Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 1
Oceanography 10
Name:___________________________________
Practice Exam #3
This test is worth a total of 65 pts. You will have approximately 1.75 hours to finish the test.
Write the answers into the blank spaces provided, or circle the best answers to the multiple-choice questions.
If you disagree with all, some, or parts of the answers to a multiple-choice question, please write your own
understanding or even your own answer in the exam next to the answer that you selected. (If you select the
wrong answer but add correct information, it may improve your score. However, if you select the best answer
and add incorrect information, it may lower your score.)
When answering short-answer questions, write as if you were trying to explain the concepts to a friend or
family member who has NOT taken the class: carefully explain your reasoning, and use evidence, examples,
and pictures to support your claims.
Student
Value
Score
Subject
13
5A – Waves
13
6A – Beaches
10
6B – Shorelines
18
7A - Tides
9
14B – Rocky Shores ASA
2
Identifying Elements of
the Scientific Method
Boon
65
Total
Were there any questions that you did not expect to see on the exam?
Which question or questions did you find to be the most confusing or the most misleading?
What made them confusing or misleading?
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 2
Waves (Topic 5A)
Hint: Do not forget to include the units, if any, in your answers.
1. How does the water beneath waves move
when non-breaking, deep-water waves pass by?
______________________________
(Note: Do not list the name of motion. Describe the motion of the water.)
2. How does the shape of waves’ orbitals change
when the waves enter shallow water?
______________________________
3. How does sand move beneath waves that are not breaking?
(In other words, describe the motion of the sand.) (Lab)
______________________________
4. Which wave characteristic determines the size of the orbitals?
Height / Period / Speed /
Steepness / Wavelength
5. Which wave characteristic determines how deep waves’ orbitals
reach down into the ocean and move the water?
Height / Period / Speed /
Steepness / Wavelength
6. What is the wavelength of the wave in the side-view picture below?
_______________________
What is the height of the wave in the side-view picture below?
_______________________
Water Level (feet)
12
9
6
3
0
25
50
75
100
Horizontal Distance (feet)
125
150
175
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 3
7. When the crest of one wave meets the crest of another wave,
does the sea surface become higher, lower, or flatter?
Higher / Lower / Flatter
8. When the trough of one wave meets the trough of another wave,
does the sea surface become higher, lower, or flatter?
Higher / Lower / Flatter
9. When the crest of one wave meets the trough of another wave,
does the sea surface become higher, lower, or flatter?
Higher / Lower / Flatter
10. After two wave crests meet,
what happens to the waves?
Waves Bounce Back / Waves Go Through One Another /
Waves Are Destroyed by the Collision
11. What is a rogue wave? (Mark ALL answers that identify a key characteristic of rogue waves.)
● a wave which is much Bigger / Smaller than the other nearby waves
● a wave which is going in a different direction than the other nearby waves
● a wave which keeps changing direction
● a wave which rises up Suddenly / Slowly out of the ocean
● a wave which moves much Faster / Slower than the other nearby waves
12. What can cause a rogue wave or cause a wave to “go rogue”?
● a Current / a High Tide / a Low Tide / Plankton hitting a wave
● earthquakes at the Mid-Ocean Ridge / a Trench / at Both the Mid-Ocean Ridge & Trenches
● if wave approaches the beach and begins to “feel the bottom”
● if a wave becomes very steep
● if a wave changes direction or “turns”
● if a wave starts moving too fast
● several wave Crests / Troughs coming together
● strong winds
13. What is the steepness of the wave in the side-view picture on the previous page?
Under what circumstances will a wave break? (Be as specific as you can.)
14. Do waves on beaches with gentle slopes tend to break
as spilling or plunging breakers?
Spilling Breakers / Plunging Breakers
Is the wave shown on the right a spilling breaker or a plunging breaker?
Spilling Breaker / Plunging Breaker
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 4
15. How and why does the wavelength of waves change
as they approach a beach?
Longer / Shorter /
No Change in Wavelength
● because the waves break as they approach the shoreline
● because the waves get steeper as they approach the shoreline
● because the waves’ period increases as they approach the shoreline
● because the waves’ period decreases as they approach the shoreline
● because the waves speed up as they approach the shoreline
● because the waves slow down as they approach the shoreline
16. Why do waves grow when they approach the shoreline?
● Waves are gaining energy from the wind.
