Coastal Landscapes in the UK

Question 1

Define weathering.

Answer 1

Breakdown of rocks where they are, erosion is when the rocks are broken down and carried by something eg:seawater.

Question 2

Define mechanical weathering?

Answer 2

Breakdown of rock without changing its chemical composition.

Question 3

Explain the example of mechanical weathering that affects coasts.

Answer 3

Freeze-thaw weathering
Happens when temperature alternates above and below 0 degrees (freezing point of water)
Water gets into the rock that has cracks eg:granite
When the water freezes it expands which puts pressure onto the rock
When the water thaws it contracts which releases the pressure on the rock.
Repeated freezing and thawing widens the cracks and causes the rock to break up.

Question 4

Define the term chemical weathering.

Answer 4

Breakdown of rock by changing its chemical composition

Question 5

Give an example of chemical weathering and how it happens.

Answer 5

Carbonating weathering
Happens in warm and wet conditions
Rainwater has carbon dioxide dissolved in it, which makes it a weak carbonic acid.
Carbonic acid reacts with rock that contains calcium carbonate For example: Carboniferous limestone so the rocks are dissolved by the rainwater.

Question 6

Define the term mass movement

Answer 6

The shifting of rocks and loose material down a slope eg: a cliff.

Question 7

When does mass movement?

Answer 7

When the force of gravity acting on a slope is greater than the force supporting it.

Question 8

What does mass cause?

Answer 8

Coasts to retreat rapidly.

Question 9

When is mass movement more likely to happen?

Answer 9

When the material is full of water, acts as a lubricant and makes the material heavier.

Question 10

Give the three types of mass movement.

Answer 10

Slides
Slumps
Rockfalls.

Question 11

Define the term of mass movement called slides.

Answer 11

Material shifts in a straight line.

Question 12

Define the term of mass movement called slumps.

Answer 12

Material shits with a rotation.

Question 13

Define the term of mass movement called rockfalls.

Answer 13

Material breaks up and falls down slope.

Question 14

Waves wear the coast using three processes of erosion -what are they called?

Answer 14

Hydraulic action
Abrasion
Abrasion
Attrition

Question 15

Define the term hydraulic power

Answer 15

waves crash against the rock and compresses the air in the cracks.
This puts pressure on the rocks.
Repeated compression widens the cracks and makes bits of rock break off.

Question 16

Define the term abrasion.

Answer 16

eroded particles in the water scrape and rub against rock, removing small pieces.

Question 17

Define the term attrition.

Answer 17

eroded particles in the water smash into each other and break into smaller fragments.
Their edges also get rounded off as they rub together.

Question 18

What are the types of wave that carry out erosional processes?

Answer 18

destructive waves.

Question 19

What is the frequency of a destructive wave like?

Answer 19

High frequency, 10-14 waves per minute

Question 20

Give one feature of a destructive wave.

Answer 20

They are high and steep.

Question 21

Describe the backwash of a destructive wave.

Answer 21

The backwash (movement of the water back down the beach) is more powerful than their swash (the movement of the water up the beach).
This means that material is removed from the coast.

Question 22

Give the six steps to how a wave cut platform is made.

Answer 22

1: waves cause most erosion at the the foot of a cliff.
2: this forms a wave cut notch which is enlarged as erosion continues.
3: the rock about the notch becomes unstable and eventually collapses
4: collapsed material is washed away and a new wave cut notch starts to form.
5: repeated collapsing results in the cliff retreating.
6: a wave cut platform is the platform that’s left behind as the cliff retreats.

Question 23

What do hard rock cliffs tend to be like?

Answer 23

More vertical and soft rock cliffs more sloping.

Question 24

How are headlands and bays formed?

Answer 24

Soft rocks or rocks with lots of joints have low resistance to erosion.
Hard rocks with solid structure have high resistance to erosion.
Headlands and bays form where there are alternative bands of resistant and less resistant rock along the coast.
Les resistant rock like clay is eroded quickly and this forms a bay, bays have a gentle slope.
Resistant rock like chalk erodes more slowly and is left jutting our forming a headland they have steep sides.

Question 25

How do headlands creates caves arches and stacks?

Answer 25

Headlands usually made of resistant rocks that have weaknesses like cracks. Waves crash into headlands and enlarge cracks mainly by hydraulic power and abrasion. Repeated erosion and enlargement of cracks causes a cave to form. Continued erosions deepest cave until breaks through headland and forms an arch eg: Durdle door Erosion continues to wear away the rock supporting the arch until it finally collapses. This forms a stack which is an isolated rock that’s separate from headland eg: old harry

Question 26

Give the order of wha headlands create.

