Coastal Landscapes Revision

These flashcards cover key concepts related to coastal landscapes, including wave behavior, landforms, processes of erosion and deposition, and coastal management strategies.

What happens to a wave when it reaches the shore?

The wave begins to break, the motion becomes elliptical, the swash runs up the beach, and the backwash runs back down.

What defines constructive waves?

Constructive waves have a long wavelength, low wave height, strong swash, and build up beaches.

What defines destructive waves?

Destructive waves have a short wavelength, high wave height, strong backwash, and remove sand and pebbles from beaches.

Name four coastal landforms created by erosion.

Headlands, arches, wave cut platforms, stacks.

Name four coastal landforms created by deposition.

Spits, beaches, bars, sand dunes.

What is the process that leads to the formation of a stump?

A stack left behind from an eroded arch, eventually becoming a stump.

How do bays and headlands form?

They form where there are alternating bands of more and less resistant rock.

What are the processes by which wave cut platforms form?

Hydraulic action and abrasion erode the cliff, forming a wave cut notch.

What is chemical weathering?

A process that weakens and breaks up rocks through chemical reactions.

What is mechanical weathering?

The physical breakdown of rocks without changing their chemical composition.

What is coastal management and give two examples?

Coastal management refers to strategies to protect coastlines, such as sea walls and groins.

What are the disadvantages of hard coastal engineering?

It causes habitat damage and may change erosion patterns elsewhere. It is also expensive.

What term describes the downward movement of material due to gravity?

Mass movement.

What is longshore drift?

The process that moves sand and pebbles along the coast in a zigzag pattern.

How does vegetation contribute to biological weathering?

Roots grow into cracks, helping to break apart rocks.