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Pysical Geography > Coasts Key Terms > Flashcards

Coasts Key Terms Flashcards

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1
Q

Landform

A

Individual features which are created by coastal processes (eg stacks, wave cut platforms and spits)

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2
Q

Landscapes

A

The entire area of sea, coastline and immediate land behind the sea front. This includes landforms

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3
Q

Tides

A

Periodic rises and fall in the level of sea caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon

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4
Q

Spring tides

A

Bigger tide because the sun, moon, and earth are all on the same plane meaning the Sun and moons gravity are pulling Earths water in the same way. The sun adds to the moons pull

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5
Q

Neap tides

A

Smaller because the sun and the moon are at right angles to each other, meaning their gravity pulls in different directions

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6
Q

Tidal range

A

The deference in height between the low and high tide marks

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7
Q

Sediment cells

A

A stretch of coastline within sediment move,ent is more or less contained.
In total there are 11 cells around the UK, which are then divided into further sub cells

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8
Q

Geomorphology

A

Landform creating

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9
Q

Positive feedback

A

The rate of debris removal exceeds the rate of weathering and mass movement then a positive feedback can operate, as the rate of weathering and mass movement could increase

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10
Q

Negative feedback

A

If debris removal is slow and ineffective, there will be a build up of debris that reduces exposure of cliff face. Weathering and mass movement rates will decrease

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11
Q

Mass movement

A

The downhill movement of weathered material under the force of gravity

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12
Q

Traction

A

Large particles like boulders pushed along the sea bed by the force of the water

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13
Q

Saltation

A

Pebble sized particles are bounced along the seabed by the force of the water

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14
Q

Suspension

A

Small particles like silt and clay are carried along in the water

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15
Q

Solution

A

Soluble materials dissolved in the water and are carried along

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16
Q

Longshore drift

A

A key flow (transfer) within the coastal system and sediment cells. Involves the movement of material along a beach, usually at the angle of the prevailing wind

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17
Q

Concordant coastline

A

Rocks on these coastlines run parallel to the sea

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18
Q

Discordant coastline

A

Rocks on these coastlines run perpendicular you the sea

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19
Q

Swash aligned

A

When waves break parallel with the coast, the movement of water and material is largely up and down the beach

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20
Q

Drift aligned

A

Waves approach the coastline at an angle, the swash moves material up beach in that direction. The backwash returns at right angles

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21
Q

Spit

A

A long narrow feature that extends from the main land at the end of a drift aligned beach

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22
Q

Sand dunes

A

Accumulations of sand blown into mounds by the wind (aeolian)

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23
Q

Fluid threshold velocity

A

Speed the wind needs to be in order to move the sand

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24
Q

Pioneer species

A

Plants tolerant to salt and soaking of sea tides. They are the first species to arrive

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25
Q

Flocculation

A

Small particles binding together, then falling out the water

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26
Q

Halophytes

A

Plants that are tolerant of salt and the periodic soaking of the sea caused by the tide

27
Q

Mudflats

A

Created by the deposition of fine silts and clays in sheltered low energy coastal environments such as estuaries

28
Q

Saltmarsh

A

An area of coastal grassland that is regularly flooded by sea water

29
Q

Eustatic change

A

A global change in sea level resulting from a fall or rise in the level of the sea

30
Q

Isostatic change

A

Local changes in sea level resulting from the land rising and falling relative to the sea

31
Q

Inputs

A

Things that enter the system from outside sources/ systems

32
Q

Flows/ transfers

A

Processes of movement within a system

33
Q

Stores/ components

A

Part of a system not necessarily in motion

34
Q

Outputs

A

Material/ energy moving out of a system

35
Q

Feedbacks

A

Can be positive (flows lead to increase/growth) or negative (flows lead to decrease/ decline)

36
Q

Characteristics of constructive waves

A 
Strong swash
Weak backwash
Add material to the coastline
Never reach back of beach 
Low in proportion to length
Formed by distant weather systems
Causes depositional landforms
37
Q

Characteristics of destructive waves

A 
Weak swash
Strong backwash
Remove material from the coastline
Causes cliffs face erosion
Tall in relation to length
Common during winter storms
Break downwards with great force
Causes erosion all landforms
38
Q

Sources of coastal energy

A

Wind (steeper gradient, faster wind moves)
Waves
Current
Tides

39
Q

Factors impacting wave energy

A

Strength of wind- stronger the wind, more energy is transferred to the waves, so larger waves form
The fetch- longer then wind travelled, more time for energy to transfer to the wave
Duration longer duration, more time for energy to transfer