Answer 26

``` Cracks Cave Arch Collapsed material Stack ```

Question 27

How is material transported along the coast?

Answer 27

Long shore drift.

Question 28

Describe how long shore drift works?

Answer 28

Waves follow direction of prevailing wind The hit the coast at an oblique angle (any angle that’s not a right angle) The swash carries material up the beach, in same direction as the waves. Backwash carries material down the beach at right angles back towards the sea Over time material zig zags along the coast.

Question 29

Name the 4 processes of transportation.

Answer 29

Traction Saltation Solution Suspension

Question 30

Define traction

Answer 30

Large particles like boulders are pushed along the sea bed by the forces of water.

Question 31

Define suspension.

Answer 31

Small particles like silt and clay are carried along in the water.

Question 32

Define salutation.

Answer 32

Pebble sized particles bounced along the sea bed by the force of the water.

Question 33

Define solution.

Answer 33

Soluble materials dissolve in the water and are carried along.

Question 34

What is deposition?

Answer 34

material being carried by seawater is dropped on the coast. It occurs when water carrying sediment slows down so that it isn't moving fast enough to carry so much sediment.

Question 35

How are coasts built up?

Answer 35

When the amount of deposition is greater than the erosion.

Question 36

When is the amount of material that is deposited on an area of coast increased?

Answer 36

- there's lots of eroison elsewhere on the coast so their is lots of material available. - lots of transportation of a material into an area.

Question 37

What do low energy waves bring?

Answer 37

Carry material to the coast but they are not strong enough to take a lot of material away - this means there's lots of deposition and very little erosion

Question 38

What are constructive waves

Answer 38

Waves that deposit more material than they erode

Question 39

4 features of constructive waves?

Answer 39

``` 1= low frequency 6-8 waves per minute 2= low and long 3= swash is powerful and it carries material up the coast 4= backwash is weaker and it doesn't take a lot of material back down the coast, which means material is deposited on the coast. ```

Question 40

Where are beaches found on the coast?

Answer 40

Between the high water mark (the highest point on the land the sea level gets to) and the low water mark (the lowest point on the land the sea level gets to)

Question 41

How are beaches formed?

Answer 41

constructive waves which deposit material like sand and shingle.

Question 42

Characteristics of sand beaches

Answer 42

Flat and wide- sand particles are small and the weak backwash can move them back down the beach, creating a long gentle slope

Question 43

Characteristics of a shingle beach

Answer 43

Steep and narrow Shingle particles are large and the weak backwash can't move them back down the beach. The shingle particles build up and create a steep slope.

Question 44

How are spits formed?

Answer 44

Form at sharp bends in the coastline eg:at river mouth Longshore drift transports sand and shingle past the bend and depoisits it in the sea Strong winds and waves can curve the end of the spit forming a recurved end The sheltered area behind the spit is protected from waves- lots of material accumulates in this area which means plants can grow there Over time the sheltered area can become a mud flat or a salt marsh.

Question 45

How are bars formed?

Answer 45

A bar is formed when a spit joins two headlands together The bar cuts off the bay between the headlands from the sea This means a lagoon can form behind the bar

Question 46

How do sand dunes form?

Answer 46

Sand dunes are formed when sand deposited by longshore dirft is moved up the beach by the wind. Obstacles like driftwood cause wind speed to decrease so sand is deposited. The sand is colonised by plants and grasses The vegetation stabilises the sand and encourages more sand to accumulate there forming sand dunes called embryo dunes Over time the oldest dunes migrate inland as newer embryo dunes are formed. These mature dunes can reach heights of up to 10m

Question 47

Give two examples of erosional lanforms.

Answer 47

``` 1= Caves Arches and stacks 2= Cliffs and wavecut platforms ```

Question 48

What do caves stacks and areches look like on a map?

Answer 48

Cant be seen on amps due to rocks above them | They look like little blobs in the sea.

Question 49

What cliffs and wave cut platoforms look like on maps?

Answer 49

``` 1= Cliffs and steep slopes, shown as little black lines 2= Wave cut platforms shown as bumpy edges along the coast. ```

Question 50

Name 2 depositional land forms on a map.