● Waves are gaining energy from the ocean floor.
● A faster-moving wave crest catches up from behind, and they interfere (“add together”).
● The wave crest near the shore is compressed between the land
and the faster-moving wave crest behind it.
● Waves hit the steeply-sloped bottom and reflect (“bounce”) upwards.
● Wave do not grow at all: they just break, so they get smaller, not larger.
17. Out in the middle of the ocean, many different sets of waves are
created, all going in different directions. Most waves approach
the coast at an angle. Why, then, do waves almost always come
directly into the shoreline? In other words, why do waves bend
to match the shape of the shoreline?
● Wave Dispersion
● Wave Interference
● The end of the wave crest at A / B is becoming steeper
than the other end of the wave crest.
● The water is Shallower / Deeper near A / B, so this end of
the wave crest moves Faster / Slower than the other end.
● The wavelength near A / B is Longer / Shorter
than the other end of the wave crest.
Beach
A
A
B
W
av
eC
re
st
B
Right (East)
Left (West)
18. Where is the wave below moving faster?
Will the wave bend to the right or the left?
● faster at A, turns to the right (to east)
● faster at A, turns to the left (to west)
● faster at B, turns to the right (to east)
● faster at B, turns to the left (to west)
Underwater
Hill
A
wave crest
B
19. Under which circumstances are waves most effective at moving sand from place to place?
When Their Orbitals First Touch the Bottom of the Ocean / When They Break /
When Waves Intefere / If the Waves Have a Short Enough Wavelength
Does the longshore transport of sand by waves
happen close to or far from the shoreline?
Close to Shore / Far from Shore /
Both Close to & Far from Shore
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 5
20. What created most of the waves
that come into our beaches?
_______________________________________
21. Do waves sometimes break in the middle of the ocean or do waves only break at the shoreline?
● Waves sometimes break in the middle of the ocean
● Waves only break at the shoreline.
22. Typically, waves of many sizes are all created at the same time out in the middle of the ocean.
Which will arrive at the shoreline first? In other words, which waves move faster in deep water?
The waves with:
● the greatest height
● the smallest height
● the longest wavelength
● the shortest wavelength
23. Can waves cross an entire ocean without dissipating?
In other words, do waves lose a lot of energy
or very little energy as they cross the ocean? (1 pt)
24. How and why does the height of waves change
as they travel over deep water across the ocean?
● the largest steepness
● the smallest steepness
Waves can cross an entire ocean.
(They lose very little energy.) /
Waves cannot cross an entire ocean.
(They lose a lot of energy.)
Higher / Smaller /
No Change in Height
● because the waves’ are gaining energy from the wind
● because the waves’ energy is spreading out over a larger area
● because the waves get “stretched out” as they refract
● because the waves lose energy from “rubbing” against the bottom of the ocean
● because the waves meet other waves as they travel
25. Which of the following wave characteristics change as waves travel across the middle of the ocean?
(The middle of the ocean is far from land, and the water is very deep in the middle of the ocean.)
Height:
● Larger
● Smaller
● No Change
Period:
● Longer
● Shorter
● No Change
Speed:
● Speed up
● Slow Down
● No Change
Wavelength:
● Longer
● Shorter
● No Change
26. True or False? “On days with little or no wind, you can see big waves on a beach.” Why?
● True, because big waves can travel large distances across the ocean.
● True, if the beach has a gentle slope.
● True, if the waves are steep enough.
● True, if the waves have a short wavelength.
● False, because waves are caused by strong winds.
27. Waves created in the Antarctic Ocean eventually break on the beaches of southern California.
Does this mean that we can sometimes surf on water that came all the way from Antarctica?
● Yes, because waves can travel all the way across the ocean.
● Yes, because winds blow over long distances, particularly near Antarctica.
● No, because the water itself does not travel with the waves.
● No, because the waves on our beaches are a mix of waves from many places “interfering.”
● No, because the waves will be too small (lose too much energy on the way).
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 6
Beaches (Topic 6A)
28. During which season is there typically the most sand on a beach?
● Spring
● Fall
● Summer
● Winter
Where does the sand come from that is added during this season?
