Lakes formed along low lying coastal areas due to the action and deposits of the sea are called what?

Introduction / Context:
This physical geography question deals with different types of lakes and inland water bodies, and in particular with those created by the action of the sea. Coastal processes such as wave action and the deposition of sand and silt can partly cut off sections of the sea from the open ocean. The resulting shallow water bodies behave like lakes, even though they are connected with marine processes. Such features are important along many low lying coasts around the world.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question specifically mentions lakes formed due to marine deposits along coastal areas.
• Four types of lakes are listed: crater, cirque, ox bow, and lagoons.
• We focus on the origin of each lake type and match it with the process described.
• It is assumed that the term lake is used broadly to include shallow coastal water bodies separated from the open sea.

Concept / Approach:
Crater lakes form in volcanic craters or calderas. Cirque lakes form in bowl shaped depressions carved by glaciers in high mountain areas. Ox bow lakes are formed when river meanders are cut off from the main channel due to river erosion and deposition. None of these involve direct marine deposits. Lagoons, however, are shallow coastal water bodies separated from the open sea by sand bars, spits, or barrier islands created by the deposition of marine sediments, and so they match the process described in the question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key phrase in the question: lakes formed due to marine deposits along coastal areas. Step 2: Recall that crater lakes are connected with volcanoes, not with sea deposits. Step 3: Recall that cirque lakes are made by glaciers eroding bowl shaped hollows high in mountains. Step 4: Recall that ox bow lakes form on floodplains where rivers abandon meander loops due to fluvial processes. Step 5: Recognise that lagoons are shallow stretches of seawater partially cut off from the sea by sand bars and similar marine deposits, and so they fit the description.

Verification / Alternative check:
Think of real world examples. On many coasts, such as along the eastern coast of India or parts of the Mediterranean, you find long narrow water bodies separated from the sea by sand spits. These are classic lagoons. On the other hand, volcanic crater lakes like Crater Lake in the United States are far inland and clearly not related to marine deposits. Similarly, cirque and ox bow lakes are associated with glaciers and rivers respectively, not with coastal marine deposition. This cross check confirms that lagoon is the only suitable term among the options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, crater lakes, are created by volcanic activity followed by water accumulation and have no direct link to marine deposition. Option B, cirque lakes, are glacial features in high mountain basins and do not occur due to sea action. Option C, ox bow lakes, appear in river floodplains after cut off meanders are left behind when rivers change course. None of these involve the deposition of sand and silt along coasts by waves and currents. Only lagoons form as a result of such marine processes.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to confuse any kind of lake with the term lagoon or to think that any coastal lake can be called a lagoon. Another pitfall is ignoring the key word marine and instead focusing only on the word lake. To avoid errors, always match the type of water body with the specific agents and processes involved, such as glaciers, rivers, volcanic activity, or ocean waves.

Final Answer:
Lakes formed along coasts due to marine deposits are called lagoons.