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Geography 12 > Coasts > Flashcards

Coasts Flashcards

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1
Q

Crest

A

Top of a wave

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2
Q

Trough

A

Low areas between waves

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3
Q

Swah

A

Movement of water and load UP the beach

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4
Q

Backwash

A

movement of water and load DOWN the beach

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5
Q

Velocity

A

Speed a wave is travelling

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6
Q

Wavelength

A

Distance between two crests or troughs

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7
Q

Wave height

A

Distance between the crest and trough

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8
Q

Wave frequency

A

Number of waves per minute

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9
Q

The size and energy of a wave is influenced by

A

How long the wind had been blowing
The strength of the wind
How far the wave has travelled (the fetch)

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10
Q

Why coastlines are under threat

A

Polluting
Rising sea levels
Destroying wildlife

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11
Q

Importance of coastlines

A 
Sustains community
Vacation/tourism
Transportation
Property value
Eco-tourism
Oil and gas extractor
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12
Q

What causes tides

A

changes in how much the moon’s gravity pulls on different parts of Earth

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13
Q

Spring Tides

A

Spring tides occur twice a month, at new moon and full moon. The combined force of the moon on one side of the earth and the sun on the other, produces a tide with the greatest difference between consecutive high and low tides

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14
Q

Neap tides

A

Produced at the moons first and third quarter, when the line between the moon and sun is at 90 degrees to the angle between the earth and moon. They occur twice a month

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15
Q

Process of forming tides

A

The force of gravity pulls the sun and moon toward each other. The moon’s gravity pulls Earth, leaving water behind an additional high tide. Low tides occur between high tides. There are two low tides and two high tides per day.

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16
Q

Constructive waves

A 
Associated with calm weather
Less powerful
Break on shore depositing material
Responsible for transporting material
Swash is stronger than backwash
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17
Q

Destructive waves

A

Associated with storm conditions
Created when a wave energy is higher with a large fetch
Associated with erosion
Backwash is stronger than swash

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18
Q

The process of longshore drift

A

Waves hit the beach at an angle and then pulls the material straight back. Then repeats and sends them back to the beach at an angle to deposit it again. This action can erode away beaches or completely take them away

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19
Q

In the process of longshore drift, why does beach material get washed up the beach at an angle?

A

Due to the prevailing winds pushing the waves at an angle to the beach

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20
Q

In the process of longshore drift, why does beach material wash back down the beach at right angles to the coastline?

A

Because the force of gravity pulls the material straight back

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21
Q

Beach grading: (sorting)

A

Higher wave energy carries the largest particles.
Energy is lost in the backwash due to percolation
Over time, wave action will “sort” the beach materials from coarse to fine
Backwash has more friction than swash, therefore swash is stronger

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22
Q

Explain why the coastline changes due to erosion

A

The coastline is made up of hard and soft rock. The constant energy of the waves against the soft rock works to erode bays out of the coastline, Whereas the hard rock does not erode as easily and makes up the headland

23
Q

How cliff erosion creates wave cut platforms

A

Formed due to the constant sub-aerial processes of erosion undercutting the rock. Over time, the wave cut notch doesn’t have enough support at the base to stay up, so it collapses, leaving at the bottom where the notch used to be, a wave cut platform that is slightly inclined

24
Q

Salt marsh

A

coastal eco system in the upper tidal zone, which during high tides can be flooded with salt water

25
Q

Eustatic

A

and uniformly global change in sea level that may reflect a change in the quantity of water in the ocean

26
Q

Isostatic

A

The state of gravitational equilibrium between the earth’s crust and mantle which “floats” at an elevation that depends on its thickness and density

27
Q

Estauries

A

A partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, with a free connection to the open sea

28
Q

Tidal currents

A

occur in conjunction with the rise and fall of the tides. The vertical motion of the tides near the shore causes the water to move horizontally, creating currents. “flooding” and “ebbing”

29
Q

Fjords

A

a deep, narrow and elongated sea with steep land on three sides

30
Q

Raised beach

A

A former beach now lying above water level owing to geological changes since its formation

31
Q

Coastal Protection Methods

A 
Sea wall
Gabions
Rip Rap or Rock Armour
Groynes
Wooden Revetment
Beach nourishment 
Do nothing
Dune Regeneration
Managed Retreat
32
Q

Sea wall

A

Reflects waves back to sea preventing erosion of the coast. It acts as a barrier to prevent flooding. Needs replacing every 25 years

33
Q

Gabions

A

Rock filled cages. Usually built at the foot of cliffs. Absorb energy and reduce erosion. Lasts 10 years.

34
Q

Rip Rap

A

Boulders piled up along the coast. They absorb wave energy and reduce erosion. Looks natural so it doesn’t spoil the landscape.

35
Q

Groynes

A

Fences built at right angles to the coast. Trap beach material transported by longshore drift. They can cause increased erosion down the coast. Lasts 30 years.

36
Q

Wooden revetment

A

These are similar to groynes and sea walls. They break the force of the wave and trap beach material behind it.

37
Q

Beach nourishment

A

Sand and shingles are added to the beach from elsewhere to create wider beaches. Lasts 6 months.

38
Q

Do nothing

A

Just wait for nature to take its course. Land will be lost due to erosion.

39
Q

Dune regeneration

A

Sand dunes are good buffers to the sea but they are easily damaged, especially by walkers.

40
Q

Managed retreat

A

This involves allowing low-lying coastal areas to be flooded by the sea to become salt marshes. Cheap but it creates a new habitat for wildlife.

41
Q

Wave formations

A

Mainly the product of wind

Tides also play a part

42
Q

Types of sand dunes

A 
Embryo
Fore
Yellow
Grey
Mature
43
Q

Embryo

A

Smallest
closest to shoreline
Not stable, plant presence helps to maintain them

44
Q

Fore

A

Made up of sand shifted by the wind
minimal plant life such as lyme grass
constant state of change due to proximity to the ocean

45
Q

Yellow

A

Develops after embyro and fore dunes

usually around 5m in depth and have barely any sand bare due to being covered in vegetation

46
Q

Grey

A

More stable than fore
completely covered by vegetation
Get their name from their top layer of lichen and humus

47
Q

Mature

A

Oldest and biggest
Found far from shoreline
Covered in a few different kinds of plants, not just grasses
moderately higher pH, points to having more stable soils

48
Q

Hard vs Soft Corals

A

hard corals: Hard, calcium based skeletons. consist of numerous single polyps living together in a colony
Soft corals: contain structures within their tissues called spiracles that support their body.

49
Q

Coral bleaching

A

warm waters can cause coral bleaching

corals expel the algae living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white

50
Q

Ocean Acidification

A

Increased CO2 in atmosphere is absorbed into ocean waters

Corals structure of calcium carbonate disintegrates when it comes into contact with acidic solutions

51
Q

Over fishing

A

When more fish are caught than can be replaced through natural reproduction

52
Q

Careless tourism

A

Touching reefs, polluting, dropping anchors all substantially damage reefs

53
Q

Rising Temperatures

A

Coral bleaching also occurs when the water temperature is too warm
This can make coral reefs subjected to large scale die-offs

Geography 12 (12 decks)

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