_________________________
What moves the sand onto the beach during this season?
_________________________
29. During which season is there typically the least amount of sand on a beach?
● Spring
● Fall
● Summer
● Winter
Where does the sand go that is removed during this season?
_________________________
What moves the sand off the beach during this season?
_________________________
30. If a swimmer is caught in a rip current, how should they swim to escape the rip current?
Should they immediately swim directly back to shore?
Yes, / No, don’t swim directly back.
Why or why not?
Beach
Show the path that the person in the bird’s-eyeview picture should swim to safely get back to
shore. (In other words, draw a line from the
swimmer to the shore.).
Explain your reasoning.
In other words, why is this the best path?
!!!
p
l
He
Rip C
urre
nt
Swim this way?
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 7
31. Where do most of the sediments on rocky beaches come from?
● bottom of the ocean
● distant mountains
● nearby cliffs
● shells
32. What erodes coastal cliffs (Select the TWO most important factors.)
● earthquakes ● longshore transport ● ocean currents ● rain ● rivers ● waves ● wind
● tides
33. Describe what happens to the sediments on a rocky beach over time.
Over time, the large sediments on a rocky beach (A)_____________________________________
and (B)_______________________________________ from further weathering (“erosion”)
by (C)_______________________________________.
The smaller sediments on a rocky beach get carried away by (C)________________________________
because they are (D)_______________________________ than the larger sediments,
so they are more easily lifted up and moved. The larger sediments are left behind on the rocky beach.
A: become larger, become smaller, do not change size
B: become sharper (angular), become smoother, do not change shape
C: earthquakes, longshore transport, ocean currents, rain, rivers, waves, wind, tides
D: heavier, lighter, more dense, less dense
34. Where does most of the sand on sandy beaches come from?
● bottom of the ocean
● distant mountains
● nearby cliffs
● shells
35. What carry sand from the mountains to the shoreline?
● earthquakes ● longshore transport ● ocean currents ● rain ● rivers ● waves ● wind
● tides
36. What carry/push sand along the shoreline?
● earthquakes ● longshore transport ● ocean currents ● rain ● rivers ● waves ● wind
37. In what direction is sand typically pushed along California’s shoreline?
North / South
38. Complete the following statement:
Most of the sand leaves the shoreline permanently (i.e., never returns) when it:
● falls into underwater canyons near the coast.
● is pulled out into the ocean by _____________________________.
● is pushed out into the ocean by _____________________________.
● is taken away by humans to make _____________________________.
● tides
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 8
39. In the map below, draw an arrow or arrows to indicate
the direction(s) of longshore transport along the coast .
(Do not draw zig-zag motion. Instead, draw the direction
of LST.)
Is beach B a sandy or rocky beach?
______________
Is beach C a sandy or rocky beach?
______________
Is beach D a sandy or rocky beach?
______________
Note: Given the information in this picture, it is not clear
whether beach A is sandy or rocky. Why?
40. In the map below, draw an arrow or arrows to indicate
the direction(s) of longshore transport along the coast .
(Do not draw zig-zag motion. Instead, draw the direction of LST.)
Is beach A a sandy or rocky beach?
______________
Is beach B a sandy or rocky beach?
______________
Is beach C a sandy or rocky beach?
______________
Note: Given the information in this picture, it is not clear
whether beach D is sandy or rocky. Why?
41. Which bird’s-eye-view picture on the right
shows a breakwater, a groin, jetties,
and a seawall? Write “breakwater”,
“groin”, “jetties”, and “seawall”
in the appropriate box.
42. Write the name of each kind of hard stabilization next to its primary purpose.
___________________ – to hold onto the sand on a beach and capture more sand to build up the beach
___________________ – to keep sand from blocking a harbor
___________________ – to keep the shoreline from eroding
___________________ – to keep water in a harbor calm (to protect it from waves)
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 9
43. Circle the bird’s-eye-view picture below which shows how the hard stabilization
alters the shape of the shoreline. (The shoreline was originally “straight.” There are 4 pictures.)
