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Geography > 2.1 Shaping the landscape - Coasts > Flashcards

2.1 Shaping the landscape - Coasts Flashcards

1
Q

How are waves formed?

A

They are formed by wind interacting with the surface of the sea.

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2
Q

When do waves break?

A

The waves break when the base is slowed by the sea bed at the coast

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3
Q

What is fetch?

A

The distance over which the wind blows over the sea surface

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4
Q

The greater the fetch, the __________

A

larger the waves are as the wind is able to blow over it for a greater amount of time

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5
Q

Why is the largest wave height in the UK in the South Western side?

A

The waves in the South West have an incredibly long fetch

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5
Q

What is the prevailing wind direction?

A

The direction from which the wind usually blows

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6
Q

What is hydraulic action?

A

When waves crash against the cliff, compressing the water and air into cracks and forcing the rocks apart.

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7
Q

What is abrasion?

A

When waves pick up rocks from the sea bed or beach and smash them against the cliffs

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8
Q

What is corrosion (solution)?

A

when minerals such as calcium carbonate (the main part of chalk and limestone rocks) are slowly dissolved in seawater

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9
Q

What is attrition?

A

When sand and pebbles are picked up by the sea and smashed against one another, wearing them down into smaller and more rounded particles

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10
Q

What causes sea levels to rise?

A

Extreme low pressure weather events (depressions)

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11
Q

What are storm surges?

A

A rapid rise in sea level caused by low-pressure storms

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12
Q

What is mass movement?

A

The sudden slumping/slip of sediment in cliffs due to water infiltration from above and erosion at the cliff base causes the cliff to collapse

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13
Q

What affects the rate of erosion

A

the rock type at the coast

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14
Q

what type of rocks in cliffs get eroded very easily?

A

soft unconsolidated boulder clay

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15
Q

what type of rocks in cliffs are more resistant to erosion?

A

limestone and chalk

16
Q

what is suspension

A

fine material such as clay and sediment is carried by the sea

17
Q

what is traction

A

large boulders and pebbles are rolled along the sea bed

18
Q

what is solution

A

dissolved minerals are carried by the sea

19
Q

what is saltation

A

small stones, pebbles and silt bounces along the sea bed

20
Q

what is the impact of human activity on erosion

A

Human activity also causes changes to the dynamic coastal system.

Tourism that brings footfall to coastal footpaths can accelerate rates of erosion and weathering and make them unstable.

Building structures for industry or coastal management also changes sediment dynamics and can have devastating knock-on effects at other parts of the coast.

21
Q

what is deposition

A

the laying down of material due to loss of wave energy

22
Q

Describe how headlands and bays are formed

A

when harder rock (limestone and chalk) are located next to softer unconsolidated sediments (clay and sand), the latter is eroded at a faster rate by the waves.

the more resistant rock protrudes as a headland while a bay is formed from the softer rock.

the bay is more sheltered from the wave energy and deposition occurs forming a sandy or shingle/pebble beach

23
Q

what is a wave cut notch

A

when waves break at the base of sedimentary rock cliffs, higher rates of erosion occurs forming a wave cut notch

24
Q

what is a wave cut platform

A

an area of exposed rock below the wave cut notch
this is visible at low tide

25
Q

is the surface of a wave cut platform smooth

A

no, because erosional processes like abrasion and weathering continue to erode the rock face
as a result, vertical joints and potholes are formed

26
Q

draw an annotated diagram to show how caves, arches, stacks and stumps are formed

A
27
Q

what is longshore drift (LSD)

A

when the prevailing wind blows waves to beaches at an angle, the sediment is transported along the coastline in a process called LSD

28
Q

what is the movement of the wave up the beach called

A

swash

29
Q

what is the movement of the wave back down again

A

backwash

30
Q

draw an annotated diagram to show LSD

A
31
Q

describe how a spit is made

A

A spit is a narrow strip of land that forms along coastlines through sediment buildup.

This happens when waves, pushed by the prevailing wind, carry sediment along the shore.

As this continues, the sand starts to pile up in the same direction, creating a spit that extends into the water.

If a secondary wind changes the wave direction, the end of the spit can curve, forming a hook shape.

The waters behind the spit often become estuaries and salt marshes.

32
Q

draw an annotated diagram of a spit

A
33
Q

what do salt marshes and estuaries do

A

they support the high biodiversity of plants and animals

Geography (4 decks)

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