Coastal / UK landscapes Flashcards
Marine processes
erosion, transportation, deposition
subarial processes
weathering and mass movement
Abrasion (or corrasion)
the scraping, scouring or rubbing action of materials being carried by moving features such as rivers, glaciers or waves, which erode rocks
attrition
When rocks that the river is carrying knock against each other. They break apart to become smaller and more rounded.
Hydraulic action
The pressure of compressed air forced into cracks in a rock face will cause the rock to weaken and break apart.
Solution
rocks being chemically changed such as its either taken into the solution or removed
traction
large stones or boulders are rolled along the floor of the river
Saltation
small rocks are bounced along the bottom of the river bed
solution
material is dissolved and carried along in the river
Suspension
- Small/fine sediment can be transported in the current of the waves/body of the water
What is longshore drift?
- Sediment can be transported by longshore drift.
- Sediment is moved up the beach by the swash at an angle
- and back down the beach at 90o by the backwash.
examples of weathering
biological, chemical, phycisal and freeze thaw
Examples of mass movement
landslides, slumps, falls
examples of landforms from coastal erosion
cave, arch, stack, stump, headland, bays, WCP, WCN, cliff
factors influencing erosion
weather/temperature, tides, depth of water, shape of coastline, wind, humans, type of wave
Concordant coastline
In this type of coastline, the layers of rock are parallel to the direction of the coastline.
Disconcordant coastline
Rock type runs 90° to coast
charateristics of beaches
- gently sloping, very low angle to the beach
- streches far inland
- can be found in bays or along streches of the coastline
- tourist resorts use groynes to keep the beaches in place