Hard Stab
Hard Stab
longshore transport
Hard Stab
Hard Stab
longshore transport
Hard Stab
Hard Stab
Hard Stab
longshore transport
Hard Stab
longshore transport
44. Circle the bird’s-eye-view picture below which shows how the hard stabilization
alters the shape of the shoreline. (The shoreline was originally “straight.” There are 4 pictures.)
longshore
transport
longshore
transport
Hard Stabilization
Hard Stabilization
Hard Stabilization
longshore
transport
Hard Stabilization
longshore
transport
45. What effect can a seawall have on the public beach
in front of the seawall? For example, what effect did
seawalls have on the beaches of New Jersey?
______________________________
46. Circle all the true statements about seawalls:
“Seawalls can cause the beach in front of the seawall to erode.”
“Seawalls can cause the land on either side of the seawall to erode faster.”
“Seawalls erode over time, and eventually collapse if not maintained
“Seawalls help capture sand, building up the beach in front of them.”
“Seawalls help protect the beach in front of them, keeping it from eroding.”
“Seawalls protect the land behind them from eroding.”
“Seawalls protect the ships behind them from waves.”
47. How does building a dam on a river affect the amount of sand on beaches?
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 10
Shorelines (Topic 6B)
48. What is a barrier island? What is a delta? What is an estuary? What is wetland?
______________ – A body of water filled with vegetation (plants and algae); sometimes the water leaves.
______________ – A body of water partially surrounded by land.
______________ – A pile of sediments at the end of a river.
______________ – A pile of sediments just offshore of the coast.
49. Give at least 3 examples of words that we use to describe estuaries.
In other words, what words do we use to “label” or “name” estuaries?
(1) _______________________
(2) _______________________
(3) _______________________
50. What is the major cause(s) of currents in estuaries?
________________________________
51. Why are coastal wetlands often “wet” (covered by water)?
________________________________
52. List the 2 kinds of marine (coastal) wetlands.
(1) ______________________________
(2) ______________________________
53. Which of the following do most of the animals living in a wetland eat? (Circle 1 or 2 answers.)
● Detritus (dead, decaying matter)
● Plankton
● Plants growing in the wetland.
● Other animals living in the wetland.
54. Write an “E” next to the major ways in which estuaries benefit humans that we discussed.
(Mark all that apply.)
Write a “W” next to the major ways in which wetlands benefit humans that we discussed.
(Mark all that apply.)
● cleaner ocean for swimming: filter pollutants out of runoff
● drilling for oil and natural gas
● food: good farmland
● food: a place for ocean animals that we eat to grow up
● mining valuable minerals (e.g., gold, silver)
● newly discovered plants and animals are a source of chemicals for new medicines and other drugs
● ports for ships: good place to load & unload cargo, protected from waves and storms
● produce most of the carbon dioxide that we breathe
● protection from drought: store fresh water
● protection from flooding when it rains
● protection from flooding when sea level rises during storms
● recreation: safer and easier place to sailing and water skiing
● reduce shoreline erosion by blocking waves
● safer food: filter pollutants out of runoff
● safer food: pollutants quickly leave and do not get “trapped”
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 11
55. Why is there a lot of life in natural, undisturbed estuaries? In other words, why is life more highly
concentrated in estuaries than in any other ocean environment, including the coast outside the estuary?
Discuss the most important reason.
There is (A)_________________________ life in estuaries than along the coast outside estuaries,
because there are (B) ______________________ nutrients in estuaries than along the open coast.
Nutrients are found in the soil on land, and are mainly carried in the ocean by (C)__________________.
Estuaries get (A) _____________________ nutrients from the land than the open coast.
Why do estuaries get more nutrients or
fewer nutrients from land than the open coast?
Do not forget to answer this question.
In addition, nutrients that enter estuaries tend to stay inside estuaries instead of drifting away.
Nutrients along the open coast drift away more easily than those in an estuary.
An estuary is a body of water that is (D)_________________________ surrounded by land,
so nutrients can only drift out through the exit, not in all directions as happens along open coast.
In addition, there is (A)________________ water motion in estuaries than along the open coast.
Why is there more water motion or less water motion
in estuaries than along the open coast?
Do not forget to answer this question.
Nutrients can and do leave estuaries.
The main cause of water motion into and out of estuaries is (are) (E)____________________________.
