Waves and Coastal Processes Quiz

What are the three main ways waves shape the coastline?

• Erosion, Transportation, Deposition

• Weathering, Abrasion, Backwash

• Hydraulic action, Attrition, Longshore Drift

• Deposition, Chemical Weathering, Corrosion

How do waves erode rock?

• By dissolving only hard materials

• Through hydraulic action, abrasion, and attrition

• By freezing and thawing of water

• Only by chemical reactions with seawater

What is hydraulic action?

• The breaking of rock due to plant growth

• The dissolving of rock by acids in seawater

• The force of water compressing air in cracks, breaking rock apart

• The grinding of rocks against each other

What happens during the process of attrition?

• Rocks are carried to the deep sea

• Rocks crash into each other, breaking into smaller pieces

• Sand and pebbles are flung against cliffs

• Water seeps into cracks and expands

What is longshore drift?

• A movement of sediment along the coast due to wave action

• The pulling of pebbles out to deep sea

• The eroding of cliffs by high-energy waves

• A process that only occurs in tropical areas

What is the purpose of groynes?

• To prevent the erosion of cliffs

• To stop sand and pebbles from being carried away by longshore drift

• To increase the speed of waves

• To protect fish habitats

Where do beaches form?

• In areas with strong, high-energy waves

• On steep rocky cliffs

• In sheltered areas where low flat waves deposit sediment

• In deep ocean trenches

Why do some beaches have sand while others have pebbles?

• Because of the type of rock available and the energy of the waves

• Only high-energy waves create sandy beaches

• Pebbles only form from coral reefs

• The sand is artificially placed by humans

Which of the following factors influences the speed of erosion?

• The energy of the waves and the hardness of the rock

• The presence of groynes

• The temperature of the water

• The number of people walking on the beach

What evidence suggests that a pebble has been in the water for a long time?

• It becomes jagged and rough

• It remains the same shape and size

• It becomes smooth and rounded due to attrition

• It floats on the surface of the water