SDSU OCEANS 100 EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE
The coastal region (6 parts) - Answers - 1) coast 2) offshore 3) beach 4) berm 5) notch
6) wave
Coast - Answers - land extending inland as far as marine is seen; land adjacent to the
beach affected by the ocean
Offshore - Answers - extends from breakers to edge of continental shelf
Beach - Answers - shore and nearshore; very active
Berm - Answers - dry area at foot of coastal cliff; sand
Notch - Answers - cave cut into sea cliff by waves
Wave-cut platform - Answers - flat eroded bedrock at beach created by wave erosion
Effects of WAVE ENERGY - Answers - excavates notches into rocks ---> unstable cliff--
-> rivers and cliff erosion ---> source of sand to the beach
Wintertime beach - Answers - short, high waves; high energy; rocky beach and narrow
berm; algae growth due to pollution
Summertime beach - Answers - long, low waves; low energy; sandy beach and wide
berm
Longshore current - Answers - waves move at an angle and flow parallel coast; currents
come from N to S; currents move left to right and wrap around coastline
Depositional coast - Answers - flat coast b/c of passive margin; sediment comes from
rivers; SUBMERGENT COAST; ex- deltas, barrier islands
Erosional coast - Answers - tectonic uplift b/c active margin; marine terraces made from
earthquakes; EMERGENT COAST; ex- cliffs, headlands, sea caves, arches, stacks
Atlantic Coast - Answers - depositional; passive margin; no plate boundary; shoreline
rises and ocean migrates inland
Pacific Coast - Answers - erosional; active margin; plate boundary; shoreline rises and
ocean does not migrate inland
Gulf Coast - Answers - below sea level, ocean migrates farthest inland
The coastal region (6 parts) - Answers - 1) coast 2) offshore 3) beach 4) berm 5) notch
6) wave
Coast - Answers - land extending inland as far as marine is seen; land adjacent to the
beach affected by the ocean
Offshore - Answers - extends from breakers to edge of continental shelf
Beach - Answers - shore and nearshore; very active
Berm - Answers - dry area at foot of coastal cliff; sand
Notch - Answers - cave cut into sea cliff by waves
Wave-cut platform - Answers - flat eroded bedrock at beach created by wave erosion
Effects of WAVE ENERGY - Answers - excavates notches into rocks ---> unstable cliff--
-> rivers and cliff erosion ---> source of sand to the beach
Wintertime beach - Answers - short, high waves; high energy; rocky beach and narrow
berm; algae growth due to pollution
Summertime beach - Answers - long, low waves; low energy; sandy beach and wide
berm
Longshore current - Answers - waves move at an angle and flow parallel coast; currents
come from N to S; currents move left to right and wrap around coastline
Depositional coast - Answers - flat coast b/c of passive margin; sediment comes from
rivers; SUBMERGENT COAST; ex- deltas, barrier islands
Erosional coast - Answers - tectonic uplift b/c active margin; marine terraces made from
earthquakes; EMERGENT COAST; ex- cliffs, headlands, sea caves, arches, stacks
Atlantic Coast - Answers - depositional; passive margin; no plate boundary; shoreline
rises and ocean migrates inland
Pacific Coast - Answers - erosional; active margin; plate boundary; shoreline rises and
ocean does not migrate inland
Gulf Coast - Answers - below sea level, ocean migrates farthest inland
