Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Geography - Coasts > Coasts > Flashcards

Coasts Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
World Geography flashcards U.S. Geography flashcards
1
Q

What type of system is a coast?

A

Considered a open system as it receives inputs from outside the system and transfers outputs away from the coast

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
1
Q

What is a sediment cell and what type of system is it?

A

A section of the coast and usually a closed system
11 in England and Wales

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is dynamic equilibrium in a sediment cell?

A

Where inputs and outputs of sediment are in a constant state of change but remain in balance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are sources?

A

Where sediment originates from

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are through flows?

A

The movement of sediment along the shore - Long shore drift

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are sinks?

A

Locations where deposition of sediment dominates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are feedback loops?

A

Mechanisms which enhance changes within a system, taking it away from dynamic equilibrium (positive feedback) or mechanisms which balances changes, taking the system back towards equilibrium (negative feedback)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a negative feedback loop?

A

Lessens any change which has occurred within the system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a positive feedback loop?

A

Exaggerates the change making the system more unstable and taking it away from dynamic equilibrium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the littoral zone?

A

The area of coast where land is subject to wave actions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Why is the littoral zone constantly changing?

A

Short-term factors: Tides and storm surges
Long-term factors: Changes in sea level and climate change

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the subzones within the littoral zone?

A

Backshore - area above hide tide level and only affected by exceptionally hide tided
Foreshore - Land where most wave processes occur
Offshore - The open sea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What does Valentines classification describe?

A

The range of coastline that can occur

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why might there be an advancing coastline?

A

Due to the land emerging or deposition being the prominent process

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Why might there be a retreating coastline?

A

Due to the land submerging or erosion being the prominent process

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is erosion?

A

A collaborative process which involves the removal of sediment from a coastline

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the main types of erosion?

A

Abrasion - Sediment is moved along the coastline, causing it to be worn down overtime
Attrition - Wave action causes rocks to hit against each other
Hydraulic Action - Air forced into cracks from waves
Solution - Mildly acidic seawater causes rock to be eroded

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

When are erosion rates at their highest?

A

When waves have a long fetch
High tide
Heavy rainfall
In winter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What will determine a rocks vulnerability to erosion?

A

The resistance of the rock (lithology - type)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are examples of erosional landforms?

A

Caves
Arches
Stacks
Stumps
Wave-cut notch and platform

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are the main types of transportation?

A

Traction - Large, heavy sediment rolls along the sea bed
Saltation - Smaller sediment bounces along the sea bed
Suspension - Small sediment is carrier with the water column
Solution - Dissolved material is carried within the water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

When does deposition occur?

A

When a wave loses energy meaning the sediment becomes to heavy to carry - it is a gradual process

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is flocculation?

A

When clay particles clump together due to chemical attraction and then sink due to their high density

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is a spit?

A

A long narrow strip of land which is formed due to deposition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is a bar?

A

A spit which, over time, crosses a bay and links up 2 sections of the coast

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is a tombolo?

A

A bar or back that connects the mainland to an offshore island

26
Q

When do sand dunes occur?

A

When prevailing winds blow sediment to the back of the beach

27
Q

How does the development of sand dunes occur?

A

Embryo dunes - Upper beach area where sand states to accumulate around a small obstacle
Yellow dunes - More sand accumulates with the dune growing vegetation may develop
Grey dunes - Sand develops into soil with lots of moisture and nutrients

28
Q

What is weathering?

A

The breakdown of rocks over time, leading to the transfer of material into the littoral zone, where it becomes an input to sediment cells

29
Q

What are some examples of Mechanical weathering?

A

Freeze-thaw
Salt crystallisation - Seawater evaporates, salt is left behind. Salt crystals grow pressuring the cracks

30
Q

Examples of chemical weathering?

A

Oxidation: When minerals become exposed to the air through cracks, the mineral becomes oxidised which increases its volume causing the rock to crumble

31
Q

Examples of biological weathering

A

Plant roots: Roots of plants growing into the cracks of rocks
Birds: Burrowing into cliffs weakening them

32
Q

What does the type of mass movement that occurs depend on?

A

Angle of the slope/cliff
The rock’s lithology and geology
The vegetation cover on the cliff face
The saturation of the ground

33
Q

What are the 2 different types of mass movement? Explain them

A

Slides and flows
Slides: sediment keeps its same place within the whole material but moved downhill
Flow: All the material flows and mixes

34
Q

What is soil creep? - FLOW

A

Slowest but continuous form or MM with soil particles moving downhill

35
Q

What is solifluction? - FLOW

A

Slow downslope movement of soil due to recurrent freezing and thawing of the ground

36
Q

What is mudflows? - FLOW

A

An increase in water content of soil can reduce friction, leading to earth and mud to flow

37
Q

What are examples of slides?

A

Rock falls
Rock slides
Slumps

38
Q

What is a slump?

A

Soil saturated with water, causing a rotation movement of soft materials

39
Q

What are the main characteristics that dominate the influence of cliff profiles?

A

The resistance of the rock
The dip in rock strata in relation to the sea

40
Q

Why are cliff profiles complex to explain?

A

Because they are composite - have different rock layers

41
Q

What are concordant coastlines?

A

When the rock strata runs parallel to the coast
Lead to Dalmatian coastlines

42
Q

What are discordant coastlines?

A

When the rock strata runs perpendicular to the sea creating headlands and bays

43
Q

How can vegetation stabilise coastal sediment?

A

Roots of plants bind soil together which help to reduce erosion

44
Q

What are the 2 types of plants?

A

Xerophytes and Halophytes

45
Q

What are xerophytes?

A

Plants that are tolerant of dry conditions

46
Q

What are halophytes?

A

Plants that are tolerant of salty conditions

47
Q

Characteristics of a high energy coastline?

A

Powerful waves - large fetch
Rocky headlands and landforms
Frequent destructive waves
Erosion rate exceeds deposition

48
Q

Characteristics of a low energy coastline

A

Less powerful waves -constructive
Sheltered areas
Sandy
Deposition exceeds erosion rates

49
Q

What are the 2 types of waves?

A

Constructive and Destructive

50
Q

What waves dominate in summer and winter?

A

Constructive - summer
Destructive - winter

51
Q

What is isostatic change?

A

Land moves in relation to the sea

52
Q

What is eustatic change?

A

When sea levels change

53
Q

Examples of short term sea level change

A

High tide and low tide
Wind strength and direction

54
Q

What is coastalisation?

A

The movement of people towards to coast

55
Q

What is a storm surge?

A

A temporary rise in local sea level due to a storm

56
Q

What is subsidence?

A

Sinking of the ground due to underground material movement

57
Q

What is accretion?

A

The build up of material causing relative sea level to decrease

58
Q

What are the 4 different approaches to managing coastal areas?

A

Hold the line
Managed realignment
Advance the line
Do nothing

59
Q

What factors are looked at when deciding what policy to use?

A

The economic value of assets that could be protected is looked at

60
Q

What is a cost-benefit analysis?

A

An analysis that is carried out before any form of coastal management takes places

61
Q

What is a ICZM?

A

An integrated coastal zone management

62
Q

Examples of hard engineering?

A

Groynes
Sea walls
Rip Rap
Offshore Breakwater

63
Q

Examples of soft engineering?

A

Beach nourishment
Cliff Regrading
Dune stabilisation
Marsh Creation

Geography - Coasts (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions