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GSCE Geography > Coasts > Flashcards

Coasts Flashcards

1
Q

How are sedimentary rocks formed?

A

The rocks are formed in layers.
They are formed from weathered or eroded rock debris that has been transported and deposited.
The deposited rock grains build up in layers called sediments.
The weight of the sediments causes the layers at the bottom to become compacted

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2
Q

Characteristics of Sedimentary rocks? (6)

A
  1. Classified by texture and composition
  2. Usually have layers
  3. Often fossils
  4. Are composed of rounded grains pushed together
  5. Have a variety of colour
  6. Are made of particles that may be the same size or vary
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3
Q

Distribution of sedimentary rocks

A
  1. Most of the sedimentary rock is found in the South East of England
  2. A small amount of sedimentary rock is found in the coastal areas of North Scotland
  3. There is NO sedimentary rock North of the UK
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4
Q

How are metamorphic rocks formed?

A
  1. Rocks form when igneous or sedimentary rocks undergo a great amount of pressure or are close to a source of heat
  2. The rocks are NOT melted but heated
  3. Under these conditions, the minerals within the rock change chemically to form a metamorphic rock
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5
Q

Characteristics of metamorphic rocks?

A
  1. Formed from other rocks
  2. Formed under heat or pressure
    - schist forms from a sedimentary rock called shale, when it is under great pressure/heat
  3. Have crystals that can be arranged in layers for example slate, which is again formed from shale - but under less pressure
  4. Can contain fossils, although they are usually squeezed out of shape, e.g. marble is formed from the sedimentary rock limestone
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6
Q

Distribution of metamorphic rocks?

A
  1. Most of the metamorphic rock is found in far north islands of Scotland
  2. A small amount is found in Northern Ireland
  3. There is no metamorphic rock in South and South-East England
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7
Q

Formation of Igneous rocks?

A
  1. Rocks formed from molten rock called magma that is found inside the earth
  2. When magma cools it forms rock. If magma cools underground, it cools slowly forming rocks that contain large crystals such as granite.
  3. If magma erupts from a volcano it cools quickly forming rocks with small crystals such as basalt
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8
Q

Characteristics of igneous rocks?

A
  1. Are made from randomly arranged crystals
  2. Are very resistant rocks
  3. Do not contain fossils
  4. May be intrusive, forming inside earth, e.g. granite
  5. May be extrusive, forming on the Earth’s surface, e.g basalt
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9
Q

Distribution of igneous rocks?

A
  1. Most is found in Northern UK
  2. A small amount is found in far South West England
  3. There is no igneous rock in South East England
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10
Q

What are Physical Processes?

A

Physical processes are actions carried out by nature that shape the coastline, creating the landscape. They can happen at the same time and work together to shape the coastline (e.g. beaches)

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11
Q

What are the 5 key physical processes that shape the coastline?

A
  1. Weathering
  2. Mass Movement
  3. Erosion
  4. Transportation
  5. Deposition
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12
Q

Definition of weathering?

A

The breaking down of rock

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13
Q

What are the 3 types of weathering?

A
  1. Mechanical (freeze-thaw) - forces
  2. Chemical - chemical reactions
  3. Biological - nature
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14
Q

Mechanical weathering? (freeze thaw)

A

Water enters a crack in the rock.
Temperature drops and the water freezes and expands, putting pressure on the rock
Repetition causes the rock to crack

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15
Q

Chemical weathering?

A

If water has some acid content, as it falls (rain), it will dissolve certain rocks e.g. sedimentary rocks like limestone, which has calcium carbonate in it

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16
Q

Biological weathering?

A

A seed is blown/carried by animal into a crack in the rock. It starts growing and so it’s roots start to break up the rock.
Or an animal digging/ burrowing in the surrounding area breaks up the rock

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17
Q

What is Mass Movement? e.g.

A

The downhill movement of material due to gravity

  • slumping
  • sliding
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18
Q

Compare slumping vs sliding?

A

In slumping, the material moves as one, where as in sliding, the material moves individually
In slumping, the remaining surface is jagged, while sliding leaves a smooth surface
Sliding is also faster (?) and covers a larger distance

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19
Q

What is Erosion?

A

The wearing away of rock by waves

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20
Q

4 types of erosion?

A
  1. Hydraulic Action
  2. Abrasion
  3. Attrition
  4. Solution
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21
Q

Hydraulic Action?

A

waves crash against the coast (cliff or beach) and water pushes into cracks with force

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22
Q

Abrasion?

A

Waves move/throw rocks against the coast (cliff) causing it to wear away

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23
Q

Attrition?

A

Waves move lose rocks around and they crash into each other, wearing down

24
Q

Solution? (Erosion)

A

Water dissolves the rocks of the coastline

25
Q

What is transportation?