40
Q

Characteristic of a high energy coast

A

Rocky coastline
Contains cliffs and headlands
Erosion exceeds deposition

41
Q

Characteristics of a low energy coastline

A 
Less powerful waves
Beaches and spots found here
Sandy and estuarine
Deposition exceeds erosion
Sheltered areas (eg bays)
42
Q

Sources of sediment: rivers

A

Rivers erode their banks and beds, this sediment then travels down the river and towards the coast, where it may be deposited

43
Q

Sources of sediment: cliff erosion

A

When cliffs erode, a large amount of sediment falls to the beach below which can be moved by longshore drift and waves backwash

44
Q

Sources of sediment: offshore sediment

A

Carried to coastline by onshore currents or constructive waves

45
Q

Sources of sediment: wind

A

Wind blows small sediment, like sand, towards the ocean. The sediment can be used to form sand dunes

46
Q

Factors determining weathering

A 
Type of rock
Temperature
Amount of moisture
Volume or type of vegetation 
Structure of the rock
47
Q

Coastal weathering: biological

A

Thin plant roots grow into small cracks in a cliff. These widen as the root grows, which breaks the rock
Water running through decaying vegetation becomes acidic, which leads to increased chemical weathering
Birds and animals dig burrows into cliffs
Marine organisms are also capable of burrowing into rocks

48
Q

Coastal weathering: chemical- carbonation

A

rainwater absorbs CO2 from the air to form a weak carbonic acid. This reacts with calcium carbonate in rocks. The cooler the rainwater, the more CO2 is absorbed

49
Q

Coastal weathering: chemical- oxidation

A

Reaction of rock minerals with oxygen, to form a rusty red powder, leaving rocks vulnerable to weathering

50
Q

Coastal weathering: chemical - solution

A

The dissolving of rock mineral, such as halite (rock salt)

51
Q

Coastal weathering: mechanical (physical)- frost shattering

A

When water enters cracks and freezes (in cold weather). The volume expands (by 10%), which exerts more pressure to rocks and crack them more. May lead to parts breaking off.

52
Q

Coastal weathering: mechanical (physical)- salt crystallisation

A

When salt water evaporates, crystals get left over time, which grows and adds pressure to rocks,causing parts to break off

53
Q

Coastal weathering: mechanical (physical)- wetting and drying

A

Clay expands when wet and contracts when dry

54
Q

Mass movement: soil creep/ solifluction

A

Slow movement of soil particles downhill. Particles rise due to wetting/ freezing
Nature movement: creep/ flow
Rate of movement: imperceptible
Wet

55
Q

Mass movement: mudflow

A

Water gets trapped in rock, increasing pressure and causing particles to part.
Mature of movement: flow
Rate of movement: often rapid
Wet

56
Q

Mass movement: run off

A

When overland flow occurs, small particles are moved down slope, to literal zone forming a input to sediment cell.
Nature of movement: flow
Rate of movement: rapid
Wet

57
Q

Mass movement: Landslide/ debris/ slide/ slump/ slip

A

Rock moving rapidly down hill along a slide plane,
A land slip is the same, but it’s surface is curved rather than flat.
Nature of movement: slide
Rate of movement: rapid
Dry/ wet

58
Q

Mass movement: rock fall

A

Mechanical weathering breaks up rock and they fall down slope.
Nature of movement: fall
Rate of movement: rapid
Dry

59
Q

Erosion: Hydraulic action

A

Refers to the impact of the sheer force of the water itself ( without debris). This can exert enormous pressure upon a rock surface, thus weakening it. Such activity is sometimes know as wave pounding

60
Q

Erosion: wave quarrying

A

A braking wave traps air as it hits a cliff face. The air is compressed into any gaps causing huge pressures. As the water retreats there is an explosive effect of the air pressure being released. This sealed the cliff face and allows storms to remove large chunks of it (can be known as cavitation)

61
Q

Erosion: abrasion/ corrosion

A

Eroded material being thrown against the rock by the wave. Also conducts erosion of wave cut platforms due to movement of material back and forth

62
Q

Erosion: attrition

A

Rocks which are carrying out abrasion are slowly worn down into smaller and rounder particles

63
Q

Erosion: solution (corrosion)

A

Not overly common as sea water is generally alkaline rather than acidic. However, where seawater interacts with freshwater supplies carbon based rocks may be dissolved

Pysical Geography (7 decks)

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