Coastal Landscapes Quiz

What is beach nourishment?

• Adding pebbles and sand to a beach to replace those lost to longshore and offshore movement

• Removing pebbles and sand from a beach to prevent erosion

• Building concrete walls to protect the beach

• Planting vegetation to stabilize the sand

What is the threshold in coastal processes?

• The critical water velocity at which a particular size of load is entrained or deposited

• The distance between two wave crests

• The amount of sediment a river can carry

• The maximum height of a wave

What is a rotational slide?

• A method of beach nourishment

• A process of sediment deposition

• A type of wave erosion

• A downslope movement of material along a distinctive curved slip surface

What is the Hjulström curve used to illustrate?

• The formation of sand dunes

• The impact of human activities on coastal erosion

• The sorting of deposits by waves and tides according to velocity and size

• The relationship between wave height and energy

What is eustatic change?

• A local change in sea level due to tectonic activity

• A worldwide change in sea level due to the volume of water in the oceans

• A change in sea level due to sediment deposition

• A change in sea level due to river currents

What is a ria?

• A type of sand dune

• A type of coastal defense

• A submerged glaciated valley

• A submerged non-glaciated valley

What is the purpose of statistical techniques in coastal studies?

• To estimate the probability of the recurrence of a given precipitation or flooding event

• To calculate the speed of tidal currents

• To measure wave height

• To determine the size of sand grains

What is the impact of a dam on sediment input?

• It accelerates the movement of sediment to the coast

• It has no impact on sediment input

• It traps sediment, reducing the amount available to be deposited in landforms

• It increases the amount of sediment available for deposition

What is the main cause of isostatic sea level changes?

• An increase or decrease in the height of the land

• Changes in wave direction

• The construction of coastal defenses

• Changes in the volume of water in the oceans

What is the main characteristic of sand dunes?

• They are stable and resistant to change

• They form a very fragile environment and quickly adjust to sediment inputs and wind patterns

• They are primarily formed by human activities

• They are unaffected by wind patterns