1.1.3 Landforms and landscape systems, their distinctive features and distribution

Define a high-energy coastline.

A coastline exposed to strong wave energy due to long fetch, prevailing winds, and powerful waves, where erosion dominates over deposition.

Describe key characteristics of high-energy coastlines.

Strong destructive waves, long fetch, high erosion rates, steep cliffs, narrow beaches, and dominant sediment transport.

Explain why high-energy coastlines have limited deposition.

Sediment is removed faster than it can accumulate due to powerful wave action.

Identify common erosional landforms found on high-energy coastlines.

Cliffs, wave-cut platforms, headlands and bays, caves, arches, stacks, and stumps.

Explain the formation of a wave-cut notch.

Waves erode the base of a cliff through hydraulic action and abrasion, creating an אונטערcut notch.

Explain how a wave-cut platform forms.

Repeated cliff collapse and retreat leave behind a gently sloping rock surface exposed at low tide.

Describe characteristics of wave-cut platforms.

Flat or gently sloping (1–5°), intertidal, formed by erosion and weathering.

Explain why wave-cut platform growth is limited.

As the platform widens, wave energy dissipates, reducing erosion rates.

Identify processes involved in wave-cut platform formation.

Abrasion, hydraulic action, salt weathering, chemical weathering, and bioerosion.

Explain the role of lithology in coastal erosion.

Rock type and structure determine resistance to erosion and sediment availability.

Explain how headlands and bays form.

Differential erosion of alternating resistant and less resistant rock along discordant coastlines.

Explain the role of wave refraction in shaping headlands and bays.

Wave energy is concentrated on headlands (erosion) and reduced in bays (deposition).

Describe the formation of caves, arches, stacks, and stumps.

Waves exploit weaknesses to form caves, which enlarge into arches, collapse into stacks, and erode into stumps.

Define a discordant coastline.

A coastline where rock layers run perpendicular to the shore, leading to differential erosion.

Explain the formation of a geo.

A steep-sided inlet formed where erosion exploits joints or faults in rock.

Describe wave energy at :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.

High-energy waves, strong winds, and tidal currents create intense erosion.

Explain how wave-cut features form at :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.

Hydraulic action and abrasion form notches, leading to cliff collapse and platform formation.

Describe the formation of :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.

Chalk headland erosion through cave → arch → stack → stump sequence.

Explain the role of geology at :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.

Joints and bedding planes in chalk provide weaknesses for erosion.

Explain the development of :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.

Differential erosion of soft clays forms a bay between resistant headlands.

Assess the role of longshore drift in :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.

It redistributes sediment and helps maintain the beach.

Explain the impact of climate change on high-energy coastlines.

Increased sea levels and storm intensity accelerate erosion and flooding.

Describe the impact of coastal erosion on communities.

Damage to infrastructure, loss of land, and need for coastal management.

Explain the impact of storms at :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.

Storms damaged sea walls and railway infrastructure, causing economic disruption.

Define a low-energy coastline.

A coastline with weak wave energy where deposition dominates over erosion.

Describe characteristics of low-energy coastlines.

Gentle waves, wide beaches, fine sediments, and depositional landforms.

Identify common depositional landforms in low-energy environments.

Beaches, mudflats, salt marshes, sand dunes, and barrier islands.

Explain why low-energy coasts have fine sediments.

Weak wave energy cannot transport large particles, so sand, silt, and clay accumulate.

Explain the role of shelter in low-energy coastlines.

Bays and estuaries protect coasts from strong waves, reducing energy.

Describe why ecosystems thrive in low-energy environments.

Stable conditions allow development of habitats like salt marshes and seagrass.

Define an estuary.

A tidal mouth of a river where freshwater mixes with seawater.

Explain why estuaries are sediment sinks.

Low energy conditions promote deposition of fine sediments.

Describe the structure of an estuary.

Outer (marine energy), middle (deposition), inner (river energy).

Explain sediment distribution in estuaries.

Fine sediments settle in the middle, coarse materials in outer and inner zones.

Define diffusion in estuaries.

Mixing of salt and fresh water at a molecular level.

Define advection in estuaries.

Mixing of water due to currents and physical movement.

Identify types of estuaries based on mixing.

Stratified, partially mixed, and well-mixed.

Explain the formation of the :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.

A drowned river valley (ria) formed by post-glacial sea-level rise.

Describe sediment processes in the :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.

River deposition and tidal redistribution form mudflats and sandbanks.

Explain human impacts on the :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.

Land reclamation and embankments alter sediment movement.

Describe features of the :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.

Wide sandy beaches, large tidal range, and extensive sand dunes.

Explain dune formation at :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.

Wind transports sand inland, trapped by vegetation forming dunes.

Explain the role of vegetation in dune formation.

Marram grass stabilises dunes by trapping and binding sand.

Describe dune succession.

Embryo dunes → foredunes → yellow dunes → grey dunes.

Explain why constructive waves dominate low-energy coasts.

Low energy waves deposit sediment due to strong swash and weak backwash.

Describe global distribution of high-energy coasts.

Common in mid-latitudes with strong prevailing winds and long fetch.

Explain why the Southern Hemisphere has higher wave energy.

Less landmass allows stronger winds and larger waves (e.g. Roaring Forties).

Describe wave energy around the UK.

Moderate to high (4–5 m), especially on western coasts exposed to the Atlantic.

Explain why enclosed seas have low wave energy.

Limited fetch reduces wave size (e.g. Mediterranean).

Assess the importance of global wind patterns in coastal processes.

They control wave energy distribution and influence coastal landforms worldwide.