geology Flashcards
erosion
the wearing away of rocks
igneous rocks
formed by molten rocks turning solid either on Earth’s surface or beneath it
metamorphic rocks
formed by a change of structure of existing rocks by exposure to extreme heat or pressure
sedimentary rocks
formed by erosion of existing rock and the fragments produced being cemented together to form new rock
till
a loose mixture of sediment of different sizes that is the result of erosion by ice. Also known as ‘boulder clay’
hydraulic action
erosion due to water compressing air in cracks before expanding and exploding
abrasion
erosion by pieces of rock in the water
attrition
erosion due to fragments rubbing together during transport
corrosion/solution
dissolving of soluble rock material in water. e.g. limestone
order of erosion
wave-cut notch, cave, arch, stack,stump
wav-cut notch
a slot cut by wave action at the bottom of a cliff
cave
a wave-cut inlet of a cliff
arch
offshore pillar of rock linked to the mainland at the top
stack
an isolated offshore pillar of rock
stump
a short isolated offshore pillar of rock
load
the material carried by water
saltation
material being bounced along surface of water
traction
material being rolled along surface of water
spit
a feature formed by longshore drift when deposition continues into the sea
swash
flow of water up a beach as a wave breaks onto a shore
backwash
flow of water back to sea after wave has broken
estuary
where a river enters the sea
