Coasts

Coast

Interface between land and the sea

Erosion

the breaking down and removal of sediment by the actions of waves and tides

Transportation

movement of sediment by the action of waves or tides

Deposition

when waves and tides lose energy and drop material

Hydraulic action

air may become trapped in joint and cracks on the cliff surface when a wave breaks. When the waves break, trapped air and water compressed and weakens the cliff and causes erosionA

Attrition

waves smash rock and pebbles in the shore into each other until they break and become smoother and rounder

Abrasion

pieces of rocks and sediment that are carried in the waves are shown at the cliff and sediment grinds down on the cliffs surface.

Solution

acids in the seawater dissolve some types of rocks such as chalk and limestone.

Littoral zone

the coastal zone in which sediment are moved between land, beach and sea

Morphology

change in the shape and form of the coastline

Lithology

physical characteristics of rocks

Dip

angle of rock strata in relation to horizontal angle

Joints

vertical cracks or fractures caused by contraction as sediments dry out

Fold

formed by pressure during tectonic activity which makes rocks buckle and crumple

Strata

layers of rock

Faults

formed when the stress or pressure to which a rock is subjected exceed internal strength

Bedding planes

horizontal cracks / natural breaks in the Strat caused by gaps in time during periods of rock formation

Deformation

the degree to which rock units have been changed by tectonic activity.

mass movement

is the movement of weathered material downslope under gravity

Weathering

the breaking down of sediment and material due to process in the atmosphere

Eustatic change

change in sea level relative to land level

Isostaic change

change in land relative to sea level

emergent coasts

where coaster re rising relative to the sea level

Submeregnt coasta

being flooded by the sea due to rising sea levels or subsidising land

Storm surge

short term change in sea level caused by low pressure and the pushing of water by the wind.