Coastal landforms

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12 Terms

1
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What is swash?

when a wave washes up onto a shoreline, transferring energy up the beach

2
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What is backwash?

when a wave retreats back down the beach & into the sea, pulling away material

3
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What is fetch?

the distance over when wind blows across the sea or a lake, generating waves

longer fetch = more powerful waves

4
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What are constructive waves?

- waves that build up beaches due to their swash being stronger than their backwash

- the waves are low & have little energy

<p>- waves that build up beaches due to their swash being stronger than their backwash</p><p>- the waves are low &amp; have little energy</p>
5
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What are deconstructive waves?

- waves that destroy beaches due to their backwash being stronger than their swash

- the waves gain height as they approach the beach & have lots of energy

<p>- waves that destroy beaches due to their backwash being stronger than their swash</p><p>- the waves gain height as they approach the beach &amp; have lots of energy</p>
6
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What is longshore drift?

- the process in which materials are transported along a coastline

- this happens in a zig-zag movement where swash carries sediment up the beach at an angle (dictated by the prevailing wind) & backwash carries sediment back down the beach 90° to the coastline

<p>- the process in which materials are transported along a coastline</p><p>- this happens in a zig-zag movement where swash carries sediment up the beach at an angle (dictated by the prevailing wind) &amp; backwash carries sediment back down the beach 90° to the coastline</p>
7
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How are headlands & bays formed?

- coastlines consist of bands of soft rock & hard rock which are perpendicular to the sea

- because of differential erosion, the bands of soft rock erode much faster to forms bays & the hard rock is left sticking out as headlands

- overtime, the headlands will erode as well making the coastline straight again; then the process will start over

<p>- coastlines consist of bands of soft rock &amp; hard rock which are perpendicular to the sea</p><p>- because of differential erosion, the bands of soft rock erode much faster to forms bays &amp; the hard rock is left sticking out as headlands</p><p>- overtime, the headlands will erode as well making the coastline straight again; then the process will start over</p>
8
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How are beaches formed?

- when waves lose energy & therefore deposit the material they are transporting

- there are 2 types of beaches → sandy & shingle

9
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What are the differences between sandy beaches & shingle beaches

SANDY → wide, have a gently sloping beach profile, formed in low energy areas where constructive waves dominate (e.g. bays), often backed by sand dunes

SHINGLE → narrow, have a steeply sloping beach profile, formed in high energy areas where destructive waves dominate, often backed by cliffs

10
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How are spits formed?

- sediment is carried by longshore drift along a coastline (by prevailing wind)

- when the sediment reaches the end of the coastline (usually a change in direction of a headland)

- with the condition that the swash is stronger than the backwash; that side of the headland is sheltered from strong winds

- Ultimately causing the sediment to build up above sea-level over time, forming a spit

- spits can develop a hooked end when the wind changes direction

- the area behind a spit is very sheltered so often salt marshes or mud flats will form due to the deposition of silt

<p>- sediment is carried by longshore drift along a coastline (by prevailing wind)</p><p>- when the sediment reaches the end of the coastline (usually a change in direction of a headland)</p><p>- with the condition that the swash is stronger than the backwash; that side of the headland is sheltered from strong winds</p><p>- Ultimately causing the sediment to build up above sea-level over time, forming a spit</p><p>- spits can develop a hooked end when the wind changes direction</p><p>- the area behind a spit is very sheltered so often salt marshes or mud flats will form due to the deposition of silt</p>
11
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How are bars formed?

- when spits grow across a bay & join 2 headlands together, forming a bar

- shallow lakes can get trapped behind the bar - these are lagoons (lagoons do not last forever as they can get filled up with sediment)

<p>- when spits grow across a bay &amp; join 2 headlands together, forming a bar</p><p>- shallow lakes can get trapped behind the bar - these are lagoons (lagoons do not last forever as they can get filled up with sediment)</p>
12
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How are caves, arches, stacks & stumps formed?

- hydraulic action & abrasion erode headlands, creating cracks which gradually open up into a CAVE

- the cave becomes larger due to further erosion & eventually breaks through the headland to form an ARCH

- the base of the arch widens overtime until it is too unstable to hold the headland above it, causing it to collapse into the sea & leave behind a STACK

- waves attack the base of the stack, causing it to weaken & fall, leaving behind a STUMP

<p>- hydraulic action &amp; abrasion erode headlands, creating cracks which gradually open up into a CAVE</p><p>- the cave becomes larger due to further erosion &amp; eventually breaks through the headland to form an ARCH</p><p>- the base of the arch widens overtime until it is too unstable to hold the headland above it, causing it to collapse into the sea &amp; leave behind a STACK</p><p>- waves attack the base of the stack, causing it to weaken &amp; fall, leaving behind  a STUMP</p>