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Coasts > Key Facts > Flashcards

Key Facts Flashcards

1
Q

What is an input

5 examples

A 
How sediment is brought into the system
Wind 
Waves 
Tides 
Currents
Sediment
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2
Q

Output

A

When sediment is washed out to sea or deposited further along the coast

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3
Q

What are flows or transfers

4 examples

A 
Processes that move sediment within the system 
Weathering 
Erosion
Transportation
Deposition
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4
Q

What are stores/ components

3 examples

A

Landforms that store sediment
Beaches
Dunes
Spits

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5
Q

Negative feedback and example

A

Change In The system that chases other charges which have the opposite effect

As a beach is eroded, cliffs are exposed to wave attack, sediment eroded from cliffs I’d deposited, causing it to grow in size

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6
Q

Positive feedback

Example

A

Change in the system that chases other changes with same or similar effect

Beach starts to form and grow - slows down waves - more sediment deposited - increasing beach size

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7
Q

Dynamic equilibrium

A

Inputs and outputs are balanced

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8
Q

How is wind created

A

By air moving from areas of high to low pressure area

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9
Q

What happens to the wind during a storm and how does this effect the waves?

A

Pressure gradient is high so strong winds therefore powerful waves

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10
Q

What is the prevailing wind

A

Wind constitently blows from the same direction causing high energy waves

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11
Q

How are waves created

A

Created by wind blowing over sea, friction between wind and sea gives water a circular motion

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12
Q

What are the 2 types of waves

A

Constructive

Destructive

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13
Q

7 characters of constructive wave

A 
Low frequency
6-8 per minute
Low and long
Strong swash
Weak back wash
More elliptical profile 
Flat and wide beach
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14
Q

7 characteristics of a destructive wave

A 
10-14 a min
High freq 
More circular
High and steep
Weak swash
Strong backwash
Steep beach
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15
Q

What are tides, how are they caused and what do they affect

A

They are the periodic rise and fall of the ocean surface
Caused by gravitational pull of the moon and sun
Affect the position at which waves break on the beach

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16
Q

What are currents, what causes them

A

General flow of water in one direction along the coast

Caused by wind, variations in water temp or salinity

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17
Q

6 characteristics of high energy coast

A 
Large powerful waves
Strong winds 
Long fetch
Steep shelving offshore zone
Usually dance covers and rocky landforms
Rate of erosion higher than rate of deposition
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18
Q

6 characteristics of low energy coasts

A

Small gentle waves
Gentle winds
Short fetches
Gently sloping offshore zone
Usually have salt marshes and tidal mudflats
Rate of deposition is higher that erosion rate

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19
Q

5 sediment sources

A 
Rivers 
Sea level rise
Cliffs
Crushed shells
Offshore deposits
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20
Q

What is the sediment budget

A

Difference between the amount of sediment the enters the system and the amount that leaves

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21
Q

2 types of sediment budget

A

Positive- more sediment enters than leaves. Coastline builders outwards

Negative- more sediment leaves. Coastline retreats

22
Q

What are sediment cells

A

Also called littoral cells
Lengths of coastlines which are self - contained so the processes of one cell don’t effect movement of cells in another cell
Closed coastal system

23
Q

6 types of erosion

A 
Abrasion/corrasion
Hydraulic action
Cavitation
Wave quarrying
Corrosion/solution
Attrition
24
Q

4 types of material transportation and what they are

A

Solution - substances that can dissolve are carried in water

Suspension - very fine material such as silt is whipped up by turbulence and carried in water

Saltation - larger particles such as pebbles are forced to bounce along the sea bed by water

Traction - late particles such as boulders are pushed/rolled along sea bed by force of water

25
Q

Deposition

2 types

A

When material being transported in dropped on the coast
2 types
Marine
Aeolian

26
Q

Marine deposition

A

When sediment is carried by seawater and dropped

27
Q

Aeolian deposition

2 types

A

When sediment carries by wind is deposited

Surface creep - process similar to traction where wind rolls sand grains along surface

Station - wind is strong enough to temporality lift drain tho airflow for up to 30 m

28
Q

Sub aerial weathering and types

A

Gradual break down of rocks by agents such as ice and plants, weakens the cliffs making them more vulnerable to erosion

Salt
Freeze thaw
Chemical
Wetting- drying

29
Q

Mass movement and 5 types

A 
Shifting of material downhill due to gravity
Slides
Slumps
Rockfalls
Mudflows 
Soil creep
30
Q

What are slides

A

Material shifts in straight lines

31
Q

What are slumps

A

Material shifts with a rotation

32
Q

What are rockfalls

A

Material breaks up and falls down as parts

33
Q

Mudflows

A

Material flows downslope

34
Q

What is salt weathering how is caused

A

Caused by saline water
Water enters pores or cracks at high tide
Tide goes out, water evaporates forming salt crystals
They form and expand
Exert pressure on rock
Pieces fall off

35
Q

Where does freeze thaw occur and how does it happen

A 
In areas where temp fluctuates above and below freezing 
Water enters joints and crevices
Water freezers and expand
Repeats and weakens rock
Pieces fall off
36
Q

Chemical

A

Breakdown of rock by changing its chemical composition

CO2 in atmosphere dissolves in rainwater
Forms weak carbonic acid
Facts with rocks containing calcium carbonate
Gradually dissolves rocks

37
Q

Wetting and drying

A

Rocks such as clay gets wet and expands and this pressure weakens
Gradually pieces fall off

38
Q

How does slumping occur

3

A

Rainwater soaks Clay
Heavier = slump
Lubricates weaknesses causing slip plane
Hubby tide causes notch and undertcuting, Clay has no support so slumps

39
Q

Oscillatory waves

A

Waves that move ina circular motion when water is it in is deeper than the wavelength

40
Q

Translators waves

A

????

41
Q

Coastal zone parts

9

A

Back shore 1

Foreshore 2

Inshore 3

Offshore 4

Near shore - is foreshore and inshore and contains 3 zones

Swash zone - 1

Surf zone - 2

Breaker zone 3

High and low water mark

42
Q

Spring tide

A

Highest monthly tidal range as the moon orbits the Earth twice in a lunar month

the moon sun and earth in a straight line tidal raising force strongest

43
Q

Neap tide

A

Lowest monthly tidal range

Also twice a month sun moon oppositions at 90° perpendicular to each other in relation to eachotger

backwards L shape, sun at top earth in middle and moon to the left

44
Q

Tidal surges

A

Occasions when meteorological conditions give rise to strong winds which produce much higher water levels then there is a high tide

45
Q

What are 3 type of currents

A

Longshore or littoral drift - when waves approach coastline at angle so current is parallel to shoreline

RIP - strong currents moving away from shoreline

Upwelling - movement of cold water from deep in the ocean towards surface

46
Q

6 factors affecting coastal erosion

A

Wave steepness and breaking point

Fetch

Sea depth

Coastal configuration

Beach presence

Human activity

47
Q

Concordant coastline

A

Rocks running parallel to coastline

48
Q

Disconcordanr

A

Rocks run at right angles to coast

49
Q

4 types of chemical

A

Oxidation

Hydration

Hydrolysis

Carbonation

50
Q

What is soil creep as mass movement

A

Where slow but continuous moment of soil particles downslope

Coasts (5 decks)

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