Option #2 - Online Oceanography Virtual Field Trip #1
Question Worksheet
This trip will be completed online, and can be found at Natural Bridges Coastal Field Trip Webpage at URL
http://emerald.ucsc.edu/~es10/fieldtripNBridge/
Directions: Below are 25 questions that pertain to the virtual fieldtrip listed above. The questions are arranged
according to the ordered fieldtrip topics – starting at the Coastal geology (Santa Cruz Mudstone), and moving from
topic to topic, finally to sea arches. Online students need to return your written answers to the questions below by 11:55 p.m. on
September 18th (in the fieldtrip #1 assignment submit section) as a response to this assignment in order to receive credit.
I. Questions:
1) What type of marine depositional environment did this rock’s sediment particles deposit in?
2) What is the geologic age of this rock unit?
3) Name the three types of sedimentary particles cemented together in this rock.
4) What makes this rock relatively hard? Hint: It’s the type of cement that holds the sediment particles together.
Marine Terraces
5) What exactly are marine terraces?
6) What two “grand”, yet apparently unrelated, geologic processes created this sequence of marine terraces?
7) What very major fault is located to the east of here?
8) This fault marks the location of what sort of tectonic boundary?
Coastal Dunes
9) What is the main difference between a coastal sand dune and a desert sand dune?
10) Three things are needed to make a coastal sand dune – what are they?.
11) Is a coastal sand dune a source or sink for the local beach? Briefly explain.
Coastal Streams
and Lagoons
12) What time of year do the local rivers and streams typically flood?.
13) What type of coastal feature is usually found in front of a stream or river mouth?
14) Is a coastal river or stream a source or sink for the local beach? Briefly explain
Waves
15) Most waves that strike a beach are generated by what force?
16) Name the two general types of wind waves that break along the shore?
Beaches
17) Briefly define the term “beach”.
18) What are two most abundant sediments making up beaches
here in
19) Beaches get most of their sediment from what source?
20) List a couple reasons on why beaches are important to us.
Littoral Drift
21) What is the difference between a Longshore current and Littoral drift?
22) What causes these two nearshore phenomena?
23) The longshore current and littoral drift predominantly travels what direction?
Sea Cliffs
24) What types of processes cause sea cliff rock to erode?
25) What determines how fast a sea cliff will erode?
II. Post Trip Reflection
Write a reflection of your virtual fieldtrip experience (minimum of 100 words) What did you
discover and learn on this excursion? How did this trip contribute to what you learned
in the classroom? How could the virtual fieldtrip have been better planned and/or designed?
What did you enjoy most about this virtual fieldtrip?