Coasts Flashcards

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1
Q

What is wind?

A

Areas go high pressure and low pressure form.

The movement of high pressure to low air pressure.

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2
Q

How are waves formed?

A

Frictional drag between wind and the sea surface.

This makes the particles move in a circular motion/orbit of water.

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3
Q

What does the term fetch mean?

A

The area of surface over which the wind blows in one direction.

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4
Q

What is the wave crest?

A

The highest point of a wave.

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5
Q

What is the wave trough?

A

The lowest point of a wave.

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6
Q

What are some characteristics of constructive waves?

A

Low surging waves with a long wavelength
Strong swash and weak backwash
Beach gain

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7
Q

What are some characteristics of deconstructive waves?

A

Local storms are responsible for these
High, plunging waves with a short wavelength
Beach loss
Weak swash and strong backwash

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8
Q

What is wave refraction?

A

This occurs on irregular shaped coastlines, it is when the front of a wave reaches shallow water and the frictional drag increases the wave velocity. The waves then speed up and wave height increases, this then causes deposition in the bays.

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9
Q

What causes tides?

A

Gravitational pull of the moon and the sun.

Through the earths rotation

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10
Q

What are ocean currents?

A

Ocean currents can be found at both the bottom of the ocean and on the surface, the shape of land can influence ocean currents.

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11
Q

What are the inputs of sediment?

A

Cliff erosion
Eroding, dunes, spits
Beach recharge
Offshore bars

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12
Q

What are the transfers of sediment?

A

Longshore drift
Currents
Saltation
Wind

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13
Q

What are the stores of sediment?

A
Offshore banks
Spits
Bars
Beaches 
Dunes
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14
Q

What are sediment cells?

A

The areas along coastlines or near the coastline where material is largely self contained.
They are considered a closed sub system
Tend to be between headlands and peninsular which act as natural carries.

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15
Q

How are headlands and bays formed?

A

When hard rock is left as the soft rock between is eroded.
In discordant coastlines
Differential erosions.

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16
Q

What is a discordant coastline?

A

Hard rock, soft rock, hard rock etc, VERTICAL SEPERATION

17
Q

What is a concordant coastline?

A

HORIZONTAL SEGREGATION

18
Q

How are wave cut platforms formed?

A

A gentle sloping platform of rock is stretching out into the sea, <5degree angle
Abrasion cuts into the rock
The platform causes the waves to break further out and this reduces erosion
A wave cut notch forms and undercuts cliff
Slowly retreats inland towards the shoreline

19
Q

What are the other features of coastlines?

A

wave cut notch, cave, stack, stump and arches

20
Q

What is a drift aligned beach?

A

The waves break at an angle and so the swash occurs at an angle.
Therefore sediment is transported at an angle down the beach via longshore drift.

21
Q

What is a swash aligned beach?

A

Where the waves break parallel to the coast.
Swash and backwash move the sediment up and down the beach
Curved and concave beaches

22
Q

What are some features of spits?

A

Long and narrow
Accumulations of sand or shingle
May have a hooked or recurred end
Found where the coast changes direction

23
Q

What is needed to form sand dunes?

A

Sand
Prevailing dominant winds
Saltation, surface creep
Some sort of obstacle or vegetation to trap sand

24
Q

What are the stages of sand dune of formation?

A
Embryos
Foredunes/yellow dunes
Dune stacks 
Grey dunes
Climax community
25
Q

What is eustatic sea level change?

A

Global change in sea level
Can rise or fall
Climate warming is the cause, eg glacier melting
Thermal expansion and contraction of water

26
Q

What is tectonic sea level change?

A

Large scale vertical movement of crust

Creation of volcanic islands could displace water and sea level

27
Q

What are the stages of sea level change

A
  1. Eustatic fall
  2. Eustatic rise
  3. Istotatic change
  4. Readjusted
28
Q

What is a Dalmatian coast?

A

Mountain ranges running parallel to the coast.

River valleys are running parallel to the coastline.

29
Q

What is a Ria?

A

A flooded river valley.

Submergent feature.

30
Q

What sea level change is local and which is global?

A

Isostatic is local

Eustatic is global