Coastal Processes Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to shores, waves, and coastal processes.

Coast

Area of contact between land and sea.

Shoreline

Precise boundary where water meets adjacent dry land.

Waves

Transport energy by motion.

Swash

As the wave reaches the shore it breaks; the white foamy water that flows up the beach.

Backwash

When the water from a wave runs out of speed and flows back down the beach into the sea.

Swash

Movement of water up the beach

Backwash

Movement of water down the beach

Load

Sand, pebbles, stones, and mud transported by the sea.

Transport by Waves (Vertical)

Transport of load up and down the shore by the swash and the backwash.

Longshore Drift

Transport of load along the shore due to waves approaching the beach at an angle.

Longshore Drift

Moves material along the beach in a zig-zag pattern due to waves approaching at an angle.

Destructive Waves

Waves that are high in proportion to their length, break downwards with force, and have a strong backwash and weak swash.

Constructive Waves

Waves that are low in proportion to their length, have a strong swash and weak backwash.

Characteristics of a Destructive Wave

Weak swash and strong backwash; steep and close together.

Characteristics of a Constructive Wave

Strong swash and weak backwash; low and further apart.