Name: ___________________________

Geography 1 – Exam 3a – Deserts & Coastlines

Runoff from a rare precipitation event in a desert may occur in the form of __________.

Water is relatively unimportant as an erosional agent in arid regions because there is so little of it.

_________ dunes have a crescent shape with the horns pointing downwind.

A(n) __________ is a continuous apron of coalesced alluvial fans along the base of a mountain range.

Deposits of wind-blown sand differ from loess deposits in that sand deposits tend to take a form that is stable in a vertical cliff.

The Nile River in Africa & the Colorado River in North America are examples of

Desert pavement is formed __________.

Headlands receive the brunt of wave energy along a coastline due to the process of __________.

A __________ is an erosional feature of a coastline.

The construction of jettys, breakwaters, and groins is an attempt to control the effects of ________.

__________ tend to form along coastlines north of 30 degrees latitude in the northern hemisphere.

Yardangs are depositional features carved by the wind into streamlined shapes.

Contrary to popular belief, deserts are not really wastelands, nor are all deserts alike.

Because it is constantly present, blowing sand in an arid region can bring about more erosion than water can in a humid region.

Star dunes form as a result of winds blowing primarily from one direction.

Waves are:

Extensive loess deposits can be found around the world, including parts of the Ukraine, Argentina, China, and New Zealand, as well as in the central and northwestern United States.

Arid and semi-arid regions cover some two-thirds of Earth's surface.

Water that is less than the average of 3.5 percent salinity, but not fresh water, is called __________.

The greatest tidal range between high and low tides occurs with spring tides. As their name implies, these tides are most common from March to June.

Erg deserts can be distinguished from sand seas by the presence of desert pavements.

Tsunamis are produced by undersea disturbances that generate a wave or group of waves with very long wavelengths, though they are only a meter or so in height in the open ocean.

Erosional coastlines are likely to be found in tectonically active regions and are characterized by sea cliffs and wave-cut platforms or terraces.

While tides are produced by gravitational influences of both the Sun and Moon, the Moon exerts the greater influence because it is closer to Earth.

A beach is:

In general, the action of waves tends to __________ a coastline.

Breakers are:

The lifting and removal of individual loose particles by wind is called:

Spring tides reflect greater tidal ranges, whereas neap tides produce lesser tidal ranges.

The types of sediment most commonly found at the playa will be _______.

A wave-cut platform (or wave-cut terrace) is an example of a coastal depositional feature.

Beaches are dominated by sand because quartz (SiO₂) is so abundant and resists weathering

The steepest side of a sand dune has a maximum angle of about ___ degrees.

Which of these is not true regarding a tsunami?

The buttes, pinnacles, and mesas of arid landscapes are formed by __________.

Loess deposits in China exceed 300 meters (over 900 feet) thick.

Which of these correctly describes a streambed that is intermittently filled with water?

Nature’s version of sandblasting is called

A wave-cut platform is:

The salinity of the oceans reached its present concentration about one billion years ago.

Atolls form from sinking (subsiding) volcanic islands.

Semi-arid (steppe) deserts vary from arid (‘true’) deserts in that the steppes

A complete cycle of two high tides and two low tides can be expected every 12 hours and 25 minutes along most coastal locations

Which of these is not associated with the trailing (passive) margin of a tectonic plate?

A reg desert surface is covered with desert pavement.

Material transported by dust storms rises to greater heights than that carried by sand storms.

Most of Earth's desert lands are covered by the familiar sand seas.

Chlorine, sodium, and carbon are three of the most common elements in seawater.

The moon is overhead just once each day, but there are two high tides.

Relative to mean sea level (MSL):