KEY IDEA - Coastal Landscapes can be viewed as systems Flashcards
what are systems ?
Sets of interrelated components working towards a process
What type of system is coastal landscape?
open system
What is an open system?
Matter and energy is transferred across its boundary
inputs
- kinetic energy > wind + waves
- thermal energy > heat from the sun
- potential energy > from position of material on slopes; material from: deposition, weathering and mass movement from cliffs
processes ( consists of stores )
- beach and nearshore sediment accumulations
- and flows ( transfers ) e.g (longshore drift)
outputs
- marine & wind erosion from beaches and rock surfaces; evaporation
equilibrium
when a systems inputs and outputs are equal
Dynamic equilibrium
When a system undergoes self-regulation and changes its form in order to restore equilibrium
Sediment cell
is a stretch of coastline & its associated nearshore area within which the movement of course sediment
what type of system is a sediment cell?
A closed system
Closed system
Energy is transferred across its boundary but NOT matter
suggests that no matter is transferred from one cell to another
how many sediment cells are around the coast of England ?
there are 11 large sediment cells around the coast of england
how are the boundaries of sediment cells determined?
The boundaries of sediment cells are determined by the topography and shape of the coastline
What acts as a natural barrier?
Large physical feautures such as lands end in which acts as a huge natural barrier that prevents the transfer of sediment to adjacent cells
How many coastal zones are there ?
There are 4 coastal zones:
- backshore
- foreshore
- inshore
- offshore
