Question 4 (Multiple Choice Worth 2 points)

A severe storm has churned up the water and sediment along a coastline, causing the water to appear murky. How would this affect the marine ecosystem?

A. Light waves would be more likely to be refracted or diffracted, thus failing to reach plants and phytoplankton.
B. Light waves would be more likely to be at a higher frequency, thus causing harmful algal blooms.
C. Light waves would increase in wavelength, thus penetrating the water more deeply.
D. Light waves would be more likely to move at a higher speed through the water, thus helping to increase photosynthesis.

When a severe storm churns up water and sediment along a coastline, it can affect the marine ecosystem through refraction of light waves. As waves slow down in shallower water, they refract and align more parallel to the shore, influencing longshore currents and transport. This refraction can either concentrate wave energy, causing erosion in headlands, or disperse it, leading to sediment deposition in bays.

Learn more about Wave refraction and its impact on marine ecosystems here:

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