Changes in sea level

Question 1

What are the 2 types of sea level change?

Answer 1

Eustatic and isostatic

Question 2

What is a reason why sea level changes over time?

Answer 2

Glacial periods

Question 3

What is eustatic change caused by?

Answer 3

Results from changes in global temperatures causing growth/melting of glaciers and ice sheets. Global warming will lead to eustatic rise in sea levels

Question 4

What is isostatic change caused by?

Answer 4

Caused by the Earth’s crust rising or falling. Ice sheets depress the crust and when they melt, the crust may rebound

Question 5

What is eustatic change?

Answer 5

Variations in relative sea level resulting from changes in the amount of liquid water entering the oceans, e.g. Glacial melt water pouring into the oceans at the end of an ice age will cause sea levels to rise

Question 6

What is isostatic change?

Answer 6

Variations in relative sea level associated with changes in the buoyancy of the land, e.g. at the end of an ice age, as the weight of the ice is removed, the land will start to rise causing relative sea levels to fall

Question 7

What can the change in relative sea level result in?

Answer 7

Different types of coastlines

Question 8

What are the 2 types of coasts?

Answer 8

Emergent coasts and submergent coasts

Question 9

What is an emergent coast?

Answer 9

Where the coasts are rising relative to sea level, for example due to tectonic uplift, falling sea levels - (e.g. raised beaches and relict cliffs)