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EQ1 Flashcards

1
Q

Igneous rock?

A

Erode/weather very slowly due to their strong resistance (they have interlocking crystals) Few joints and weaknesses

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2
Q

2 examples of igneous rock?

A

Granite and Basalt

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3
Q

Metamorphic rock?

A

Changed from heat and pressure - mostly very hard

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4
Q

2 examples of metamorphic rock?

A

Marble, Slate

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5
Q

Sedimentary rock?

A

Formed from soil, very weak, moderate erosion rates

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6
Q

How does undercutting form?

A

Resistant strata erodes and weathers slowly, therefore will retreat less rapidly, leading to overhang above and collapse (undercutting)

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7
Q

Emergence and submergence meaning?

A

emergence = getting bigger/growing

submergence = getting smaller/sinking

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8
Q

Case study about emergence and submergence?

A

10,000 years ago - ice age
As the ice flowed down, it covered half the UK
crustal loading? Ice pushed Scotland down, by dynamic equilibrium means south england rose (emergent).
Now isostatic rebound is happening where scotland is now emerging and south england is submerging

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9
Q

Features of a rocky/cliffed coastline?

A

destructive waves, has high relief, resistant rock, erosion is greater than deposition, high energy environments

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10
Q

Features of a sandy coastline?

A

Low relief areas generally flat, soft rock and low energy environments, deposition is greater than erosion, constructive waves

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11
Q

Features of an Eustuarine coastline?

A

Low relief areas with salt marshes and mudflats which are vegetated, river mouths, deposition greater than erosion, soft rock and low energy environment

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12
Q

ROCKY COASTS VS COASTAL PLAINS:
ROCKY COASTS?

A

-1000km of mainly north and west coastlines

  • Vary in height from high (Scotland) to low relief (Cornwall)
  • Geology is resistant and they erode slowly
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13
Q

ROCKY COASTS VS COASTAL PLAINS:
Sandy plains?

A
  • low relief often containing wetlands and salt marshes
  • Low energy environment with high deposition
  • Most of UK’s south and east coastlines (Swanage)
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14
Q

Concordant coastline?

A

When rock strata runs parallel to the coastline. One continuous layer of hard rock protecting the other layers behind it - SOUTH COAST

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15
Q

Discordant coastline?

A

Different layers of resistant and soft rock in bands which will form bays - EAST COAST (perpendicular to the coastline)

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16
Q

Faults?

A

major fractures created by tectonic plates, causing a fault line which increases the rate of erosion

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17
Q

joints?
and how do they form in igneous and sedimentary rock?

A

fractures created without the rock being moved, occur in most rocks.
In igneous rock they can form during magma cooling. in sedimentary rock they form through compression and stretching from overlying rock.

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18
Q

Fissures?

A

These are more open than fractures and can be found as a characteristic of most rocks on the earth surface.

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19
Q

Folding?

A

Bends in the rock. Produced by sedimentary rock layering - main types anticlines (folding is upward) and synclines (folding downward)

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20
Q

Permeable rocks?

A

allow water through them because they contain pores (e.g. chalk)
examples are sandstones and limestones

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21
Q

Longshore drift?

A

Swash is dependant on the prevailing wind

Largest deposition objects are rolled = traction

Smaller ones skip = saltation

Smallest is in the flow of the water = suspension

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22
Q

Floccuation?

A

A deposition process for small particles e.g. clay which are so small that they remain suspended in water. These particles clump together due to electrical or chemical attraction and become large enough to sink/deposit

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23
Q

4 geological factors affecting the shape of the coastline?

A

Horizontal dip
seaward dip, high angle
seaward dip, low angle
landward dip

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24
Q

Horizontal dip?

A

Vertical or near vertical profile with notches reflecting strata that are more easily eroded

