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Geography - Physical > Coastal Landscapes and Change > Flashcards

Coastal Landscapes and Change Flashcards

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1
Q

What are rocky coastlines

A

Cliffs varying in height from a few meters to hundreds of meters; cliffs are formed from rock but the hardness of the rock varies

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2
Q

What are coastal plains

A

Land gradually slopes towards the sea across an area of deposited sediment, with sand dunes and mud flats being the most common example

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3
Q

What are joints

A

These divide rock strata up in blocks with a regular shape

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4
Q

What are fissures

A

Smaller cracks in rocks. often they are only a fe cms long

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5
Q

What is a fault

A

A major line of weakness within the rock. This causes large fractures

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6
Q

What 3 factors affect wave size

A

Fetch
Strength of wind and how long its been blowing for
Depth of water

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7
Q

What is a concordant coast

A

These coastlines have alternating layers of hard and soft rock that run parallel to the coast

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8
Q

What is a discordant coast

A

Coasts have alternating layers of hard and soft rock that are perpendicular to the coast

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9
Q

What are the 4 dips of cliff profiles

A

Horizontal dip
Seaward dip (High angle)
Seaward dip (Low angle)
Landward dip

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10
Q

What does the dip profile show

A

How the angle of the cliff dip profile can cause erosion to occur at different rates along the coastline

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11
Q

What is a constructive wave

A

Has a swash that is stronger than the backwash. This therefore builds up the coast

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12
Q

What are destructive waves

A

Has a backwash that is stronger than the swash. This therefore erodes the coast

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13
Q

How does vegetation stabilise sediment

A

Roots bind sediment together
Provides a protective layer to prevent exposure
Protection from wind erosion

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14
Q

Depositional features at a bayhead beach

A

Waves break at 90 degrees to the shoreline and moves sediment into a bay

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15
Q

Depositional features of a tombolo

A

A sand or shingle bar that links the coastline to an offshore island

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16
Q

Depositional features of a barrier beach/bar

A

A sand or shingle beach connecting two areas of land with a lagoon behind

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17
Q

Depositional features of a cuspate foreland

A

Triangular-shaped features extending out from a shoreline

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18
Q

What are the 3 Types of geology

A

Sedimentary
Igneous
Metamorphic

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19
Q

What is attrition

A

Rocks that bash together to become smooth/smaller

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20
Q

What is Solution

A

A chemical reaction that dissolved rocks

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21
Q

What is abrasion

A

Rocks hurled at the base of a cliff to break pieces apart

22
Q

What is Hydraulic action

A

Water enters cracks in the cliff, air compresses, causing the crack to expand

23
Q

What is erosion

A

Breaking down and removal of material by the movement of wind and water

24
Q

What is suspension

A

Sediment is carried along in the flow of the water

25
Q

What is saltation

A

Pebbles that bounce along the seabed

26
Q

What is Traction

A

Boulders that roll along a seabed by the force of the flowing water

27
Q

What are the 4 types of erosion

A

Attrition
Solution
Abrasion
Hydraulic action

28
Q

What are the 4 types of transportation

A

Solution
Suspension
Saltation
Traction

29
Q

What are Synclines

A

A downward, U-shaped fold in the layers of rock in the Earths surface

30
Q

What’s a Anticline

A

An upward, curved fold in the layers of rock in the Earths surface

31
Q

What is weathering

A

An alteration or breakdown of rock when they are exposed to the atmosphere

32
Q

What’s the 3 types of weathering

A

Carbonation
Mechanical
Biological

33
Q

What is a sedimentary rock

A

Weathering and erosion of rocks exposed at the surface e.g sandstone

34
Q

What is a metamorphic rock

A

Rocks under high temperatures and pressures change composition e.g slate

35
Q

What is a igneous rock

A

Formed by the cooling and solidifying of molten rock e.g granite

36
Q

Examples of hard engineering defences

A

Groynes
Sea walls
Rip rap
Gabions

37
Q

Examples of soft engineering defences

A

Beach nourishment

Managed retreat

38
Q

Benefits of hard engineering

A

Quick/one-off solution
Reassure coastal communities security of properties
Reduce insurance costs of homes

39
Q

Negatives of hard engineering

A

Cost very high and requires maintenance
Unattractive and unappealing to tourists
Needs of environment often overlooked

40
Q

Positives if soft engineering

A

Low cost
Less impact on environment
Natural appearance

41
Q

Negatives of soft engineering

A

Regular maintenance
Less effective against extreme storm events
May have to compensate for property loss

42
Q

What are isostatic changes

A

Local changes in land and sea levels

43
Q

What are eustatic changes

A

Worldwide changes in sea levels

44
Q

What are emergent coastlines

A

Formed as a result of a fall in sea level

45
Q

What are raised beaches

A

As coastline rises (or sea level falls) beaches which were once at sea level are left high up in the cliffs

46
Q

What are relict cliffs

A

Caves, arches and stacks formed when they were at sea level are now left high up on the cliff face today

47
Q

Causes of coastal flooding

A
  • Severe weather events drive up water level, creating a storm surge such as hurricanes
  • Large waves (driven by local winds or swell from distant storms, raise coastal water levels which creates large waves)
  • Flooding from storm surge combine with river flooding from rain in upland water shed
  • When a severe storm hits during high tide, risk of flood increases
  • Flooding from a
48
Q

What is a sediment cell

A

A section of coast that has been controlled for management purposes (where shingle and sandstone is contains and regulated to keep a healthy sediment budget )

49
Q

What is a sediment budget

A

Amount of sediment available within a sediment cell

50
Q

What is carbonation weathering

A

Breakdown of rock by changing its chemical composition

51
Q

What is mechanical weathering

A

A physical change caused by the movement of water or wind

52
Q

What is biological weathering

A

Rocks that have been broken down by living organisms

Geography - Physical (4 decks)

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