introduction to coasts

Question 1

what is the coast?

Answer 1

a narrow zone where the land and sea overlap and directly interact.

Question 2

what is the coast influenced by?

Answer 2

marrine, terrestrail, atmospheric and human factors

Question 3

what are the inputs into the coastline?

Answer 3

wave energy 
tides
currents
winds
storm surges
tidal waves
changes in sea level
sediment
human activity

Question 4

what are the processes on the coastline?

Answer 4

erosion
transport
deposition

Question 5

what are the outputs on the coastline?

Answer 5

loss of wave energy
depositional landforms
erosion landforms

Question 6

what are spatial variations in energy a result of?

Answer 6

variations in the strength of the wind and the number and intensity of storms

Question 7

what are closed systems?

Answer 7

transfer energy both into and around the system but not a transfer of matter

Question 8

what are open systems?

Answer 8

matter and energy can be transferred from the system across the system boundary and into the surrounding environment

Question 9

what is positive feedback?

Answer 9

where the effects of an action are amplified or multiplied by its knock on effects

Question 10

what is negative feedback?

Answer 10

where the effects of an action are nullified by it’s knock on effects