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Earth Science Unit 3 > Chapter 10 > Flashcards

Chapter 10 Flashcards

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1
Q

surface currents

A

masses of water that move from one place to another

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2
Q

how are surface currents formed?

A

by friction of wind passing over the ocean

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3
Q

gyres

A

a collection of currents that form a circular system

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4
Q

5 major gyres

A 
North Atlantic
South Atlantic
North Pacific
South Pacific
Indian
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5
Q

Coriolis Effect

A

caused by the rotation of the planet

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6
Q

Coriolis Effect in N. Hemisphere

A

currents are deflected to the right (clockwise)

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7
Q

Coriolis Effect in S. Hemisphere

A

currents are deflected to the left (counterclockwise)

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8
Q

Effect of ocean currents on Earth as a whole

A

gains in solar energy equal the losses to space of heat radiated from the surface

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9
Q

Net gain of energy in _____ latitudes and net loss at ____ latitudes

A

lower, higher

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10
Q

The transfer of heat by winds and ocean currents equalizes:

A

latitude energy imbalances

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11
Q

Ocean currents account for __% of total heat transport, and winds account for __%

A

25, 75

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12
Q

the presence of cold currents causes temperatures to reach a ___ _____

A

dew point

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13
Q

upwelling

A

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

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14
Q

coastal upwelling

A

most characteristic along west coasts of continents

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15
Q

coastal upwelling occurs when

A

winds blow toward the equator and parallel to the coast

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16
Q

Upwelling brings greater concentrations of:

A

dissolved nutrients to the ocean surface

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17
Q

deep-ocean circulation has a significant _______ component

A

vertical

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18
Q

deep ocean circulation AKA _____ circulation

A

thermohaline

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19
Q

An increase in seawater density can be caused by:

A

decrease in temperature OR increase in salinity

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20
Q

Density changes due to salinity are important in very ___ latitudes

A

high

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21
Q

Where does most water involved in deep-ocean currents begin?

A

high latitudes at the surface

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22
Q

Where surface waters are cold, salinity _____

A

increases

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23
Q

the coastal zone

A

the land/sea interface

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24
Q

waves are:

A

energy traveling along the ocean/air interface

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25
most of the energy to make waves comes from
wind
26
wave period
the time it takes for one wavelength to pass by a location/fixed point
27
the height, wavelength, and period of a wave are affected by: (3)
1-wind speed 2-length of time the wind has blown 3-fetch
28
fetch
distance over which the wind blows
29
surf zone=
1/20 wavelength
30
The beach is
a river of sand
31
whitecaps
critical point reached where wave grow tall and topple over
32
the sea waves seen from shore are a mixture of
swells from faraway storms and wave created by local winds
33
circular orbital motion
as the wave travels, the water passes energy along by moving in a circle
34
surf
the turbulent water created by breaking waves
35
swash
turbulent sheet of water from collapsing breakers
36
backwash
water flows back down the beach toward the surf zone
37
beach (textbook)
accumulation of sediment found along the landward margins of the ocean or a lake
38
abrasion
the sawing and grinding action of the water armed with rock fragments
39
wave refraction
the bending of waves
40
What does wave refraction affect?
distribution of energy along the shore
41
beach drift
pattern of water movement to transport sediment in a zig zag pattern
42
longshore currents
waves that approach the shore at an angle that easily moves the fine sand and larger gravel along the bottom
43
2 types of shoreline features
erosional and depositional
44
erosional features
1) wave-cut cliff 2) wave-cut platform 3) marine terrace 4) sea arches 5) sea stack
45
depositional features
1) spit 2) baymouth bar 3) tombolo 4) barrier islands
46
wave-cut cliffs
originate by the cutting of the surf against the base of coastal land
47
wave-cut platform
a relatively flat, benchlike surface that's left behind by the receding cliff
48
marine terrace
a wave-cut platform is uplifted above sea level by tectonic forces
49
sea arch
when two caves on opposite sides of a headline unite
50
sea stack
when the arch falls in, the isolated remnant on the wave-cut platform
51
spit
elongated ridge of sand that projects from the land into the mouth of an adjacent bay
52
the end of a spit usually hooks in response to
dominant direction of longshore current
53
baymouth bar
applied to a sandbar that completely crosses a bay, sealing it off from the open ocean
54
tombolo
a ridge of sand that connects and island to the mainland or another island
55
barrier islands
low ridges of sand parallel to the coast
56
tallest features on barrier islands
sand dunes
57
ways barrier islands form
1) originated from spits 2) turbulent waters that heaped up sand 3) former sand dune ridges that originated along the shore during the last glacial period
58
Factors of how coasts respond to different processes
1) proximity of coast to sediment-laden rivers 2) degree of tectonic activity 3) topography and composition of the land 4) prevailing winds and weather patterns 5) configuration of coastline and near-shore areas
59
hard stabilization
structures built to protect coast from erosion or prevent movement of sand along a beach
60
Human development of coastal areas occurs faster than our
understanding of coastal lands
61
hard stabilization structures
groins, jetty, breakwaters, seawall
62
groin
barrier built at a right angle to the beach to trap sand that is moving parallel to the shore
63
breakwater
designed to protect boats from force of large breaking waves creating a quiet water zone near the shore
64
seawall
designed to armor the coast and defend property from the force of breaking waves by reflecting the force of waves seaward
65
alternatives to hard stabilization
beach nourishment and relocation
66
beach nourishment
addition of large quantities of sand to the beach system | not a permanent solution
67
overwash
wave carry sand from the beach into the marshes behind the barrier
68
Atlantic Coast beach features
barrier islands
69
Pacific Coast beach features
relatively narrow beaches that are backed with steep cliffs and mountain ranges
70
major problem facing Pacific shoreline
significant narrowing of beaches
71
emergent coasts
develop either because an area experiences uplift or as a result of a drop in sea level
72
submergent coasts
created when sea level rises or the land adjacent to the sea subsides
73
ex. of emergent coasts
California, Hudson Bay region
74
estuaries
drowned river mouths created by submergence
75
tides
rhythmic changes in the ocean's surface elevation
76
how tides are produced
gravitational pull of the moon and the sun
77
sun or moon is most involved in tides?
moon
78
Moon revolves around earth about every ______ days
29 1/2
79
neap tide
modest high and low tides when the moon is perpendicular to the Earth-sun line. in 1st and 3rd quarters
80
spring tide
extreme high and low tides when moon is in line with the Earth and sun, during full moon and new moon
81
diurnal tidal pattern
characterized by a single high tide and single low tide each day
82
semidiurnal tidal pattern
2 high tides and 2 low tides each day, each the same size
83
mixed tidal pattern
2 high tides and 2 low tides each day but with different heights for each high and low tide
84
tidal current
term to describe the horizontal flow of water accompanying the rise and fall of the tides
85
flood currents
tidal currents that advance into the coastal zone as the tide rises
86
ebb currents
seaward moving water as tide falls
87
slack water
periods of little or no current
88
tidal flats
areas affected by alternating tidal currents
89
tidal deltas
created by tidal currents
90
flood deltas
develop landward of an inlet
91
ebb deltas
on seaward side of an inlet
92
which type of tidal delta is most common and more prominent?
flood

Earth Science Unit 3 (3 decks)

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