1.1.1: Operation of the coast as a system

Question 1

Inputs

4

Answer 1

Marine
Atmosphere
Humans
Terrestrial

Question 2

Processes

3

Answer 2

Erosion
Deposition
Transport

Question 3

Outputs

14

Answer 3

Beaches, sand dunes, spits, bars, tombolos, headlands, bays, cliffs, wave cut notches and platforms, caves, arches, stacks and stumps

Question 4

Coastal system is a ? system

Answer 4

open system

Question 5

Factors that make the coastal system an open system

Answer 5

inputs and outputs of energy and sediment

Question 6

processes that operate as flows in the coastal system

Answer 6

river currents, ocean currents and tides,

atmospheric processes eg: wind

Question 7

Sediment budget

Answer 7

Know the amount of sediment and where it comes from and is stored and how it leaves to manage coastlines.

Question 8

Aeolian transfer

Answer 8

Process of wind eroding a coast

Question 9

Movement of sediment is essential to

Answer 9

Stability of coasts

Question 10

Outputs of the coastal system example

Answer 10

Longshore drift

Question 11

Sediment equilibrium

Answer 11

volume of sediment in = volume of sediment stored + volume of sediment out

Question 12

Net loss budget

Answer 12

Volume of sediment in < volume of sediment stored + volume of sediment out

Question 13

Littoral cell aka

Answer 13

sediment cell

Question 14

sediment cells have ? within

Answer 14

Small sub cells

Question 15

Steady state equilibrium

Answer 15

Variations in energy stay mainly constant

Question 16

Meta-stable equilibrium

Answer 16

Where an environment switches between 2 or more states of equilibrium, stimulated by some trigger

Question 17

Dynamic equilibrium

Answer 17

Involves a change in equilibrium conditions but in a gradual manner over a longer period

Question 18

example of steady state equilibrium

Answer 18

when and where sea cliffs receive equal atmospheric and marine energy

Question 19

example of meta-stable equilibrium

Answer 19

high energy events like storms remove a whole beach in hours

Question 20

example of dynamic equilibrium

Answer 20

sea level rise

Question 21

Morphology

Answer 21

Shape of the land

Question 22

Coastal morphology

Answer 22

Shape of the coast

Question 23

Positive feedback

Answer 23

Change has knock on effects and spirals out of control

Question 24

Negative feedback

Answer 24

Change happens then self corrects

Question 25

example of positive feedback

Answer 25

erosion dune ridge by storm = driven further inland = new state of equilibrium reached

Question 26

example of negative feedback

Answer 26

sand eroded during a storm erodes dunes at front then sand bars form which protect beach

Question 27

Transfers

Answer 27

processes of erosion and transportation that can move sediment around the system

Question 28

Stores

Answer 28

Sediment deposited in landforms