Objectives for the topic: Coastal Processes

Reading: Chapter 14 in Tarbuck and Lutgens

Images to understand: 14.1, 7, 8, 9, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 24, Boxes 14.1, 3

After completing this topic, the student will be able to:

1. Explain why breakers form near the shore.
2. Describe longshore currents and their significance to longshore drift of sand.
3. Define wave refraction and draw a sketch to illustrate the phenomenon.
4. List the shoreline landforms created by deposition (AKA accretion).
5. List the shoreline landforms created by erosion.
6. Describe how tides work and their significance to tidal currents.
7. Explain why a delta has not formed at the mouth of the Columbia River.
8. Explain how the position of the shoreline can change.
9. Describe the cause for worldwide changes in sea level.
10. Describe how humans modify shorelines and what consequences result from those modifications.