Coasts: Sediment Cells

Question 1

Sediment cell

Answer 1

Closed system where material at a coastline is moved; involves inputs, transport, and outputs

Question 2

Input

Answer 2

From cliffs, headlands, rivers, lagoons

Or from coastal erosion processes

Question 3

Transport

Answer 3

Longshore drift, currents, wind

Or transfer processes (traction, solution, saltation, suspension)

Question 4

Output

Answer 4

Deposition

Gravity settling - energy is too low so gravity causes sediment to settle; causes distance decay where larger sediment is dropped first

Flocculation - electrostatic attraction between tiny particles increases sediment size, so it’s now large enough to deposit