Coasts Flashcards
A process by which the coast is won down by material carried by the waves. Waves throw these particles against the rock, sometimes at high velocity.
Abrasion
Material carried by the waves bump into each other so are smoothed and broken down into smaller particles.
Attrition
Water returning down the beach to the sea.
Backwash
A vertical rock face.
Cliff
Rocks run or alley to the coastline arranged in alternative bands of hard and soft rock.
Concordant coastline
This is the chemical action of sea water. The acids in the salt water slowly dissolve rocks on the coast, limestone and chalk are particularly prone to this process.
Corrosion
When the wave runs out of energy, material is dumped.
Deposition
A landform which has been formed through the dumping of beach material.
Depositional feature
Rocks run at right angles to the coastline arranged in alternative bands of hard and soft rock.
Discordant coastlines
The wearing away of the landscape.
Erode
A high area of land that extends out into the sea.
Headland
This process involves the force of water against the coast. The waves enter cracks (faults) in the coastline and compress air within the crack. When the wave retreats, air within the crack expands quickly causing a minor explosion. This process is repeated continually.
Hydraulic action
Continual awash and backwash transports material sideways along the coast.
Longshore drift
Small, round rock.
Pebble
When the headland moves backwards as it is eroded by the sea.
Retreating cliff
