Processes Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a tide? (Processes coasts)

A

Variation in sea level caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon

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2
Q

Why does a neap tide occur? (Processes coasts)

A

When the Earth, moon and sun form a right angle, distorting gravitational pulls

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3
Q

What are the characteristics of a neap tide? (Processes coasts)

A

Lowest high tides

Highest low tides

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4
Q

Why does a spring tide occur? (Processes coasts)

A

When the Earth, moon and sun are all in line

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5
Q

What are the characteristics of a spring tide? (Processes coasts)

A

Highest high tides

Lowest low tides

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6
Q

What are the erosional processes? (Processes coasts)

A

Hydraulic action
Attrition
Abrasion
Solution

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7
Q

What is hydraulic action? (Processes coasts)

A

Waves break at the foot of a cliff causing air to be blasted into cracks, loose rocks are dislodged and the cliff becomes undercut and retreats

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8
Q

What is attrition? (Processes coasts)

A

Bits of rock in the water smash against each other and break into smaller bits

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9
Q

What is abrasion? (Processes coasts)

A

When rocks carried by sea water bash against the cliffs and wear down (sandpaper effect)

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10
Q

What is solution? (Processes coasts)

A

Pebbles and sediment are dissolved

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11
Q

How can material be transported? (Processes coasts)

A

Traction
Saltation
Solution
Suspension

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12
Q

What is traction? (Processes coasts)

A

Large and heavy rocks are rolled along the sea bed

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13
Q

What is saltation? (Processes coasts)

A

Small/light rocks adopt a bouncing motion along the river bed

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14
Q

What is solution? (Processes coasts)

A

Sediment that has dissolved completely

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15
Q

What is suspension? (Processes coasts)

A

Light sediment is carried within the water, accounting for the murky appearance of the sea

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16
Q

What is LSD? (Processes coasts)

A

The process whereby waves hit the beach at a slight angle
Swash dies away
Backwash falls straight back (90 degrees to the beach)

17
Q

What is deposition? (Processes coasts)

A

When sand is deposited on a beach, it dries and may be taken away by wind
occurs in low energy environments

18
Q

What are the types of weathering? (Processes coasts)

A
Sub-arial
Freeze thaw
Salt weathering
Wetting and drying
Carbonation
Biological
19
Q

What is sub-arial weathering? (Processes coasts)

A

The gradual breakdown of rocks in their original place (in-situ)

20
Q

What is freeze-thaw? (Processes coasts)

A

With regular freezing and thawing, some fragments of rock break away and collect at the base of the river

21
Q

What is salt weathering? (Processes coasts)

A

When salt evaporates from the rocks it leaves behind salt crystals that crack the rock apart

22
Q

What is wetting and drying? (Processes coasts)

A

Clay rich rocks expand when they get wet and contract when dry causing them to crack and break up

23
Q

What is carbonation? (Processes coasts)

A

the slow dissolving of calcium carbonate

24
Q

What is biological weathering? (Processes coasts)

A

Plants prising apart rocks on cliffs

25
Q

What is mass movement? (Processes coasts)

A

the downhill movement of rock and soil in response to the force of gravity

26
Q

What ways can mass movement be seen? (Processes coasts)

A
Soil creep
Mud flow
Rational slip
Landslides
Rockfall
27
Q

What is soil creep? (Processes coasts)

A

Very slow downhill movement of individual rock particles

28
Q

What is mud flow? (Processes coasts)

A

Saturated soil flows downhill, often triggered by heavy rain

29
Q

What is rational slip? (Processes coasts)

A

Common coastal landslides in weak rock e.g clay

30
Q

What are landslides? (Processes coasts)

A

Rapid movement of detached slabs of rock

31
Q

What is rockfall? (Processes coasts)

A

individual rock fragments fall due to freeze-thaw

32
Q

What is a sediment cell? (Processes coasts)

A

A stretch of coastline, usually bordered
by two prominent headlands, where the movement of
sediment tends to be contained