SDSU OCEANS 100 EXAM 3 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
the coastal region (6 parts) - -1) coast 2) offshore 3) beach 4) berm 5) notch 6) wave
-coast - -land extending inland as far as marine is seen; land adjacent to the beach affected
by the ocean
-offshore - -extends from breakers to edge of continental shelf
-beach - -shore and nearshore; very active
-berm - -dry area at foot of coastal cliff; sand
-notch - -cave cut into sea cliff by waves
-wave-cut platform - -flat eroded bedrock at beach created by wave erosion
-effects of WAVE ENERGY - -excavates notches into rocks ---> unstable cliff---> rivers and
cliff erosion ---> source of sand to the beach
-wintertime beach - -short, high waves; high energy; rocky beach and narrow berm; algae
growth due to pollution
-summertime beach - -long, low waves; low energy; sandy beach and wide berm
-longshore current - -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 - -flat coast b/c of passive margin; sediment comes from rivers;
SUBMERGENT COAST; ex- deltas, barrier islands
-erosional coast - -tectonic uplift b/c active margin; marine terraces made from
earthquakes; EMERGENT COAST; ex- cliffs, headlands, sea caves, arches, stacks
-Atlantic Coast - -depositional; passive margin; no plate boundary; shoreline rises and
ocean migrates inland
-Pacific Coast - -erosional; active margin; plate boundary; shoreline rises and ocean does
not migrate inland
-Gulf Coast - -below sea level, ocean migrates farthest inland
-causes of sea level change - -1) climate change 2) plate tectonics
-cause of sea level change (climate change) - -global warming = sea levels rise
the coastal region (6 parts) - -1) coast 2) offshore 3) beach 4) berm 5) notch 6) wave
-coast - -land extending inland as far as marine is seen; land adjacent to the beach affected
by the ocean
-offshore - -extends from breakers to edge of continental shelf
-beach - -shore and nearshore; very active
-berm - -dry area at foot of coastal cliff; sand
-notch - -cave cut into sea cliff by waves
-wave-cut platform - -flat eroded bedrock at beach created by wave erosion
-effects of WAVE ENERGY - -excavates notches into rocks ---> unstable cliff---> rivers and
cliff erosion ---> source of sand to the beach
-wintertime beach - -short, high waves; high energy; rocky beach and narrow berm; algae
growth due to pollution
-summertime beach - -long, low waves; low energy; sandy beach and wide berm
-longshore current - -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 - -flat coast b/c of passive margin; sediment comes from rivers;
SUBMERGENT COAST; ex- deltas, barrier islands
-erosional coast - -tectonic uplift b/c active margin; marine terraces made from
earthquakes; EMERGENT COAST; ex- cliffs, headlands, sea caves, arches, stacks
-Atlantic Coast - -depositional; passive margin; no plate boundary; shoreline rises and
ocean migrates inland
-Pacific Coast - -erosional; active margin; plate boundary; shoreline rises and ocean does
not migrate inland
-Gulf Coast - -below sea level, ocean migrates farthest inland
-causes of sea level change - -1) climate change 2) plate tectonics
-cause of sea level change (climate change) - -global warming = sea levels rise