Answer 50

``` 1= Beaches 2= Spits ```

Question 51

What do beaches look like on maps?

Answer 51

Sand beaches shown as plain yellow | Shingle beaches are white or yellow with speckles

Question 52

What do spits look like on a map.

Answer 52

Shown by a beach that carries out to sea but is still attatched to land at one end Might be a sharp bend in coast that caused it to form

Question 53

Give 4 examples of coastal landforms in Dorset coast

Answer 53

Durdle Door Lulworth cove Chesil Beach Swanage Bay, the foreland and studland bay

Question 54

What is Dorset coast made from?

Answer 54

Made from bands of hard rock like limstone and chalk, and soft rock like clay. Rock has been eroded at different rates giving headlands and bays.

Question 55

Describe durdle door.

Answer 55

Arch | Erosion by waves opened up a crack in the limestone headland which became a cave then developed into a arch

Question 56

Describe lulworth cove

Answer 56

Small bay formed after a gap was eroded in a band of limestone. Behind limestone is band of clay been eroded away to form the bay. Same is now starting to happen at Stair Hole further west along coast.

Question 57

Describe Chesil beach.

Answer 57

A tombolo a type of bar formed by longshore drift. Joins Isle of Portland to mainland Behind chesil beach is shallow lagoon called the fleet lagoon

Question 58

Describe Swanage Bay, The Foreland and Studland bay

Answer 58

There are two bays with beaches called Swanage and Studland bay. There are areas of soft rock sandstone and clay. In between them is a headland called the foreland made from a band of hard rock called chalk. End of headland has been eroded to become a stck called Old Harry and a stump called Old Harry's wife.

Question 59

What is Hard Engineering?

Answer 59

Man made structures built to control the flood of the sea and reduce flooding and erosion.

Question 60

What is soft engineering

Answer 60

Schemes set up using knowledge of sea and its processes to reduce effects of flooding and erosion

Question 61

What is a hard engineering defence called sea wall

Answer 61

Wall made out of hard material like concrete that reflects waves back to the sea

Question 62

Benefits of hard engineering called sea wall.

Answer 62

Prevents erosion of the coast | Acts as a barrier to prevent flooding

Question 63

Negatives of hard engineering called sea walls

Answer 63

Creates strong backwash which erodes under the wall | Sea walls are expensive to build and maintain.

Question 64

What is the hard engineering called Gabions.

Answer 64

Wall of wire cages filled with rocks usually built at the foot of cliffs

Question 65

Benefits of gabions

Answer 65

Absorb wave energy Reduce flooding and erosion Cheap and easy to build

Question 66

Negatives of gabions

Answer 66

Boulders can be moved around by strong waves so they need to be replaced.

Question 67

What are the hard engineering groynes?

Answer 67

Wooden or stone fences that are built at right angle to coast. Trap material transported by long shore drift

Question 68

Benefits of hard engineering groynes

Answer 68

Create wider beaches which slow waves Gives greater protection from flooding and erosion Fairly cheap

Question 69

Negatives of groynes

Answer 69

Stave beaches further down the coast of sand making them narrower. Narrow beahces don't protect coasts as well leads to greater erosion and floods.

Question 70

What is soft engineering beach nourishment and reprofiling

Answer 70

Sand and shingle from elsewhere from seabed or from lower down the beach that is added to the upper part of the beach

Question 71

Benefits of beach nourishment and reprofilling

Answer 71

Creates wider beaches that slow the waves | Gives greater protection against flooding and erosion

Question 72

Negatives of beach nourishment and reprofilling

Answer 72

Taking material from sea bed can kill organisms like sponges and corals Very expensive defence has to be repeated

Question 73

Soft E= what is dune regeneration?

Answer 73

Creating or restoring sand dunes by either nourishment or planting vegetation to stabilise sand

Question 74

Soft E= positives of dune regeneration?

Answer 74

Provide barrier between lands and sea Wave energy is absorbed this prevents flooding and erosion. Stabilisation is cheap

Question 75

Soft E= negatives of dune regeneration?

Answer 75

protection limited to small area | nourishment is expensive

Question 76

What is managed retreat?

Answer 76

Coastal realignment | Involves removing current defences allowing sea to flood land behind

Question 77

Positives of managed retreat

Answer 77

Over time land is marshland which protects land behind from flooding and erosion. Cheap easy strategy no maintenence Marshland create new habitats for plants and animals

Question 78

Negatives of managed retreat.

Answer 78

Land is lost to sea so choosing areas to flood causes conflict. Flooding farmland affects farmer livelihood Saltwater negatively effects ecosystems

Question 79

What is happening in holderness coast line?

Answer 79

Erosion is causing cliffs to collapse alongthe holderness coastline.

Question 80

What is causing the erosion at holderness coastline?

Answer 80

Prevailing winds means that eroded material is moved south along the coast by longshore drift instead of staying in the place it came from. This exposes new area of cliff to erosion and causing the coastline to retreat.

Question 81

How much land is lost each year at holderness coast?

Answer 81

1.8 m of land every year | In great cowden rate of erosion over 10m per year Fams businesses and homes are threatened

Question 82

Why is 11km of Holderness being managed using hard engineering?

Answer 82

- Towns like Hornsea have population of over 8000 - Withernsea has a population of over 6000 - People live in mappleton - Important infrastructure like B1242 road which links many towns and businesses along the coast - Gas terminal at easington supplies 25% of Uks gas and is right on edge of cliff

Question 83

How much was spent on mappleton to protect it?

Answer 83

1991 450m of coastline protected at cost of 2 million pounds 61000 tonnes of rock used

Question 84

Describe two types of coastal managment hard engineering at Mappleton

Answer 84

-Rock armour along bas of cliff to absorb power of waves -Building two rock groynes to trap sand and create beach to absorb power of waves. Hornsea has a sea wall and groynes Withernsea has sea walls groynes and rock armour

Question 85

Was coastal management at mappleton succesful?

Answer 85

Yes, village Mappleton and B1242 road is no longer at risk

Question 86

Has management in mappleton caused conflict?

Answer 86

Rock groynes prevented sediment moving south along coast by longshore drift, which has caused increase erosion south of mappleton this led to - loss of land south of mappleton Near great crowdens farm and caravan - Coast guard and lifeboat service at spurn head under threat due to erosion - loss of habitat for wild life at spurn head, less material is coming down the coast to collect at Spurn head so at risk of being washed away - 1999 1km stretch of coast near gas terminal easington has to be protected by rock aromour this costs 6.6 million - Bays forming near protected areas and protected areas becoming headlands. - defences are too expensive