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edexcel a levek geog🌍 > Coastal landscapes EQ1 > Flashcards

Coastal landscapes EQ1 Flashcards

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1
Q

what is the littoral zone

A

The littoral zone contains coastal sediments . Waves currents and tides move these sediments along the coast called the littoral zone . Marked from the highest sea level to the shallow offshore water.

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2
Q

what are the four parts of the littoral zone

A

back shore
foreshore
nearshore
offshore

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3
Q

what occurs in the back shore of the littoral zone

A
  • only affected by waves during extreme high tides

- physical processes largely operate here

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4
Q

what occurs in the foreshore of the littoral zone

A
  • wave processes vary between high and low tide
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5
Q

what occurs in the nearshore of the littoral zone

A
  • shallow waters
  • intense human activity
  • transferring sediment by currents close to shore
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6
Q

what is meant by dynamic equilibrium

A

When inputs and outputs are balanced . The littoral zone is one of dynamic equilibrium. due to the wide range of natural processes and interactions that occur within it

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7
Q

what are coastal zones described as dynamic zones of rapid change

A
  • it’s the boundary where the land and sea meet > marine(sea) and sun-aerial (land) processes operate and interact
  • coasts experience extreme events (tropical storms e.t.c)
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8
Q

how can coastlines be classified

A

using criteria such as :

  • their geology
  • their level of energy
  • balance between erosion and deposition
  • changes in sea level
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9
Q

what determines the coastal landscape

A

the amount of energy in the coastal environment determines the coastal land scapes

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10
Q

what are the waves like in high energy coasts

A

Destructive more powerful waves

calmer conditions

long fetches

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11
Q

what processes take place in high energy coasts

A

erosion

transport sediments from : eroded land , mass movement and weathering , supplied by offshore currents

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12
Q

what landforms are found at high energy coasts

A

cliffs

headlands

wave cut platforms

arches

sea caves

stacks

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13
Q

what is the general location of high energy coasts

A
  • exposed to largest waves, highland and lowland coasts , rocky landscape
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14
Q

what are the waves like at low energy coasts

A

constructive less powerful waves

storm conditions

long fetches

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15
Q

what processes occur at low energy coasts

A

deposition

transports: sediments from rivers , long shore drift and nearshore currents

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16
Q

what landforms are found at low energy coastlines

A

beaches

spits

bars

sand dunes

mudflats

salt marshes

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17
Q

give an example of a high energy coastline

A

usually atlantic facing coasts e.g cornwall and north west scotland

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18
Q

what is a high energy coastline

A

where the rate of erosion exceeds the rate of deposition

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19
Q

give an example of a low energy coastline

A

usually where waves are less powerful or sheltered from large waves

e.g Lincolnshire and Norfolk

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20
Q

what is a low energy coastline

A

where deposition exceeds erosion

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21
Q

when classifying coastlines what does geology consist of ?

A

whether a coast is :
rocky / sandy
concordant / discordant

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22
Q

when classifying coastlines what does level of energy consist of ?

A

whether the coast is high energy or low energy : the balance between erosion and deposition

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23
Q

when classifying a coastline what does changes in sea level consist of?

A

whether the coastline is emergent or submergent.

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24
Q

when do concordant coasts occur

A

concordant coasts occurs where the folding or arrangement of ALTERNATING hard and soft rocks is PARALLEL TO THE COAST

(dalmatian coastline type)

