Coast Flashcards by Max Harris

What’s a coastline?

A place where the land meets the sea.

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What is weathering?

A breakdown of rock in ‘situ’ (where they are)

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3 types of weathering…

Mechanical
Biological
Chemical

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What’s mechanical weathering?

Weathering causing physical changes to the rock shape.

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What’s biological weathering?

Plants and animals weakening the rocks structure.

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What’s chemical weathering?

Weathering that causes a chemical change to the rocks structure.

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Mechanical weathering includes..

Freeze thaw
Wetting and drying

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Biological weathering includes…

Roots from plants burrowing their way into the rock
Animals

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Chemical weathering includes…

Carbonation( acid rain)
Oxidation

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What is mass movement ?

Downhill movement of material under the influence of gravity

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4 types of mass movement..

Rock fall
Landslide
Mud slide
Slumping

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Rock fall is…

Quickest form of mass movement
Rock breaking away from cliff face, usually due to freeze thaw.
Rocks at bottom are called a scree slope

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A landslide is…

Rock sliding down cliff
Rocks/ matarial maintain contact with the cliff as they fall

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What is a mudslide…

Saturated soil flowing down a slope
Happens rapid, after a period of heavy rain

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What is slumping?

Saturated soil slumping down a curved surface
Material rotated backwards towards the cliff face

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What is the swash of a wave?

Wave travelling up beadh

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What’s the backwash of a wave

Wave travelling down the beach

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Is Swash constructive/destructive?

Constructive

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Is backwash constructive/destructive

Destructive

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Types of erosion at the coastline…

Hydraulic action
Solution
Abrasion
Attrition
( same as in rivers)

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Rate of erosion is affected by….

Destructive / constructive waves
Swash/ backwash
Type of rock
Force of waves

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3 types of rocks….

Sedimentary
Metamorphic
Igneous

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A headland is…

An area of resistant rock that protrudes from the coastline eg. Granite

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A bay is…

An area of less resistant rock between two headlands which is quickly eroded

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What is a discordant coast?

Alternating bands of hard and soft rock …. Hard rock Soft rock Hard rock Soft rock

What is a wave cut notch?

Eroded area (indent) at the bottom of the cliff due to destructive waves Eventually gets deeper and forms an undercut, before it collapses to form a wave cut platform.

What is a wave cut platform?

A wide, gently sloping surface found at the foot of a cliff.

What is CASS in coats

1CAVES 2ARCHES 3STACKS 4STUMPS

Types of transportation in coasts( same as rivers)

Suspension Solution Traction Saltation

What is transportation

The movement of sediment via water

Main direction of wind travel is called..

Prevailing winds

The uks main prevailing winds come from the …

South-west

What is longshore drift?

Transport of sediment along a beach due to waves approaching the beach at an angle /I/I/I/I/I

How will the swash travek up the beach ?

In the direction of prevailing winds.

How will the backwash travel down the beach?

The back wash will always return at 90 degrees to the beach due to gravity

What is a beach?

A beach is the temporary deposition of sand and shingle along the coastline

The 2 types of beaches…

Sandy beach Pebbles beach

Sandy beach characteristics

Flat Constructive waves Small sediment Wide

Pebbles beach characteristics

Steep Destructive waves Larger sediment Thinner

What is deposition ?

When a wave looses energy and drops material it’s carrying

Deposition occurs when…

Low winds Sheltered areas Shallow water Low energy

3 landforms of deposition

Beaches Spits Bars

What is a spit?

A long part of sand or shingle that extends from the coastline, formed due to deposition

A case study example of a spit?

Dawlish warren spit

What is a bar?

A bar is a barrier of sand stretching across a sheltered bay.

What is a tombolo?

A deposition landform where an island becomes attached to the mainland by a narrow piece such as a spit or a bar

Environment for sand dunes to form( acronym)

Sand Winds Objects Plants

What is an aolian process?

Prevailing winds transporting sediment

The three types of aeolian processes…

Suspension Saltation Creep

Structure of a sand dune as you move inland..

More vegetation coverage More soil nutrients More established

What is hard engineering?

Using artificial structures to control natural processes

What is soft engineering

Sustainable approach of managing the coast without artificial structures

Three examples of hard engineering at the coast

Sea wall- wall placed against the sea, curved surface reflects waves back out to sea Gabions-wire cages filled with rocks stabilising the cliff and providing a barrier Rock armour - rocks placed on the beach to break the energy of the waves

Two examples of soft engineering at the coast..

Dune protection - fences that go around dunes, helps encourage dune formation Beach replenishment- adds new sediment to beach to make it higher and wider

Advantage and disadvantage of a Sea Wall (Hard engineering)

Advantage- often has a walkway for people to walk along or fish off Disadvantage - very expensive and High maintenance

Advantage and disadvantage of Gabions (Hard Engineeing)

Advantage - cheaper then other methods Disadvantage- the wire rusts after 5-10 years

Advantage disadvantage of rock armour ( hard engineering)

Advantage -often fished off Disadvantage- can look very unattractive

Advantage and disadvantage of dune protection ( soft engineering )

Advantage- minimal impact on ecosystems Disadvantage- easily destroyed (high maintenance )

Advantage and disadvantage of beach replenishment ( soft engineering)

Advantage - relatively cheap Disadvantage- constant maintenance

Where is Dorset?

South west of England

What is a concordant coast

Bands of different rock type running parallel to the coastline

What’s a discordant coast ?

Layers of rock running at right angles to the coastline.

THE LANDFORMS OF DORSET COAST.. (acronym)

C hesil beach ( a bar) O ld harry (cass) L ulworth cove (bay) D urdle door (headland reproved to arch) S wanage bay ( beach)