Term
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Definition
| The length from crest to crest. |
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Term
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Definition
| The amount of time that passes between each successive wave break. |
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Term
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Definition
| The height of a wave from crest - trough. |
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Term
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Definition
| The depth in the ocean at which the wave energy dies out. |
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Term
| How does wavelength relate to the celerity (speed) of the wave? |
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Definition
| The bigger the wavelength, the faster the speed. |
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Term
| Describe the movement of water molecule as a wave passes by in deep water. |
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Definition
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Term
| How does this movement differ when a wave is in shallow water? |
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Definition
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Term
| How deep can this energy be felt? |
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Definition
| As deep as the wave base. |
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Term
| How are "deep-water" and "shallow-water" waves defined? |
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Definition
"Deep-water" waves = the depth of the ocean is greater than 1/2 of the wavelength.
"Shallow-water" waves = the depth of the ocean is less than 1/2 of the wavelength. |
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Term
| Explain how wind speed, wind duration, and fetch determine the height of a wave. |
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Definition
| The faster the wind, the longer the wind lasts, and the bigger the fetch, the bigger the wave. |
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Term
| What is a "fully-developed sea"? |
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Definition
| When it has reached its maximum wave height. |
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Term
| Are waves affected by the Coriolis force? Why or why not? |
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Definition
| No. The Coriolis force only affects moving mass. The ENERGY is what is moving, which is not a mass. |
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Term
| Define constructive wave interference. |
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Definition
| When two wave crests meet and combine their heights. |
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Term
| Define destructive wave interference. |
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Definition
| When two waves meet crest to trough. This results in no waves. |
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Term
| How does a rogue wave develop? |
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Definition
| In a low pressure region where there is wave interference. |
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Term
| What happens to wavelength, height, speed and period when a wave approaches a shoreline? Why does this happen. |
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Definition
| They all decrease, except for the period. This happens because of wave refraction. |
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Term
| If there were no land masses on Earth, how many high and low tides would there be at any given time? |
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Definition
| Two of each. (12 hours apart) |
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Term
| How does gravitational attraction between two objects vary with changes in mass and distance? |
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Definition
| The greater the mass, the stronger the attraction, but the further the distance, the weaker the attraction. |
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Term
| Are tides deep-water or shallow-water waves? Explain. |
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Definition
| Shallow-water, because the depth is less than 1/2 of the wavelength. (The wavelength = 12,000 mi. , and the average depth of the ocean is only 4 mi.) |
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Term
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Definition
| The difference between the high tide and the low tide. |
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Term
| Describe differences between the daily tidal patterns. (Diurnal, Semidiurnal, and mixed) |
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Definition
Diurnal = one high tide and one low tide per day.
Semidiurnal = 2 high tides and 2 low tides per day with the same range.
Mixed = 2 high tides and 2 low tides per day with different ranges. (*Most common) |
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Term
| How does tidal range vary with spring and neap tides? |
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Definition
Spring = highest highs, lowest lows, so Greatest tidal range.
Neap = lowest highs, highest lows, so Smallest tidal range. |
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Term
| How are Moon phases related to monthly tidal patterns? |
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Definition
| It involves the relative positions of the moon, Earth, AND sun. If they all line up, the sun's and the moon's gravitational forces combine (high tides). If they do not line up, their gravitational forces work against each other (low tides). |
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Term
| What is longshore transport? |
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Definition
| The movement of water (and sediment) along the coastline. |
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Term
| Explain how and why a summer beach profile is different from a winter beach profile. |
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Definition
| A summer beach is wider than in the winter because the sand is carried into the water during winter storms, and washes back onto the beach in the summer. |
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Term
| What are the common features of an erosional shoreline? |
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Definition
| (Rocky.) Sea cliffs, sea caves, sea arches, sea stacks, and uplifted marine terraces. (Because the waves carve away at sand) |
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Term
| What are the common features of a depositional shoreline? |
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Definition
| (Sandy.) Beach, spits, bay barrier, barrier islands. |
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Term
| What evidence is there that barrier islands are being moved by wave activity? |
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Definition
| Houses at the edge about to tip and fall into oceans! |
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Term
| How can a seawall actually accelerate shoreline erosion? |
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Definition
| The waves bounce off the wall with the same energy, eroding the beach. |
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Term
| What does beach nourishment/replenishment mean? How does it differ from other shoreline protection methods? |
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Definition
| Pump sand from the ocean floor onto the beach. It is more "natural" - no hardened constructed structures. |
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Term
| What is the main long-term driving force that causes shoreline erosion? |
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Definition
| Global warming, which causes changing sea level (rising), causing extra erosion. |
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