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25
give an example of a concordant coastline
the south facing coast of dorset
26
when do discordant coasts occur
discordant coasts occur where the folding / arrangement of ALTERNATING hard and soft rock is perpendicular (at a right angle ) to the coast (atlantic coastline type)
27
give an example of a discordant coastline
the east facing coast of dorset
28
what happens to hard rock at a concordant coastline
they form elongated islands
29
what happens to soft less resistant rock at a concordant coastline
form long inlets or coves
30
what happens to hard more resistant rocks at discordant coastlines
form headlands
31
what happens to soft less resistant rock at discordant coastlines
form bays or inlets
32
what are rocky coastlines
they usually fork in areas of geology that is resistant to erosive forces from wind rain and sea . Their lithology and structure means they erode and weather slowly can withstand frequent weather storms
33
give an example of a rocky coastline
hangman’s cliff in devon
34
what are coastal plains (sandy and estuarine coastlines)
They are relatively flat low relief areas adjacent to the sea , their littoral zone is composed of sand dunes beaches mudflats and salt marshes. waves are usually less powerful
35
where do coastal plains form
in low energy coastlines where deposition exceeds erosion . They form through coastal accretion
36
why are coastal areas important
roughy half the worlds population live within 200km of the coast
37
what is eustatic change
the sea level changing relative to a point on the land
38
what is isostatic change
the land moving relative to sea level
39
what are emergent coasts
where the coasts are rising relative to sea level , for example due to tectonic uplift
40
what are submergent coasts
where they are being flooded by the sea , either due to rising sea levels and / or subsiding land
41
In terms of geology what three factors effect erosion resistance
- how reactive the minerals in the rock are - how many cracks /fractures / weaknesses the risk has - whether the rocks are clastic
42
give an example of a rock that can be easily eroded and weathered by solution
limestone
43
what does clastic mean
whether rocks are made of cemented particles e.g sandstone
44
how does eustatic/ isostatic change impact today’s coastlines
scotland is still “bouncing back “ creating raised beaches south of the uk is sinking
45
what is holocene epoch
The holocene epoch is the name given to the last 11,700 years of the earths history - the time since the end of t)3 last major glacial epoch / “ice age”
46
what is an anticline
a ridge or fold of stratified rock in which the strata slope downwards from the crest
47
what is w syncline
a trough of fold of stratified rock in which the strata slopes upwards from the axis
48
what is the study of croatia as a concordant : dalmatian coastline
Croatia (adriatic sea ) drowned by sea level reuse during the holocene Geology of dalmatian is sedimentary. (limestone) it has been folded by tectonic activity into a series of anticlines and sync lines these run parallel to the current coastlines
49
how are coasts affected by tectonic forces past and present
-geology type (igneous) -geological structure (faults) -the angle of thr rock in relation to the sea -folding -anticlines and sync lines -tectonic movement at the coastline landforms
50
what is a cliff profile
cliff profile means the height angle and features .
51
how are cliff profiles influenced
by several forms of geology : - the resistance to erosion of the rock - the dip of rock strata in relation to the coastline
52
what is a dip
a dip is a tectonic feature. the angle of the rock strata in relation to the horizontal is significant sedimentary rocks are formed in horizontal layers , these layers can be tilted by plate tectonic forces .
53
what is traction
large heavy rocks are being rolled along
54
what is saltation
the bouncing of the smaller rocks
55
what is suspension
lighter sediment is carried within the water
56
what is solution
the transport of dissolved materials
57
what are the three types of weathering
mechanical chemical biological
58
what is freeze thaw as a process of mechanical weathering
water expanding by 9% in volume when freezing causing a force within the cracks , repeating of this causes the cracks in the rock to loosen
59
what rocks are vulnerable due to freeze thaw weathering as a result of mechanical weathering
any rocks with rocks in
60
name the 4 depositions landforms
spits tombolos bars cuspate forelands
61
how is a spit formed
long shore drift carries sediment along past the mouth of the river and deposits it river flow stops it from forming a bar a slag marsh is formed behind
62
how is a tombolo formed
longshore drift transports sediment and sediment from river mouths it connects an offshore island to the mainland
63
how is a bar formed
same as a spit except the river isn’t strong enough to prevent it from depositing
64
how is a cuspate foreland formed
longshore drift comes from two directions and builds up forming a triangular beach
65
example of a spit
spurnhead holderness coast
66
example of a bar
chesil beach
67
example of tombola
chesil beach
68
cuspate foreland example
dungeness in kent

edexcel a levek geog🌍 (4 decks)

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