Marine Erosion Processes Flashcards
Define hydraulic action.
The impact on rocks of the sheer force of the water (without debris).
Exerting great pressure upon rock surfaces, weakening it.
Define abrasion.
Material the sea has picked up also wears away rock face.
Sand, shingle and boulders hurled against cliff cause enormous damage.
Define attrition.
The rocks in the sea which carry out abrasion are slowly worn down into smaller more rounded pieces.
Define solution.
Dissolving of calcium bases rocks (limestone) and very light small material.
Define wave quarrying.
A breaking wave traps air as it hits a cliff face.
The force of the water compresses this air into any gap into the rock face, creating enormous pressure on joint.
Overall it weakens cliff.
What is the definition of erosion?
The wearing away and removal of the land by rivers, glaciers and the wind.
Erosion removes debris from the foot of the cliff and provides an input into the coastal sediment cells.
What is wave pounding?
Steep waves have a lot of energy and as they break against the cliff foot or sea wall they release shock waves with a force of up to 30 tonnes p/m squares.
