10.2 + 10.3 Flashcards
(22 cards)
Explain corrasion/abrasion
- Sand and pebbles carried within waves are thrown against the cliff face with considerable force
- These particles break off more rocks from the cliff which in turn are thrown against the cliff by the breaking wave
Explain hydraulic action
- The pressure of water being thrown at the cliffs by the waves
- Also includes the compression of air in cracks
- Water gets into the cracks in cliffs and compresses the air forcing pieces of rock to break off
Explain attrition
- The wearing away of rocks in the sea
- Boulders continually roll around and chip away at each other until smooth pebbles or sand is formed
Explain corrosion
- A chemical reaction between certain rock types, the salt and other acids in seawater
- With limestone cliffs, the water turns milky blue to show dissolved limestone.
What is weathering
the natural processes that break down rocks and minerals at the Earth’s surface, without moving them from their original location
What are the two types of weathering
- chemical weathering: caused by a chemical reaction when rainwater hits rock and decomposes it or eats it away
- mechanical (physical) weathering: results in rocks being disintegrated rather than decomposed
What are
What is mass movement
The downslope of rock, soil or mud due to gravity
What is rockfall (type of mass movement0
Bits of rock fall off the cliff, usually due to freeze-thaw weathering
What is mudflow (type of mass movement)
Saturated soil (soil filled with water) flows down a slope.
What is a landslide (type of mass movement
Large blocks of rock slide downhill.
What is rotational slip (also known as cliff slumping)
Saturated soil slumps down a curved surface.
What are the four types of coastal transportation
- solution
- suspension
- saltation
- traction
What is solution
when minerals in rocks like chalk and limestone are dissolved in sea water and then carried in solution. The load is not visible.
What is suspension
small particles such as silts and clays are suspended in the flow of the water
What is saltation
where small pieces of shingle or large sand grains are bounced along the sea bed
What is traction
where pebbles and larger material are rolled along the sea bed
What is the movement of materials along the coastline called
Longshore drift
How does longshore drift work
- Waves approach the coast at an angle because of the direction of prevailing wind.
- The swash will carry the material towards the beach at an angle
- The backwash then flows back to the sea, down the slope of the beach.
- The process repeats itself along the coast in the zigzag movement.
What are factors that lead to deposition
- waves starting to slow down and lose energy
- shallow water
- sheltered areas, eg bays
- little or no wind
Explain the effects of weathering and mass movement on a cliffed coastline (6 marks0
Location: Holderness, East Yorkshire, south of Mappleton, Cliff House Farm
Cliff slumping is a form of mass movement –
when material moves down a slope due to the
pull of gravity
1. The base of the cliffs are eroded by the
waves
2. Cliffs are weakened by weathering and
rain soaks into the soft boulder clay
3. The soft boulder clay gets heavier over
time until it slides and finally slumps
North Sea waves have a long fetch (850km) and
therefore the waves are very powerful and
easily erode the cliffs