Coasts Flashcards
How do waves form
Waves r formed when the wind blows over the surface of the sea , the friction causes it to create ripples , the top of the ripples gain more speed than the bottom until it crashes down . Previous water rushes in to make the wave bigger
Constructive waves
Constructive waves CREATE beaches
Created in calm water
Long low waves
Break at shore
Deposit material to build up beach (swash is greater than backwash)
Destructive waves
Destructive waves DESTROY beaches
Created in storm conditions
Short wavelength
Steep and high
High frequency
Erode coast ~ backwash more powerful than their swash so material is moved away
Erosion
The process of eroding or being eroeded away by water wind or other natural cause (gradual destruction)
Transportation
The movement of material across earths surface by wind water ice or gravity
Deposition
The laying down of sediment by wind flowing water , the sea or ice
Soft engineering methods
Dune regeneration:
Artificial creation or regeneration of sand dunes
Takes 7 years
Done by hand
Beach nourishment:
Sand added to beach to replace eroded sand
Replaced regularly
Little environmental impact
How do rock armour work
Large boulders with gaps to loose energy of waves so beach isn’t eroded
Small or weak rocks won’t work
Cheap and relatively weak
How do sea walls work
Concrete walk built to protect the coast from coastal erosion .
Stops waves from hitting coastline
Nice for tourists to walk on
Expensive
Why are coasts uneven
Praviling wind hits the coastline eroding it away creating a bay the 2 headlands stick out with the coastline further back making it uneven
3 types of erosion erode coasts
Abrasion
Attrition
Hydraulic action
What is hydraulic power.
Waves crash against rock & compress air in the cracks
This puts pressure on rocks
Repeated compression in cracks makes cracks bigger
Causes bits of rock to break off
What is abrasion
Particles in water (from erosion) scrape & rub against the rock
Removes small pieces
What is Attrition
Eroded particles in water collide & break into smaller pieces
Become more rounded
Process that Makes pebbles smooth
What is solution
Process by which sea water dissolves some rocks
In UK chalk & limestone