

a flat, gently sloping rock surface formed at the base of a cliff by the erosive action of waves, essentially creating a "platform" where the cliff has retreated over time due to wave action

Question 31

what is ocean wave refraction

Answer 31

the bending of ocean waves as they approach a coastline at an angle, happening because the part of the wave closer to the shore slows down due to friction with the seabed, causing the wave to bend and align more parallel with the coastline

Question 32

What is a sea cave

Answer 32

an opening in the headlands caused by surf selectively eroding softer rocks

Question 33

What is a sea arch

Answer 33

When two sea caves on opposite sides of a headland unite, a sea arch is formed

Question 34

What is a sea stack

Answer 34

When a sea arch falls in, it causes isolated rock structures to form

Question 35

Where is sediment transported along the shore tend to be deposited

Answer 35

areas where wave energy is low

Question 36

Where are spits and tombolos formed

Answer 36

areas where beach drift and longshore currents are active

Question 37

What are longshore currents

Answer 37

ocean currents that flow parallel to the shoreline, caused by waves that approach the beach at an angle

Question 38

What is a spit

Answer 38

long ridge of sand that extends into a bay, often curving landward

Question 39

What is a baymouth bar

Answer 39

sandbar that completely crosses a bay.

Question 40

What is a sandbar

Answer 40

ridge of sand or coarse sediment that is built by waves offshore from a beach

Question 41

What is a tombolo

Answer 41

ridge of sand or gravel that connects an island to the mainland.

Question 42

What are barrier islands

Answer 42

long, narrow, sandy landforms that are separated from the mainland by bays or lagoons

Question 43

Difference between east and west coasts of america

Answer 43

Difference is plate tectonics, as there is active uplift on the west coast, while the east coast is mostly quiet

Question 44

Coasts are usually classified as

Answer 44

emergent or submergent

Question 45

What are emergent coasts

Answer 45

coasts that are a result of uplift or sea level drop

Question 46

What are submergent coasts

Answer 46

sea level rises or land sinks

Question 47

What is a headland

Answer 47

raised area of land that extends into a body of water, such as an ocean or lake, and is characterized by a steep cliff on one side

Question 48

What are jetties

Answer 48

structures that extend into the water from the shore to protect coastlines and help ships navigate

Question 49

What are groins

Answer 49

structures that are built perpendicular to the shoreline to protect beaches from erosion

Question 50

What are the different types of hard stabilization

Answer 50

Groins, Jetties, breakwaters, and seawalls.

Question 51

What is a breakwater

Answer 51

a structure built parallel to the shore to reduce the impact of waves on the coast

Question 52

What is a seawall

Answer 52

a wall erected to prevent the sea from encroaching on or eroding an area of land.

Question 53

What is beach nourishment

Answer 53

adding large amounts of sand to the beach

Question 54

How does the Moon's gravitational pull affect the tides

Answer 54

the moon pulls the water on the side of the earth it is closest to, causing a tidal bulge, which also occurs on the direct opposite side of the earth

Question 55

What does the tidal bulge caused by the gravitational pull of the moon cause on earth

Answer 55

two high and two low tides per day, as the tidal bulge stays in place while the earth rotates, as the moon only moves moderately

Question 56

The sun also exhibits control on the earths tides but are much weaker than the moons due to what

Answer 56

Greater distance from earth

Question 57

When are the gravitational forces of the sun and moon combined, producing larger tidal bulges

Answer 57

New and Full moons

Question 58

What does the combination of the gravitational forces of the sun and moon cause

Answer 58

higher high tides and lower low tides

Question 59

What are spring tides

Answer 59

When the gravitational forces of the sun and moon combine, they form tides with larger range

Question 60

How often do spring tides occur

Answer 60

Twice a month

Question 61

When do the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon offset each other

Answer 61

1st and 3rd quarters of the lunar cycle, as they act on each other at right angles

Question 62

What are neap tides

Answer 62

during the first and third quarters of a lunar cycle, the gravitational forces of the sun and moon offset each other

Question 63

What are the 3 main tidal patterns that exist world wide

Answer 63

Diurnal, Semidiurnal, and Mixed

Question 64

What is a diurnal tidal pattern

Answer 64

a single high tide and a single low tide each tidal day

Question 65

What is a semidiurnal tidal pattern

Answer 65

exhibits two high tides and two low tides each tidal day, with the two highs about the same height and the two lows about the same height

Question 66

What is a mixed tidal pattern

Answer 66

2 high tides and 2 low tides each tidal day, but heights are unequal

Question 67

Where do diurnal tidal patterns occur in america

Answer 67

northern shore of the Gulf of Mexico

Question 68

Where do semidiurnal tidal patterns occur in america

Answer 68

Atlantic Coast of the United States

Question 69

Where do mixed tidal patterns occur in america

Answer 69

Pacific Coast of the United States