Which zone lies between the lowest tide level and the highest elevation on land affected by storm waves?

• A. Backshore
• B. Shore
• C. Foreshore
• D. Coast

Answer: (B)

Understanding how coastal zones are defined by tide levels and how far waves reach on land helps here. The zone that runs from the lowest tide level up to the furthest inland point that storm waves can reach is the shore. This is the part of the coast that is regularly touched by wave action and can be inundated during storms, extending inland farther than normal tidal reach but not beyond the area that waves can affect in typical storm conditions.

The foreshore, by contrast, is the intertidal strip that lies between high and low tide lines and is regularly wetted by waves under ordinary tidal conditions. The backshore lies landward of the high-tide line and is mostly dry, being reached by waves only during storms. The coast is the broad overall area along the shoreline, not a single defined zone between specific tide levels and storm reach.