Coasts

Coast

Coast

The area where land and sea meet.

Shoreline

The boundary of the land defined by the high water mark on a low-lying coast or the base of a steeply sloping coast.

Shore

The area between the highest and lowest tide points.

Tidal range

The difference between low and high tide.

Swash

The movement of water up the beach.

Backwash

The return movement of water down the beach.

Destructive waves

Waves that erode the beach; characterized by a steep gradient, high energy, and a strong abrasive backwash.

Constructive waves

Waves that build beaches; characterized by a long wavelength, low height, and strong swash.

Hydraulic Action

A form of marine erosion where waves exert pressure on rock surfaces.

Attrition

The process where material is worn down into smaller pieces by collision with other materials.

Corrosion

The chemical breakdown of rocks due to seawater.

Abrasion

The wear and tear of rocks and sediments against each other and against the shoreline.

Longshore Drift (LSD)

The main process of sediment transportation along the coast, characterized by a zig-zag movement.

Traction

A method of sediment transport where materials roll along the seabed.

Saltation

A method of sediment transport involving the bouncing of particles along the seabed.

Suspension

A method of transport where small particles are carried floating in the water.

Solution

The transport of dissolved materials in water.

Berm

A ridge formed at the top of the beach during storms from deposited shingle.

Marine erosion

• A large, rough boulder is gradually reduced into round sand grains (quartz) the longer it remains in the ocean and the farther it travels along the shore

• The effects of attrition are amplified when the waves carry material farther and longer

• Rounded pebbles on a beach are known as shingle