Water flows out of estuaries each day when sea level is going (F)____________________ in the ocean.
Explain how and why the amount of nutrients in the water
affects how abundant ocean life will be in an environment.
Discuss both animals and algae.
A: more, less
B: more, fewer
C: currents, rain, tides, waves, wind
Do not forget to answer this question.
D: completely, partially, not
E: earthquakes, longshore transport, rain, tides, waves, wind
F: up, down
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 12
56. Where is the wave crest moving slower in the map below, at dot A or at dot B? Why? Explain.
What is the direction of longshore transport, to the left (west) or to the right (east)? (1 pt)
57. Why do deltas form at the ends of some rivers but not others?
● earthquakes / ocean currents / waves / winds / tides are not strong enough
to carry much sand away from the end of the river
● earthquakes / ocean currents / waves / winds / tides erode the shoreline near the end of the river
● earthquakes / ocean currents / waves / winds / tides pile up a lot of sand at the end of the river
58. Is the soil in deltas good for farming or poor for farming?
Good / Poor / Nothing Special
Why?
59. Give an example of where a delta can be found in the United States.
(Be as specific as you can.)
_____________________________
60. Is New Orleans rising or sinking? (1 pt)
Rising / Was Rising, but now Stable /
Sinking / Was Sinking, but now Stable
61. Where are barrier islands common along the coast of the United States?
(Circle all that apply.)
East Coast / West Coast /
Southern (Gulf) Coast
62. Sketch a bird’s-eye-view of an estuary and barrier islands.
Label the land, the ocean, the estuary, and the barrier islands.
63. Does sea-level rise or fall during an ice age?
Rise / Fall / Stays the Same
Why does sea level rise, fall, or stay the same?
● Ocean water expands / contracts.
● There is more / less evaporation from the ocean.
● The amount of evaporation from the ocean is equal to the amount of rainfall and snow.
● Water from the ocean piles up as ice on land; this water does not flow back into the ocean.
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 13
Tides (Topic 7A)
Note: Do not forget to include the units of your answers.
64. Use the tide chart below to determine the height and time of the high tides and low tides
1st High Tide
1st Low Tide
2nd High Tide
2nd Low Tide
Time
Height
Generated using the WWW Tide/Current Predictor: http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide
65. What is the largest tidal range for the day?
What is the smallest tidal range for the day?
66. How long does it take the Moon to orbit the Earth one time?
_____________________
How long does it take the Earth to rotate one time on its axis? (Class)
_____________________
(In other words, how long does it take the Earth to spin all the way around one time?)
How long does it take the Earth to orbit the Sun one time? (Class)
67. Is the gravitational attraction stronger between
2 large, heavy objects or 2 small, light objects?
Is the gravitational attraction stronger between
2 objects that are close together or far apart?
_____________________
Large, Heavy Objects /
Small, Light Objects
Close Together / Far Apart
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 14
68. The “Bulges” of the Ocean
a. Sketch the bulges in the ocean for the arrangement of the barycenter, Earth, Moon, and Sun
shown below. (“B” is the barycenter, “E” is the Earth, “M” is the Moon, and “S” is the Sun.)
b. Label the bulge(s). In other words, write the word “bulge” on or next to the bulge(s).
c. Label the locations of high tide and low tide.
You may use arrows to indicate
the specific location of a bulge,
a high tide, or a low tide.
B
E
M
69. Why does the Earth orbit the Earth-Moon barycenter?
S
_________________________________
70. Which bulge in the ocean’s surface is larger, the bulge facing
towards the Moon or the bulge facing away from the Moon?
Towards Moon /
Away from Moon /
Both Are the Same
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 15
71. “The Moon orbits the Earth twice each day. We experience a “high tide” when the Moon is overhead and
pulls a “bulge” in the ocean to our coast.” What is wrong with this statement?
72. About how long does it take the ocean to change from high tide to low tide? _____________________
Why does it take this period of time for the ocean to change from high tide to low tide?
Explain using the “bulge” theory of the tides.
73. “The Earth goes “in” and “out” of the “bulges” in the ocean twice each day.”
What is wrong with this statement? How can it be corrected or “fixed”?
