Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Geography C > Coasts > Flashcards

Coasts Flashcards

(81 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Wave

A

Movement of energy through a body of water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Wave crest/peak

A

Highest point a wave reaches above calm sea level

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Wave trough

A

Lowest point a wave reaches below calm sea level

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Wave height

A

Vertical distance between a crest and a trough: determined by windspeed, area and friction with ocean floor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Wave period

A

Time for 2 crests to pass a point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Wave frequency

A

Number of crests passing a point each second

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Wave steepness

A

Ratio of wave height to wave length

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Wave energy

A

Amount of energy a wave has

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Wave length

A

Distance between 2 crests

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How do waves form

A

Friction between wind and ocean surface form capillary waves (circular) that form swells travelling long distances

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How do waves break

A

Friction with ocean floor creates elliptical orbit until top of wave moves faster than bottom and breaks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Wave size depends on

A

Wind speed, fetch, bathymetry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Cornwall wave size

A

Large: long fetch and SW winds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Mediterranean wave size

A

Small: land surrounds and little fetch

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Swash

A

Wave moving up beach

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Backwash

A

Wave moving back down beach

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Wave types

A

Constructive and destructive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Wave clapotis

A

Collision of incoming and reflected waves causing explosive wave height spikes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Wave refraction

A

Shallower ocean at headlands means waves bunch up and break so focus energy on headland erosion and deposit in bays

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Mavericks waves

A

Large Pacific Ocean pressure differences means there are high winds and a long fetch to California, where a reef means waves break in a specific spot to large waves focused on a bay

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Storm surge

A

Water pushing against a coastline to unusually high levels due to high tide and low pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Ocean current

A

Large scale water movement in oceans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Tidal range

A

Vertical sea level height differences between high and low tide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Spring tide

