Coasts

Question 0

Wave height

Answer 0

Distance between the wave trough and crest

Question 1

Wave crest

Answer 1

Highest point of a wave

Question 2

Wave period

Answer 2

Time taken for the wave motion from trough to trough OR crest to crest (usually 1-20 seconds)

Question 3

Wave amplitude

Answer 3

Distance between the still water depth level and wave crest

Question 4

Wave base

Answer 4

An are of no movement which occurs at a depth of half the wavelength

Question 5

Wave trough

Answer 5

The lower point in a wave

Question 6

Wavelength

Answer 6

Distance between two successive crests

Question 7

Wave orbit

Answer 7

The circular motion that water particles make

Question 8

Still water depth

Answer 8

Is measured from the sea bed

Question 9

Wave frequency

Answer 9

No of wave per minute

Question 10

Wave steepness

Answer 10

Ratio of the wave hight to wavelength (wav height divided by wavelength)
No higher than 1:7 as this is when a wave breaks

Question 11

Swash

Answer 11

Mass of foaming water that translates energy up the beach when a wave had broken

Question 12

Backwash

Answer 12

Return of water down the beach as a result if gravitation pull

Question 13

Fetch

Answer 13

The distance over which the wind can blow

The distance a wave travels

Question 14

What effects wave energy?

Answer 14

Wind velocity (speed)
Duration (time which wind blew)
Fetch (distance over which wind blew)

Question 15

Wave

Answer 15

Created by the action of wind on the surface of the sea

Question 16

Coast

Answer 16

Transitional zone between the land and the sea

This zone is not fixed and is often described as dynamic as it is subject to change

Question 17

What are the two types of wave

Answer 17

Waves debrief from local wings (sea)

Waves created by distance storms (swell) which may travel thousands of miles

Question 18

How are waves formed

Answer 18

Created by the frictional drag of the wind

Question 19

Define mass movement

Answer 19

Movement of rock fragments and soil under the influence of gravity

Question 20

What is the slowest form of mass movement

Answer 20

Soil creep

Less than 1cm per year
Almost continuous process

Question 21

What are the 3 main causes of soil creep

Answer 21

Raindrop impact

Wet-dry periods

Freeze-thaw

Question 22

Name all types of mass movement

Answer 22

Soil creep
Solifluction 
Earth flows
Mud flows
Slides and slumps  
Rockfall

Question 23

Succession

Answer 23

Gradual change in plant species/communities over time

Question 24

Primary succession

Answer 24

Succession is allowed to occur unhindered and progress from bare soil right through to climatic climax vegetation

Question 25

Secondary succession

Answer 25

succession is interrupted | Can either by natural or human induced

Question 26

Climatic climax vegatation

Answer 26

The end of the succession succession | Vegetation is in equilibrium with climate of an area

Question 27

Sub climax succession

Answer 27

Occurs when a natural event (flood) prevents climatic climax vegetation being reached

Question 28

Plagio climax vegetation

Answer 28

Occurs when humans interrupt the succession sequence

Question 29

Pioneer species

Answer 29

First plants to colonise an area. Characteristics include high growth rate, small size, wide dispersal and fast population growth

Question 30

Climax communities

Answer 30

End of the succession sequence. | Characterised by slower growth rates, larger size, lower rates if dispersal, lower rates of colonisation, longer lives

Question 31

What happens as you move inland sand dunes

Answer 31

Exposed sand decreases Rise in humus content,more vegetation Reduced salt in water - more freshwater PH moves from alkaline to acid due to less saltwater and increase in humus Increase in species diversity as conditions become less harsh

Question 32

Salt marsh

Answer 32

Intertidal and depositional landform Area of low lying land that is frequently flooded with saltwater Occur in sheltered river estuaries or behind spits

Question 33

Sea level change

Answer 33

Eustatic: amount of water in sea changes - global Isostatic: when land rises or falls and creates a relative change in base level - local/smaller scale

Question 34

Emergent landforms

Answer 34

Raised beaches - former wave cut beaches now raised above current sea levels Coastal plains/ marine platforms - large flat areas which are formed sea beds/floors exposed above sea levels

Question 35

Submergence landforms

Answer 35

Rias - drowned river valleys Damnation coasts - flooded river valleys that run parallel to the coast Fjords - flooded glacial u valleys Fjards - flooded glacial lowlands ( V shaped) Estuaries - flooded valleys of large, broad rivers - mouth of a river

Question 36

Features associated with beaches | Depositional

Answer 36

Cusps - crescent shaped features that form in beaches where there is a junction of sand and shingle Berms - ridge coarse sand and shingle on upper beach deposited by spring tides and storm waves Storm beach - noticeable semi permanent ridge bound at level of highest spring tides Ridges and runnels - features at low water characterised by a series if raised areas and depressions that run parallel to shoreline