74. Do tides get earlier or later each day? By how much?
Earlier / Later by _________________
Circle the answer below which best explains why tides get earlier or later each day
according to the “bulge theory of tides.”
● The Barycenter / Moon / Sun travels around the Earth each day.
● The Barycenter / Moon / Sun orbits the Earth more slowly than the Earth rotates.
● The Earth’s Rotation / Moon’s Orbit / Sun’s Orbit is slowing down (slowly).
● The bulges drag against the ocean bottom, slowing them down.
● The bulges run into the continents, slowing them down.
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 16
75. True or False?
“Every location on the Earth experiences high tide as the same time.
In other words, if it is high tide in New York, it is also high tide in Los Angeles.”
Discuss the bulges in the ocean, and use them to explain your choice.
76. Spring and Neap Tide Conditions
Spring Tide Conditions
Neap Tide Conditions
Are high tides extremely high or
not very high during these conditions?
Are low tides extremely low or
not very low during these conditions
Which phases of the Moon are
these conditions associated with?
How long does it take the ocean
to switch from spring tide conditions
to neap tide conditions?
77. Which has a stronger influence on the tides, the Moon or the Sun?
Moon / Sun /
Both About the Same
78. How many “bulges” does the Moon cause in the ocean?
_________________
79. Consider both the effects of the Moon and the Sun.
How many “bulges” are there in the ocean?
_________________
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 17
80. Label the phase of the Moon and the tide conditions (spring tides or neap tides)
for the 4 positions of the Moon relative to the Earth and the Sun in the picture below.
During spring tide conditions, the high tides are (A) _______________________________________
and the low tides are (B) _______________________________________
because the (C) ______________________________ gravitational pull on the water
pulls (D) ___________________________ water
from the places where it is low tide to the places where it is high tide (the bulges).
A: higher, not as high, about the same
B: lower, not as low, about the same
C: stronger, weaker, about the same
D: more, less, about the same amount of
Why is the gravitational pull different during spring tide conditions?
During neap tide conditions, the high tides are (A) _______________________________________
and the low tides are (B) _______________________________________
because the (C) ______________________________ gravitational pull on the water
pulls (D) ___________________________ water
from the places where it is low tide to the places where it is high tide (the bulges).
Why is the gravitational pull different during neap tide conditions?
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 18
81. Suppose that the Moon was twice as large. How would the tides be different? (Class)
High tides would:
Low tides would:
● be higher
● be lower
● not be as high
● not be as low
● be about the same (no change)
● be about the same (no change)
82. Suppose that the Moon was two times farther from the Earth. How would the tides be different? (Class)
High tides would:
Low tides would:
● be higher
● be lower
● not be as high
● not be as low
● be about the same (no change)
● be about the same (no change)
83. Suppose that the Earth rotated twice as fast. (Class)
(In other words, the Earth’s spins all the way around on its axis faster.
Only the speed of rotation changes. There are no other changes: mass, distance, etc.)
Would the timing of the tides be different? If so, how?
● High tide & low tide would happen more often (less time between high tides and low tides)
● High tide & low tide would happen less often (more time between high tides and low tides)
● No change or very little change (less than an hour)
Would the timing of spring and neap tide conditions over a cycle of the moon be different? If so, how?
● Spring & neap tide conditions would happen more often (less time between spring & neap tide conditions)
● Spring & neap tide conditions would happen less often (more time between spring & neap tide conditions)
● No change
Would the height of the high tides and low tides be different during spring tide conditions? If so, how?
High Tides:
Low Tides:
● Higher
● Lower
● Not as high
● Not as low
● No change
● No change
84. Suppose that the Moon orbited the Earth more quickly, so that it took half as long to go around one time.
(Only the orbital time changes. There are no other changes: mass, distance, etc.) (Class)
Would the timing of the tides be different? If so, how?
● High tide & low tide would happen more often (less time between high tides and low tides)
● High tide & low tide would happen less often (more time between high tides and low tides)
● No change or very little change (less than an hour)
Would the timing of spring and neap tide conditions over a cycle of the moon be different? If so, how?
● Spring & neap tide conditions would happen more often (less time between spring & neap tide conditions)
● Spring & neap tide conditions would happen less often (more time between spring & neap tide conditions)
● No change
Would the height of the high tides and low tides be different during spring tide conditions? If so, how?