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25
Seaward dip, high angle?
sloping low angle profile with one rock layer facing the sea; vulnerable to rock slides down the dip slope
26
Seaward dip low angle?
Profile may exceed 90° producing areas of overhanging rock; very vulnerable to rock falls
27
Landward dip?
Steep profiles of 70-80° producing areas very stable cliff with reduced rock fall
28
Coastal morphology?
Relates to the rock type and geological structure
29
Lithology?
rock type
30
Hydrolic action?
where a wave breaking against a rock traps air into cracks under pressure, which is then released suddenly as the wave retreats.
31
Abrasion?
when material carried by waves is used as ammunition to wear away the rocks on a cliff as it is thrown against it by each wave
32
Attrition?
Loose rocks are broken down into smaller and more rounded pebbles which are then used in abrasion
33
Coastal accretion?
The deposition of sediment at the coast and the seaweed growth of the coastline, creating new land
34
Why are permeable rocks easily eroded?
They allow water to pass through them. Groundwater can weaken rocks by removing the cement that bind the rock sediment resulting in slumping
35
How can loosely-arranged sediment on the coastline be protected?
By the action of plants acting as stabilisers e.g. salt marshes, mangroves and sand dunes
36
What are halophytes?
Plants that can tolerate salt water
37
What are xerophytes?
plants they can tolerate very dry conditions e.g. those found at coastal sand dunes
38
How are sand dunes effective in encouraging coastal accretion?
Through plant succession: The succession starts with halophytic plants that are capable of growing in salty sand Once established, they trap more sand leading to formation of embryo dunes The dunes gradually become fixed and the plant cover develops into a climax community of health/woodland
39
How does plant succession occur on bare mud deposited in estuaries?
The succession starts with algae, followed by various halophytic grasses etc leading to a climax community of rush and sedge
40
What 3 marine processes do waves influence?
erosion transportation deposition
41
3 factors that influence a wave size and strength?
Strength of the wind Beach morphology water depth and fetch
42
3 features of a constructive wave?
Low in height and long in length Strong swash and weak backwash Deposits sediment on the beach
43
3 features of a destructive wave?
High and short in wavelength Weak swash and strong backwash Erodes the beach
44
What is beach morphology?
The shape of a beach, including its width, slope (beach profile), features and type of sediment
45
4 beach features of prevailing wave conditions?
Storm beach - caused by constructive waves in stormy weather Berms - Small ridges created by constructive waves during calm weather Cusps - Product of gentle destructive waves eroding berms Offshore bars - Former by persistent destructive waves
46
3 times when erosion happens?
Waves approach the coast at right angles Heavy rainfall weakening the rocks Debris at the foot of the cliff has been removed and no longer protects this point
47
3 types of weathering?
Mechanical Chemical Biological
48
2 examples of mechanical weathering?
Freeze-thaw - repeated force applied to cracks in the rock from water as it freezes Salt crystallisation - When salt crystals grow and exert pressure within cracks and rocks
49
2 examples of chemical weathering?
Carbonation - The dissolution of limestone from the weak carbonic acid in rainwater Oxidation - The reaction of oxygen to minerals, which produce iron oxide
50
2 examples of biological weathering?
Plant roots - the action of tree and plant roots forcing rocks apart as they grow into the cracks Rock boring (making a hole) - When species such as clams bore holes into the rock
51
Mass movement?
A term for the processes responsible for the downslope movement of weathered material under gravity causing large scale cliff collapse
52
2 things that can cause a change in sea level? What do both of these result in?
A change in land level (isostatic change) Volume of the sea (eustatic change) - thermal expansion Both result in large areas of land being submerged beneath the sea, for example the ria coastline
53
What is the current rate of rise of the sea?
3.6mm per year
54
2 components of global sea level rise?
Thermal expansion Melting of the ice sheet
55
3 physical factors that cause rapid coastal recession?
Soft/unconsolidated cliff/rocks Large destructive waves Strong longshore drift
56
3 human actions that cause rapid coastal recession?
River Dams reducing the supply of sediment to the coast (Aswan Dam Case Study) Dredging the seabed for sand and gravel Coastal management (construction of groynes)
57
3 high risk areas of flooding?
Estuaries Deltas Coastal plains
58
2 ways that the risk of flooding is being increased?
Rising sea level human actions - removal of coastal vegetation which protect the coast e.g. mangroves
59
What will happen to storm surges, cyclones and depressions due to climate change?
They will intensify their frequency and magnitude
60
traction?
heavier sediments e.g. boulders, roll along the sea floor
61
saltation?
sediment bounces along the floor
62
suspension?
fine sediment is carried within the body of the water
63
solution?
dissolved sediment is carried in the water as a solution (calcium carbonate)
64
3 types of mass movement?
Landslide - when there is sudden movement of weathered rock Rotational slides - when large masses of unstable rocks/materials overly impermeable rocks move downslope Rockfalls - when blocks of rock are dislodged by weathering and erosion
65
bar?
a beach extending across the coast with a lagoon behind it
66
tombolo?
a sand/shingle bar that attaches a former offshore island to the coast
67
spit?
a beach ridge extending beyond a turn in the coastline
68
cuspate foreland
a triangular area of beach extending out from a shoreline, possible formed by LD from opposing direction
69
Why are storm surges a particular hazard in low-lying coastal areas?
They are capable of causing immense damage and destruction e.g. North sea 1953 and 2013
70
What is thermal expansion?
where water expands in volume as its temperature increases, contributing to rising sea levels.
71
Why does adding dams result in faster coastal erosion?
because they trap sediment that would normally flow downstream to the coast, starving the coastline of its natural sediment supply.
72
How does adding groynes cause coastal recession?
disrupting natural sediment movement and leading to "terminal groyne syndrome" further down the coast

Coasts (3 decks)

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