coasts - what coasts are

Question 1

what are coasts?

Answer 1

a series of interrelated components (stores) and processes (links) that form a whole. ENERGY and SEDIMENT are being stored and transferred.

Question 2

what energy is found in coasts?

Answer 2

the energy available to the system is kinetic (moving), potential (stored. eg the position of material on a slope) and thermal (heat). This allows geomorphic processes to shape the landscape

Question 3

what system is coastal landscapes?

Answer 3

OPEN SYSTEMS. energy and sediment and transferred in and out from neighbouring systems.

Question 4

what are the inputs, sediment, processes and outputs?

Answer 4

INPUTS: ENERGY = kinetic energy from wind and waves, thermal energy from the sun and potential energy from the position of material on the slope. SEDIMENT = material from erosion, weathering and mass movement. PROCESSES: erosion, transportation, deposition
OUTPUTS: marine and wind erosion

Question 5

what is state of equilibrium?

Answer 5

when inputs = outputs = equilibrium

Question 6

what happens when equilibrium is disturbed?

Answer 6

when this is disturbed - self regulation takes place to restore equilibrium
if the sediment in = sediment out then the beach stays the same size

Question 7

how is energy transferred along a beach?

Answer 7

the movement of sediment along the beach via LSD
- energy is transferred from the wind to the waves –> where the energy is carried across oceans then transferred forwards when the wave breaks –> moving sediment eroding