Plate Tectonics
What year was the theory of plate tectonics discovered? (a range is okay)
1950-1960
What causes tides on Earth?
Gravitational pull of the moon and sun on Earth's oceans (and Earth–moon–sun alignment).
State the primary energy source that forms surface ocean waves
Wind transferring energy to the water surface
True or false: Barrier islands are constantly changing and can even disappear.
True
Define sediment
Material that is broken down by erosion and transported by water, wind, or ice
Define a convergent plate boundary and name one oceanic feature formed there.
A convergent boundary is where two plates move toward each other
oceanic feature: trench, volcanic mountains, island arcs
Define spring tide and what moon phase it occurs at. Describe how the sun, moon, and earth is aligned.
Spring tide is when the sun and moon are aligned with Earth (new or full moon), producing higher high tides and lower low tides (largest tidal range).
Define wavelength, period, and wave height
Wavelength = distance between two crests
period = time between passing crests
wave height = vertical distance from trough to crest.
Define sea level (relative to land)
Sea level = average height of the ocean surface relative to land.
Name the four types of ocean sediment listed in the notes and give the meaning of the root for each type
Hydrogenous (Hydro = water), Biogenous (Bio = life), Lithogenous (Litho = stone), Cosmogenous (Cosmo = space)
Explain why oceanic plates subduct beneath continental plates.
Oceanic plates are denser than continental plates, so the denser oceanic plate sinks under the lighter continental plate.
Define neap tide (explaining what moons they occur at) and describe its tidal range compared to spring tides.
Neap tide occurs when the sun and moon are at right angles relative to Earth (first and third quarters), producing smaller tidal ranges.
Draw and label a wave diagram, using the following words: Crest, trough, wavelength
photo
State the current approximate global sea level rise rate given in the notes.
About 3.3 mm per year
According to the notes, what are three examples of hydrogenous sediments
Evaporites, manganese nodules, hydrothermal vent minerals
Describe seafloor spreading and boundary it occurs at.
Seafloor spreading is the creation of new ocean floor at mid-ocean ridges as plates diverge;
Using a model of Earth–moon–sun positions, predict whether tides are spring or neap when the moon is full and the sun is opposite the moon.
Full moon with sun opposite the moon produces spring tides (aligned, largest tidal range)
Explain how wind speed and wind duration (the amount of time the wind is blowing) together could affect wave size
higher wind speed, and longer wind duration all increase energy transfer to water, producing larger waves.
Explain the main concept of thermal expansion
Water can expand and contract based on temperature
How is "ooze" formed in biogenous sediment?
by the hard shells of microorganisms
During seafloor spreading, where is the newest and the oldest seafloor located in relation to the landform that it occurs at?
At mid-ocean ridges, the newest is at the ridge and the oldest is far away.
High tide 3:00 AM at 2.5 m, Low tide 3:00 PM at 0.4 m. Determine the tidal range and classify the daily tide pattern (diurnal, semidiurnal, mixed).
highest high (2.5 m) − lowest low (0.4 m) = 2.1 m
Diurnal tidal pattern
Identify and contrast deep-water waves and shallow-water waves in terms of ocean depth
Deep-water waves are unaffected by the seabed; shallow-water waves occur where their motion is influenced by the seabed, causing waves to slow and steepen.
Describe how barrier islands protect the mainland and how they respond to rising sea level and storms
Barrier islands absorb wave energy and storm surge, reducing flooding on the mainland; they are dynamic—eroding, migrating, and can disappear with sea level rise and powerful storms.
Explain why we see sediment from the blue ridge mountain on our beaches and explain what type of sediment this is
Water carries sediment from there through the watershed, draining to our beaches
Lithogenous