High Tides:
Low Tides:
● Higher
● Lower
● Not as high
● Not as low
● No change
● No change
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 19
85. True or False?
“Every location on the Earth experiences spring tide conditions at the same time. In other words, if New
York is experiencing spring tide conditions, Los Angeles also is experiencing spring tide conditions.”
Discuss the bulges in the ocean, and use them to explain your choice.
86. True or false? “There are places where the normal tidal cycle is 1 high tide and 1 low tide each day.”
87. Why can’t the tidal bulges stay underneath (“keep up with”) the Moon? Give at least 1 reason.
● The Barycenter’s / Sun’s pull gets in the way.
● The Barycenter / Moon / Sun orbits the Earth more slowly than the Earth rotates.
● The bulges drag against the bottom of the ocean.
● The continents get in the way.
88. The “bulge” theory of tides does not accurately describe the motion of the tidal bulges over the surface of
the Earth: they do not travel around the Earth each day. Describe how the tidal bulges really move in the
ocean basins.
● From North to South / East to West and then back again.
● Giant Circles
● The bulges do not move over the Earth’s surface; they stay in the same spot on the Earth.
89. How are tides different during storms?
High Tides:
● Higher
● Not as high
Low Tides:
● Lower
● Not as low
● No change
● No change
90. When is the best time for a ship to try to enter a harbor?
Close to High / Low tide when the tide is Rising / Sinking in the ocean.
91. When is the best time for a ship to try to leave a harbor?
Close to High / Low tide when the tide is Rising / Sinking in the ocean.
92. Do high tides in a bay (estuary) occur earlier or later
than the high tides along the coast?
Earlier / Later / At the Same Time
93. Do low tides in a bay (estuary) occur earlier or later
than the low tides along the coast? (1 pt)
Earlier / Later / At the Same Time
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 20
94. What are the best tide conditions for tide pooling? (Class)
High / Low tide during Spring / Neap tide conditions
95. How is the salinity of the water in tide pools different from the water in the ocean?
● often saltier than the ocean
● often fresher than the ocean
● sometimes much saltier than the ocean, sometimes much fresher than the ocean
(the salinity of the water in the tide pools is more variable, more extreme)
● usually not as fresh or salty as the ocean
(the salinity of the water in the tide pools is more stable, more constant)
96. How is the temperature of the water in tide pools different from the water in the ocean?
● often warmer than the ocean
● often cooler than the ocean
● usually warmer than the ocean or cooler than the ocean
(the temperature of the water in the tide pools is more variable, more extreme)
● usually not as warm or cold as the ocean
(the temperature of the water in the tide pools is more stable, more constant)
97. Which of the following strikes tide-pool animals and algae
with the greatest force (physical impact) each day? (Mark all that apply.)
● California Current
● Earthquakes
● High Tides
● Low Tides
● Longshore Transport
● Waves
98. True or false? “Tide-pool animals are often smashed by rolling
or flying sediments.”
99. Mark examples of the harsh physical conditions that organisms
must endure in the intertidal zone. (Mark all that apply.)
● Winds
In addition to the Tides (7A)
reading, you can refer to the
Rocky Shore ASA (14B) for
more information about these
topics.
● covered by “too much” water: pressure is too high and crushes them
● crushed by the California Current / Flying & Rolling Sediments / Rip Currents / Waves / Tides
● too hot during the day during High / Low tide
● too cold at night during High / Low tide
● water in tide pools is too fresh due to Evaporation / Rain
● water in tide pools is too salty due to Evaporation / Rain
100. What adaptation do many animals who live on a rocky shoreline have that
allows them to survive the harsh physical conditions at high tide and low tide?
101. Most of the animals that are found in tide pools when you go tide pooling:
● are benthos carried in a high tide and left on the shore
● are zooplankton carried in a high tide and left on the shore
● drift at high tide and settle in new places each day at low tide
● live in the tide pools at both high tide and low tide
_________________
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 21
Rocky Shore ASA (Topic 14B)
102. Our local cliffs primarily composed of Igenous Rock / Sediments that:
● came out of volcanoes
● sank and piled up on the ocean floor
● solidified from magma that cooled underground
● were dissolved in ocean water and solidified on the ocean floor
● were piled up along the coast by Waves / Winds / Tides
In addition to your Rocky
Shore ASA (14A) notes,
you can refer to the
Shorelines (6B) reading
for more information
about these topics.