A

The movement of sediment (rock, sand, pebbles)

26
Q

4 types of transportation?

A
  1. Traction
  2. Saltation
  3. Suspension
  4. Solution
27
Q

Traction?

A

Large boulders are rolled along the sea bed by the water

28
Q

Saltation?

A

Small pebbles and stones are bounced along the sea bed by the water

29
Q

Suspension?

A

Fine particles of sand and silt are moved within the water (floating)

30
Q

Solution? (transportation)

A

Dissolved rock is carried in the flow of the water

31
Q

What is longshore drift?

A

The zigzag movement of sediment along the beach

32
Q

What controls the wave direction?

A

Wind direction - waves are created by wind

33
Q

Swash?

A

The movement of water up the beach

34
Q

Backwash?

A

The movement of water back out the sea

35
Q

Deposition?

A

The dropping/ putting down of sediment - happens when swash is stronger than backwash and waves lose energy putting down large pebbles + rocks first

36
Q

What is geological structure? E.g.

A

How rocks are structured along the coastline

  • discordant
  • concordant
37
Q

Discordant geological structure?

A

Rocks run perpendicular to the coastline

38
Q

Concordant geological structure?

A

Rocks run parallel to the coastline

39
Q

Explain formations of discordant coastlines?

A
  1. Bands of different rock run perpendicular to the coast
  2. Erosion wears down the softer and less resistant rocks (abrasion, solution + hydraulic action) creating a bay
  3. More resistant are not eroded as easily creating headlands
40
Q

Explain formations of concordant coastlines?

A
  1. Bands of rock run parallel to coast
  2. If the first band is a more resistant rock then erosion (abrasion, solution + hydraulic action) is slow
  3. Buf if the waves break through an area of weakness, they are are able to attack the less resistant bands of rock, erosion will happen faster, creating a cove
41
Q

Wave action =?

A

how waves move

42
Q

How are waves created?

A

Waves are created as the wind blows over the sea

43
Q

What are the two types of waves?

A

Constructive and Destructive

44
Q

Features of constructive waves? (compared to destructive)

A
  1. They have a larger swash and smaller backwash
  2. They are shorter
  3. They have a lower wave frequency
  4. They cause less erosion but more deposition
45
Q

Features of destructive waves? (compared to constructive)

A
  1. They have a smaller swash and larger backwash
  2. They are taller
  3. They have a higher wave frequency
  4. They cause more erosion and less deposition
46
Q

What is wave action influenced by?

A

Fetch

47
Q

Fetch?

A

The distance the wind has to travel over open ocean

48
Q

Large fetch = ___ powerful wave action? Why?

A

more powerful because the waves are able to build up energy and momentum as the wind blows over a large area unobstructed

49
Q

What shapes cliffs?

A

A combination of weathering + erosion - the wearing away of rocks caused by weather conditions

50
Q

sloping cliffs are made of…?

A

Soft rocks (sand and clay) erode easily to create gently sloping cliffs

51
Q

Steep cliffs are made of…?

A

Hard rocks (chalk) erode slower to create steep cliffs

52
Q

Describe the process of cliff erosion and formation of wave-cut platform

A
  1. Weather weakens the cliff
  2. Sea moves against the base of the cliff, and using abrasion + hydraulic action (+solution if the rock is limestone/chalk), it undercuts the cliff and forms a wave-cut notch
  3. An overhand forms above the notch which, in time, will fall into the sea due to pressure of its weight and gravity
  4. The sea continues to attack the cliff and form another notch. In this way the cliff retreats, becoming higher and steeper.
  5. The cliff rock remains, which are now below the sea at high tide, form a rocky wave-cut platform.
  6. As a result of erosion + weathering, some boulders will have fallen of the cliff onto the platform
  7. As width of the platform increases power of the waves decrease (they have to travel further to reach cliff)
53
Q

What are often found inside bays and why?

A

beaches - Sediment is deposited inside the bay due to wave refraction as waves bend around the headland and high energy waves lose their energy as they bend so are able to deposit

54
Q

What is wave refraction?

A

Wave refraction refers to what happens to waves when they approach an uneven coastline. … As waves approach an uneven coastline they reach the headlands first, this focuses a lot of energy on the headlands and bends the waves into the bays.

55
Q

How are caves, arches, stacks and stumps formed?

A

These are formed in rocks that have a fault or line of weakness. The action of the sea will exploit the fault through erosional processes, and it time the fault will widen into a cave.
If the fault is in a headland, caves are likely to form on both sides, when the backs of the caves meet, an arch forms
The sea will continue to erode the arch bottom using abrasion, as the sea undercuts the bottom of the arch, a wave-cut notch will form, which will collapse due to the pressure of its weight + gravity, leaving a stack
Continued erosion will lead to a stump which can only be seen at low tide

GSCE Geography (1 decks)

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