4.3 Coastal Landscapes

Question 1

What is a concordant coastline and give an example of the rock type?

Answer 1

A concordant coastline is when one rock is parallel to the sea such as Limestone in Swanage. Usually there are cliffs on the coast and no headlands and bays.

Question 2

What is a discordant coastline ?

Answer 2

A discordant coastline is when multiple rocks are perpendicular to the sea and includes soft rock and hard rock, such as chalk and granite

Question 3

Compare the differences between a concordant and discordant coastline?

Answer 3

Concordant coastlines have only 1 type of rock along their coastline whereas discordant have both soft and hard rock.

Question 4

What factors cause big waves?

Answer 4

The strength, the duration and the fetch are the 3 factors that cause big waves.

Question 5

What is the fetch?

Answer 5

The fetch of a wave is the distance it has travelled.

Question 6

How are headlands and bays formed ?

Answer 6

Headlands and bays occur when the soft rock on a discordant coastline erodes away until it forms a curve and the headland is the part of the hardrock where it hasnt been eroded.

Question 7

What is the correct cycle for stumps, stacks , arches and caves?

Answer 7

Caves, arches, stacks and stumps.

Question 8

Wha is long shore drift?

Answer 8

Long shore drift is when eroded sediment is picked up from the sea bed and moved by the waved by the swash and back wash and deposites its debris on the shore.

Question 9

What is solution?

Answer 9

Solution is dissolved chemicals often derived from limestone or chalk.

Question 10

What is suspension?

Answer 10

Suspension is when small particles are carried within water.

Question 11

What is traction ?

Answer 11

Traction is the rolling of large pebbles along the sea bed.

Question 12

What is saltation?

Answer 12

Saltation is a hopping motion done by smaller rocks on the sea bed which are too heavy to be suspended.

Question 13

What is it called when a spit connects to nearby land?

Answer 13

A bar

Question 14

What are the two main types of mass movement?

Answer 14

Rock slides and rotational slumping.

Question 15

How is a spit formed?

Answer 15

A spit is formed through long shore drift when deposition occurs. Debris is deposited and after time due to wind changes new land forms.

Question 16

What are joints and faults? How do they affect erosion?

Answer 16

Joints are small cracks in the rock and faults are large cracks in the tectonic plates. They affect erosion because they cause rock to collapse and move more easily.

Question 17

What are the differences between hard and soft rock?

Answer 17

Hard rock is more resistant than soft rock, which is less resistant.

Question 18

What are some characteristics of headlands and bays?

Answer 18

Headlands are made from hard rock where as bays are formed from eroded soft rock.

Question 19

Describe the characteristics of a wave cut platforms ?

Answer 19

Smooth base

, notch in the lower area, jagged and rough sides.

Question 20

How is a wave cut platform formed?

Answer 20

A wave cut platform is formed by abrasion and hydraulic action which creates a notch at the bottom of a cliff. This then crumbles and is used in erosion, this continues until the cliff has been pushed back far enough for a platform under the cliff to appear.

Question 21

What is biological weathering?

Answer 21

Biological weathering is when plant roots grow into the ground and as they grow, break up the rock until it collapses.

Question 22

What is freeze thaw weathering?

Answer 22

Freeze thaw weathering is when water gets forced into the cracks in rock and freezes, when it freezes it expands and creates bigger cracks. It then melts and the rock crumbles as there is nothing supporting it.

Question 23

What is abrasion?

Answer 23

Abrasion is when chunks of rock are smashed against other rock causing more impact on the cliffs.

Question 24

What is hydraulic action?

Answer 24

Hydraulic action is when water and air are forced into the cracks creating even bigger cracks which eventually crumble with the repeated process.

Question 25

What is attrition?

Answer 25

Attrition is when large rocks bash against eachother in the water which causes them to break up into even smaller but smoother and less rough rocks.

Question 26

What is solution?

Answer 26

Solution is when acidic water dissolves away at rocks that are susceptible to being disolved such as chalk.