3.1 - Hodder

Question 1

In the coastal system, when is there a dynamic equilibrium?

Answer 1

When there is a balance between inputs and outputs.

Question 2

Outline what feedback is in the coastal system.

Answer 2

If one of the elements of a system changes, eg if there’s increased deposition on a beach but there’s no corresponding change in the amount of sediment removed by the beach, the beach features may change and the equilibrium is upset - thus is feedback.

Question 3

Outline inputs in the coastal system.

Answer 3

• energy from waves, wind, tides sea currents.
• sediment
• geology of the coastline
• sea level change

Question 4

What components does erosional processes result in in the coastal system?

Answer 4

Erosional landforms and landscapes.

Question 5

What components does ‘wind and water transport’ result in?

Answer 5

Depositional landforms and landscapes.

Question 6

Outline outputs in the coastal system.

Answer 6

• dissipation of wave energy
• accumulation of sediment above the tidal limit
• sediment removed beyond local sediment cells

Question 7

What is a coastal landscape?

Answer 7

Coastal landscapes consist of a constantly changing assemblage of erosional and depositional landforms. They are the result of continuous change in the components (aka elements) of the coastal system.

Question 8

Give an example of a negative feedback system in the coastal environment.

Hint: offshore bar.

Answer 8

1. A beach in dynamic equilibrium
2. Sediment is eroded from the beach during a storm
3. Sediment is despoiled offshore forming an offshore bar
4. Waves are not forces to break before reaching the beach, dissipating their energy and reducing further erosion when they reach the beach
5. When the storm calms, normal wave conditions rework sediments from the offshore bar back to the beach

Question 9

What are the 5 zones of the coastline?

Answer 9

• backshore
• foreshore
• inshore
• offshore
• nearshore which includes: swash zone, surf zone, breaker zone

Question 10

Backshore is a zone of the coastline. Outline what this is.

Answer 10

The area between the HWM and the landward limit of marine activity.
Changes normally only take place here during storm activity.

Question 11

Foreshore is a zone of the coastal environment. Outline this zone.

Answer 11

The area lying between the HWM and LWM.

It is the most important zone for marine processes in times that are not influenced by storm activity.

Question 12

Inshore is a zone of the coastline. Outline what this is.

Answer 12

Inshore is the area between the LWM and the point at which waves cease to have any influence on the land beneath them.

Question 13

Offshore is a zone of the coastline. Outline what this is.

Answer 13

The area beyond the point where waves cease to impact upon the seabed and in which activity is limited to deposition of sediments.

Question 14

Nearshore is a zone of the coastline. Outline what this is.

Answer 14

Nearshore is the area extending seaward from the HWM to the area where waves begin to break. It includes:

• swash zone
• surf zone
• breaker zone

Question 15

What is the swash zone of a coastline?

Answer 15

Within the nearshore, the swash zone is the area where a turbulent layer of water washes up on the beach following the breaking of a wave.

Question 16

What is the surf zone in a coastline?

Answer 16

Within the nearshore, the surf zone is the area between where the waves break, forming a foamy, bubbly surface, and where the waves then move up the beach as swash in the swash zone.

Question 17

What is the break zone in the coastal system?

Answer 17

The breaker zone is the area where waves approaching the coastline begin the break, usually where the water depth is 5m.