3.4 Coastal Erosion- Process And Landforms

Question 1

Abrasion/ corrasion

Answer 1

Wave picks up sand and pebbles from the seabed. When the wave breaks the sediment is thrown at the cliff foot, chips away at the rock

Question 2

Hydraulic action

Answer 2

Air is trapped and compressed in joints in the rock. When the wave breaks the compressed air expands. Continuous process that weakens cracks in the rock.

Question 3

Corrosion

Answer 3

Where alkaline cliffs are weakened by the weak acids in the sea that slowly dissolve them

Question 4

Attrition

Answer 4

Works in conjunction with corrosion, refers to gradual wearing down rock particles by impact & abrasion. This process slowly makes particles smaller and rounder and smoother

Question 5

Differential Erosion

Answer 5

Refers to when a cliff face erodes at different speeds due to softer and harder rock

Question 6

Stacks and stumps

Answer 6

Isolated pillars of rock that lie off the shore. Caused due to concentrated erosion. Stumps are completely coveted at high tide

Question 7

Wave-cut notch

Answer 7

When waves break against a cliff at the same height over time, it creates a section of cliff at the foot that is more eroded than the rest, top of the notch is close to the high tide line

Question 8

Cave creation

Answer 8

Erosion of a cliff face exposes joints and cracks. When these are eroded, it can create a cave as the wave cut notch carves out deeper

Question 9

Arch formation

Answer 9

Occurs when two caves join up on either side of a headland, or a single cave is eroded through a headland