A

Tide occurring 2x monthly when Sun and moon align on the same side of Earth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Neap tide
Tide occurring 2x monthly when Sun and moon at right angles to Earth
26
Tides
Caused by gravitational pull of moon and Sun
27
Tidal bores
Due to large tidal range e.g. Seven Bore UK's largest surfing hotspot
28
How does tidal range affect coastline development
Mediterranean sea: low so narrow wave action width. British isles: high so wide wave attack zone for short times and wide wave cut platforms
29
Tide significance
Movement generates ocean currents, high tides and low pressure can generate a high storm surge, regular movement generates renewable energy e.g. Swansea Bay, Wales
30
Ocean currents
Large scale movements of water in oceans caused by tides, winds and thermohaline circulation
31
Tidal currents
Strongest around coasts, regular predictable patterns
32
Wind currents
Near/at ocean surface, can form phenomena like coastal upwelling, can be global or local scale
33
Thermohaline circulation currents
Driven by salinity and temperature differences as dense, cold and salty water sinks and returns to surface (Indian and Pacific oceans) by upwelling, then travels on surface until N Atlantic where it cools. Gulf Stream of warm water why UK is warm
34
Current importance
Affects climate. Safe ship movement, docking, and navigation. Search and rescue.
35
Rip currents
Caused by topography: waves break over sandbars, forcing backwash through gaps. Affected by wave height, tidal level, and sandbar type. Danger to swimmers
36
Coastal sediment sources
Streams/rivers flowing into the sea, estuaries, offshore sand banks, cliff erosion, wind, glaciers, longshore drift, biological material
37
Sediment cells
A distinct area of coastline separated from others, can be regarded as closed systems e.g. English Flamborough Head to the Wash (sub-cell to Humber estuary)
38
Inputs to sediment cells
Rivers, coastal erosion, offshore sources
39
Flows in sediment cells
Longshore (littoral) drift, onshore and offshore processes like rip currents
40
Stores in sediment cells
Beaches, sand dunes, offshore deposits
41
Outputs in sediment cells
Material may be swept out to sea due to severe storms and sea level rise
42
Sediment cell energy sources
Sun (converted to wave energy by wind), tectonic (tsunami)
43
Coastal sediment budgets
Balance between sediment added and removed in cells. Positive added, negative removed
44
Geomorphological processes
Change Earth's surface, can be marine or sub-aerial
45
Marine processes
Operate on a coastline and connected with the sea
46
Sub-aerial processes
Operate on land but affect coastline change
47
Coastal erosion
A manifestation of the Sun's energy as wind converts to eroding waves and acts as an input
48
Coastal erosion example
2014: Devon storm severely eroded and dunes on a spit and several groynes damaged
49
Hydraulic action
Force of water as it crashes against a coastline
50
Cavitation
Trapped air compressed in joints by waves and expand on release, weakening rock so it breaks as bubbles implode to jets
51
Wave quarrying
Waves breaking against unconsolidated material and scooping it out
52
Corrasion
Waves pick up sediment and break at cliff surface so sediment erodes rock
53
Abrasion
Sediment dragged across shoreline
54
Solution (corrosion)
Weak acids in seawater dissolve alkaline rock, work with carbonation
55
Attrition
Gradually wearing down sediment particles from abrasion and collision
56
Coastal erosion factors
Coastal management, subaerial processes, beach, geological structure, lithology (past century, unconsolidated Lincolnshire eroded 120m and Land's End granite eroded 10m), wave energy
57
Coastal transportation
Energy flow manifestation with energy not used in erosion or lost in seabed friction, type depends on mass and energy
58
Traction
Coarse sediment roling
59
Suspension
Lighter sediment carried
60
Saltation
Lighter sediment bounced
61
Solution (corrosion)
Alkaline CaCO3 dissolved in slightly acidic rain transported and precipitated elsewhere
62
Longshore drift
Swash in prevailing wind direction and backwash perpendicular
63
Example of effect of management on longshore drift
Benin's coast eroded at 10m/yr due to Ghanaian SW winds and management meaning there's no protective beach before cliffs
64
Coastal deposition
When wind/water velocity falls below a critical value for a particle size so can't transport. Occurs when water pauses at top of swash, waves slow after breaking, water percolates into beach material
65
Aeolian processes
Entrainment, transportation and deposition of sediment by wind as air moves due to pressure difference between cold sea and warm land e.g. surface creep, saltation
66
Jurassic Coast
Dorset and East Devon coast with many Jurassic rocks and fossils, South concordant, East discordant
67
Eustatic change
Global changes in amount of water in sea e.g. rise with global warming as thermal expansion and sea ice melt
68
Isostatic change
Land sea level change as land moves e.g. isostatic readjustment with large ice sheet removal causing rise. Britain: North rising, East and South sinking
69
Ria
Submergent coastline. A drowned river valley where high land is visible, usually a dendritic drainage system. Kingsbridge Estuary, Devon
70
Fjords
Submergent coastline. Drowned glacial valleys/troughs, steep valley sides called hanging valleys, shallow section at mouth called a threshold from glacial deposition. Mjosa, Norway
71
Dalmatian coast
Submergent coastline. Type of drowned river valley system running parallel to coastline, leaves long thin islands. Dalmatian Coast, Croatia
72
Raised beaches
Emergent coastline. Former wave cut platforms and beaches. Isle of Arran, Scotland
73
Relict cliffs
Emergent coastline. Old cliff displaying features like caves, arches and stacks, Campbell Island, New Zealand
74
How much has the sea level risen per year
3.5mm/yr since 1990s
75
Cost-benefit analysis
Systematic approach to consider management strengths and weaknesses and evaluate
76
Shoreline management plan
Strategic document setting out policies to assist decisions on flooding and erosion management in the next 20, 50 and 100 years by considering whole cell (relate to 11 sediment cells and sub-cells as closed theoretically)
77
Shoreline management plan options
Hold the line, no active intervention, managed realignment, advance the line
78
What are shoreline management plans recommended for
All coast sections by DEFRA
79
Barmouth
2315 population, 35,000 tourists annually, seaside resort, hold the line
80
Fairbourne
1031 population, little industry, sea level rise, return to sea, 40% house price drop
81
Integrated Coastal Zone Management
Protects coast whilst establishing sustainable economic and social activity levels, brings together all stakeholders in cell, UK implements with SMPs

Geography C (15 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions