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Geography > Coastal systems and processes > Flashcards

Coastal systems and processes Flashcards

1
Q

Constructive waves

A

Add sediment to beaches
Strong swash, weak backwash
Weak wind
Wide sloping beaches

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2
Q

Destructive waves

A

Removes sediment from the beach
Weak swash, strong backwash
Strong wind
Steep beach

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3
Q

Winds

A

Movement of air from one place to another
Areas of high atmospheric pressure to low
Prevailing wind in the UK is south-west
Moves sediment along the coastline

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4
Q

Currents

A

Permanent or seasonal movement of surface water in seas/oceans
3 main types: longshore, rip and upwelling

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5
Q

Tides

A

Changes in the level of seas/oceans caused by the gravitational pull of the moon (greater force as it is nearer) and the sun
2 types: spring and neap

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6
Q

Low energy coastline

A

Deposition is greater than erosion rates
Sandy coastline
Landforms: beaches, spits

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7
Q

High energy coastline

A

Erosion is greater than deposition rates
Rocky coastlines
Landforms: headlands, cliffs, wave-cut platforms

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8
Q

Sediment cells

A

Closed systems
Inputs and outputs are balanced
11 sediment cells in the UK
Separated by distinct boundaries (eg- headlands)

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9
Q

Sediment budgets

A

Balance between sediment being added to and removed from a sediment cell coastal system

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10
Q

Weathering

A

Breakdown/disintegration of rock in situ (in its original place)

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11
Q

Mass movement

A

Downhill movement of material under the influence of gravity

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12
Q

Transportation

A

Transfer/flow of material from one place to another

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13
Q

Deposition

A

Velocity of water falls below a critical value for a particular size of sediment and can no longer be transported

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14
Q

Erosion

A

Removes debris from foot of the cliff
Removal of material by wind, waves, tides and sea currents

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15
Q

Hydraulic action

A

Air is forced inside cracks in the rock by water and is highly compressed
Enormous pressure is exerted
Explosive effect with the air under pressure being released
Over time it weakens the cliff
(Cavitation)

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16
Q

Wave quarrying

A

Sheer force of water exerting pressure upon a rock surface
Weakens and dislodges parts of the rock

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17
Q

Corrasion

A

Material picked up by the sea wears away the rock face
Waves hurl material at the base of the cliff

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18
Q

Abrasion

A

Sediment is dragged over rocky surfaces
Smooths and erodes the rock
Sandpapering effect

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19
Q

Solution

A

Weak acids can dissolve alkaline rock (chalk/limestone)
Dissolved particles are then removed

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20
Q

Attrition

A

Material is rolled over eachother by the waves and are smoothed and reduced in size by eachother

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21
Q

Traction

A

Large stones and boulders rolled along the seabed

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22
Q

Suspension

A

Very small particles are carried along by moving water

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23
Q

Run off

A

Where overland flow occurs down a slope or cliff face

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24
Q

Fetch

A

Wave that has built up over a great distance will have generated more energy

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25
Longshore current
Waves approach the coastline at an angle Move and transports sediment parallel to the shoreline
26
Rip current
Strong localised underwater currents Waves pass over sandbars Struggle to pass over sand bar when they wash back out, forced through a gap creating the rip current
27
Upwelling
Movement of cold water from the deep ocean towards the surface Replaces warmer surface water Creates nutrient rich cold ocean currents
28
Spring tide
Twice a lunar month When the sun and moon are aligned with eachother Spring high tide is slightly higher than usual Spring low tide is slightly lower than usual Greater tidal range as a result
29
Neap tide
Twice a lunar month When the moon is half full, the sun and moon are at right angles to eachother Neap high tide is not as high as usual Neap low tide is not as low as usual Smaller tidal range as a result
30
Marine processes
Operate upon the coastlines In water
31
Sub-ariel processes
Processes that shape the coastline Out of water
32
3 types of marine processes
Deposition Erosion Transportation
33
2 types of sub ariel processes Including types
Weathering- mechanical, biological, chemical Mass movement
34
6 types of erosion
Hydraulic action Wave pounding/quarrying Corrasion Abrasion Corrasion/solution Attrition
35
4 types of transportation
Traction Saltation Suspension Solution
36
Solution
Dissolved materials are transported within moving water
37
Saltation
Small stones bounced along the seabed
38
Longshore drift
Swash carries material up the beach at an angle Backwash pulls material down the beach at right angles Creates a zig-zag movement of sediment along the coast
39
Aeolian processes
Processes related to the wind
40
3 types of weathering
Mechanical Biological Chemical
41
Mechanical weathering
Break up of rock with no chemical change 3 types: freeze-thaw, salt crystallisation, wetting and drying
42
Biological weathering
Breakdown of rocks by organic activity 2 types: roots, birds/animals
43
Chemical weathering
Breakdown of rocks by changing the chemical composition- dissolving rocks due to chemical reactions 3 types: carbonation, oxidation, solution
44
Rockfall
Rocks on a steep/vertical cliff face Freeze thaw weathering occurs Large blocks of rock fall from cliff face to the bottom as 'scree'
45
Landslide
Rock is on a planar surface (hill that has a flat edge) Rainfall occurs, lubricates the land, reduces friction Solid blocks of material slide downhill rapidly
46
Mudflow
Earth and mud on hillslope Rainfall fills pores Mud particles become heavier, sediment flows downhill
47
Rotational slip/ Slumping
Material on a curved surface Permeable rock overlies impermeable rock Rainfall percolates the soil Saturated layer on top slumps downhill
48
Soil creep
Soil particles get wet, rainfall lubricates particles Less friction, slowly creeps downhill Soil dries out and stops moving Terracettes are formed
49
Solifluction
Frozen soil thaws in summer Becomes saturated Soil creeps downhill over a layer of permafrost
50
Freeze thaw weathering
Freezing and condensing of water
51
Wave refraction
When waves hit a coastline which is indented, they are refracted and become increasingly parallel to the coastline Waves are concentrated on the headland
52
Salt crystallisation
Water evaporates, leaving salt crystals Continues and more salt is left behind Crystals accumulate and grow Stress on rocks causes it to break apart
52
Wetting and drying
Rocks rich in clay expand when wet Contract when they dry Repeats over time Rocks crack and break apart
52
Roots
Plants grow on cliffs Roots grow in small cracks Roots grow, expand Cause cracks to widen and breaks rock apart
53
6 sources of sediment
Offshore Rivers Wind Glaciers Longshore drift Cliff erosion
54
Birds/animals
Dig burrows in cliffs Rocks break apart
55
Carbonation
Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide Forms acid rain Carbonic acid reacts with calcium carbonate, forms calcium bicarbonate Rock dissolves over time
56
Oxidation
Oxygen reacts with iron in rocks Forms iron oxide (rust) Rocks then more weak and vulnerable to breaking down
57
Concordant coastline
Alternating bands of hard and soft rock running parallel to the coastline
58
Discordant coastline
Alternating bands of hard and soft rock perpendicular to the coastline

Geography (8 decks)

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