Coastal Processes and Landforms

This set of flashcards covers key concepts related to coastal processes and landforms, essential for IGCSE Geography exam preparation.

What defines coastal processes?

Coastal processes are the activities occurring at the meeting point of land and sea, involving inputs, transfers, stores, and outputs.

What are the two main types of coastal processes?

Marine processes (offshore) and terrestrial processes (onshore).

What is wave action?

Wave action refers to the marine processes involving the erosion, transportation, and deposition of material by waves.

What three factors determine the height and strength of a wave?

Fetch, the amount of time the wind blows, and the strength of the wind.

What are constructive waves?

Waves that have a strong swash, weak backwash, long wavelength, and low wave height.

What distinguishes destructive waves?

Destructive waves have a weak swash, strong backwash, short wavelength, high wave height, and high frequency.

How do waves form?

Waves are formed by winds blowing over the surface of the sea.

What is swash?

Swash is the movement of water up the beach following the breaking of a wave.

What is backwash?

Backwash is the return movement of water down the beach after a wave breaks.

What is hydraulic action in the context of erosion?

Hydraulic action is the sheer force of waves hitting the coast, causing erosion.

Define attrition.

Attrition is the process where materials carried by waves bump against each other, becoming smaller and smoother.

What is corrosion in coastal erosion?

Corrosion occurs when slightly acidic seawater gradually dissolves some types of coastal rock.

What is abrasion?

Abrasion is when waves pick up material and hurl it against the coast, eroding it.

What factors affect the rate of coastal erosion?

Energy, materials, and shore geometry.

Explain how energy affects erosion rates.

Greater energy leads to more erosion; energy is higher with steep, destructive waves.

How do materials affect erosion?

Larger amounts of materials increase abrasion; resistant rocks erode more slowly.

What is longshore drift?

Longshore drift is the main process of deposition and transportation along the coast, involving the transportation of materials by waves.

Describe how longshore drift operates.

Waves approach the beach at an angle, carrying material up the beach before the backwash returns it perpendicularly.

What is the role of deposition in coastal processes?

Deposition occurs when wave energy decreases or when water encounters obstacles, causing sediment to settle.

Define weathering in coastal contexts.

Weathering is the breakdown of rock in-situ, with no movement of material.

What are the types of sub-aerial weathering?

Mechanical, chemical, and biological weathering.

How does freeze-thaw weathering work?

Water in cracks freezes, expands, and exerts pressure, eventually breaking the rock apart.

What is biological weathering?

Biological weathering occurs when living organisms contribute to the breakdown of rocks.

What is mass movement?

Mass movement is the downhill movement of material influenced by gravity.

Name types of mass movement.

Soil creep, flow, slide, fall, and slump.

What is a headland?

A piece of land that juts out into the sea, formed from resistant rock.

What is a bay?

A bay is an inlet of the sea formed where less resistant rock is eroded.

Describe how coves are formed.

Coves form where resistant rock faces oncoming waves, leading to erosion of softer rock behind.

What are cliffs?

Cliffs are steep rock faces shaped through erosion and weathering processes.

Explain wave-cut platforms.

Wave-cut platforms are gently sloped surfaces at the base of cliffs formed by wave erosion.

What processes lead to the formation of stack formations?

Wave action and sub-aerial weathering exploit weaknesses in a headland, creating caves, arches, and then stacks.

Define a beach in coastal terms.

A beach is a landform created by the deposition of sediment in sheltered areas, typically with constructive waves.

What is a spit?

A spit is a stretch of sand or shingle that extends out to sea from the shore due to deposition.

What is a lagoon?

A lagoon is a small body of water cut off from the sea, often formed behind a bar or tombolo.

What characterizes a barrier island?

A barrier island is a coastal landform that runs parallel to the mainland and is open at one or both ends.

How does geology influence coastal landforms?

Geology shapes the coastline through erosion rates, influencing the shape and characteristics of cliffs.

How does vegetation impact the coast?

Vegetation protects coastal landforms by stabilizing sandy areas and reducing erosion.

What happens to coastlines during rising sea levels?

Rising sea levels produce submergent coastlines, leading to features like rias and fjords.

Define emergent coastlines.

Emergent coastlines form during falling sea levels, creating features like raised beaches and relic cliffs.

What are some human activities affecting coastal landscapes?

Settlement, economic development, and coastal management can transform coastal landscapes.

What is the importance of sediment transport in coastal processes?

Sediment transport is crucial for the formation of various coastal landforms, including beaches and spits.

Give an example of a feature formed by erosion.

Headlands are formed by the erosion of less resistant rock, leaving resistant rock protruding into the sea.

How does human activity influence coastal erosion?

Human activity can lead to increased erosion through construction, altering natural processes, or insufficient management.

What is sub-aerial weathering?

Sub-aerial weathering describes coastal weathering processes not linked to the action of the sea.

Explain the relationship between climate and mass movement.

Climate affects moisture levels, influencing the stability of slopes and the likelihood of mass movement.

Why is understanding coastal processes essential?

Understanding coastal processes helps in coastal management and predicting changes due to natural events or human influences.