Coastal Landscapes Flashcards
Where is the intertidal zone?
Between the high and low water mark
What is the fetch?
The distance over which the wind blows
Where is the shore?
Between the coastline (end of land) and the low water mark
Where is the coast?
Between the coastline and high wate mark
What is swash?
Water that breaks from a wave and rushes up the beach
What is a waves’s crest?
The top of a wave
How does soil creep cause erosion?
Soil freezes then melts, expanding and contracting
How does rockfall cause erosion?
Eroded rock results in rock falling
How many times per minute do destructive and constructive waves occur?
Destructive: 10-15, constructive: 6-8
What do destructive and constructive waves do respectively?
Erodes and deposits
What kind of beach do destructive waves form?
Steep and narrow
What type of beach do constructive waves form?
Gently sloping and wide
How is a spit formed?
Longshore drift occurs, resulting in deposition so the wave can’t go round the corner. As a result, material is deposited and a spit is formed can constant depositation
What factors affect the rate of cliff recession?
Softer rocks, greater amounts of cracks and seaward/vertical layered rocks
How do groynes work?
They cause accumulation of sand which protects cliffs