What are the cliffs mainly composed of? (Mark 3 answers.)
● basalt
● clam shells
● coral
● granite
● gravel
● mud
● olivine
● plankton shells
● sand
● salt
● whale bones
Why is the solid rock of the cliffs along the coast now and not in the place where they became solid rock?
● lifted up by Earthquakes / Tides / a Volcanic Eruption / Waves / Winds
● sea level went down due to Earthquakes / Tides / a Volcanic Eruption / Waves / Winds
● never moved: formed along the coast
103. How and why do headlands and coves form along a shoreline?
A (A)______________________________ is located where the land extends out into the ocean,
because at this location the land erodes (B) _____________________________ than the rest of the
coastline since it is made out of (C)___________________________________________________.
A (A)______________________________ is located where the ocean pushes into the land,
because at this location the land erodes (B) _____________________________ than the rest of the
coastline since it is made out of (C)___________________________________________________.
A: Cove? Headland?
B: Faster? Slower?
C: Igneous Rock (Cooled Lava)? Sedimentary Rock (Stuck-Together Sediments)?
104. Sketch a bird’s-eye-view of a cove, a headland, and a sea-stack. Label all three features, the ocean,
and the land. (Make one picture showing how the features are related to one another.)
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 22
105. How and why do marine terraces and wave-cut terraces form along a shoreline?
The shoreline is pushed back by (A)______________________________________ leaving
a broad, flat area in front of a coastal cliff called a (B)__________________________________.
The broad, flat area by the shoreline (C) ________________________________ the water because of
(A)______________________ _______ and thus becomes a (B)_________________________________.
A: Currents? an Earthquake? Floods? Ice Age? Storm? Tides? Waves? Winds?
B: Marine Terrace? Wave-cut Terrace?
C: Rises out of? Sinks below?
106. Sketch a side-view of a wave-cut terrace and a marine terrace.
Include the ocean’s surface in your sketch. Label both features, the ocean, and the land.
(Make one picture showing how the features are related to one another.)
107. Describe the sediments that result from recent cliff erosion, like those we saw at the top of the trail.
Size:
● Large
● Small
● Some Large, Some Small
Shape:
● Sharp
● Smooth
● Some Sharp, Some Smooth
108. Describe the sediments on a rocky beach like the beach at Bluff Cove.
(Note: some of the sediments have spent a long time on the beach, while others “eroded” recently.)
Size:
● Large
Shape: ● Sharp
● Small
● Some Large, Some Small
● Smooth
● Some Sharp, Some Smooth
109. Why isn’t the beach at Bluff Cove a sandy beach like the beaches to the north like Redondo Beach?
(Mark all that apply.)
● The cliffs are eroding very fast, adding lots of big rocks to the beach that cover up the sand.
● People put rocky sediments on the beach at Bluff Cove.
● Redondo Beach has a Nearby River / Strong Tide bringing sand to the coast, but Bluff Cove does not.
● Sand cannot reach the cove because it is blocked by _____________________________
● Sand cannot reach the cove because it is falls into _____________________________
● Too many rocky sediments come down storm drains at Bluff Cove and cover up the sand
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 23
Identifying Elements of the Scientific Method
110. Identify which element of the scientific method each of the following statements represents.
In other words, which ones are hypotheses? Which ones are tests? Which ones are observations?
Low tides are lower when the moon is full.
There is more life in estuaries than in wetlands, because there are
more phytoplankton present because phytoplankton have more places
to hide, like in the mud on the bottom.
Spring tides are created by the increased gravitational pull on the
locations of the tidal bulges that results when the Earth, Moon, and
Sun are aligned.
Students watched the motion of the cork in the wave tank.
Students used a ruler to measure the size of the sediments.
The beach sediments have a size of about 1 millimeter.
Practice Exam #3 (Topics 5A, 6A, 6B, 7A, & 14B) – page 24
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