Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Geography > EQ1 Coasts > Flashcards

EQ1 Coasts Flashcards

(58 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What is the littoral zone

A

Area of coast where land is subject to wave action

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

Subsections of littoral zone

A

Backshore- only affected by high tide
Foreshore- where most wave processes occur
Offshore- open shore

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

Concordant coastline and features

A

Where rock type banding is parallel to the sea
Creates coves

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

Discordant coastline and features

A

Rock type banding is 90° to the sea
Creates bays and headlands

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

What is a Dalmatian coastline

A

Where geology creates valleys parallel to the coast so when sea level rises, elongated islands remain offshore

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

What is a half coastline

A

Depositional landforms where spits form across a bay and creates a lagoon behind

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

What are strata

A

Horizontal layers of rock

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

What is bedding plane

A

Natural breaks between strata caused by gaps in time during periods of rock formation

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

What is a dip

A

The angle at which strata lie

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

What are folds

A

Pressure during tectonic activity which es rock to buckle or crumple

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

What are faults

A

Formed when stress or pressure exerted on a rock exceeds its internal strength, causing a fracture
Faults slip or move along fault planes

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

What is a cliff profile

A

The height and angle of a cliff face plus its features

Features include wave cut notches or changes in slope angle

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

Igneous rock formation + features

A

Cooled erupted magma
Interlocking crystalline structure with few faults or joints
Few weaknesses for erosion to exploit
Very now annual recession (1mm/year)

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

Metamorphic rock formation + features

A

Formed under high heat + pressure
Crystalline - foliation means all crystals orientated in same direction creating weakness
Many folds, joints and cracks creating weakness
Slow rate of recession (1mm/year)

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

Sedimentary rock formation and features

A

Sediment compacted
Clastre, weaker than crystalline
Fast rate of erosion (1mm - 1m/year)

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

What is weathering

A

Sub aerial process
Chemical, biological, mechanical breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces and minerals

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

What is mass movement

A

Subaerial process
Landslides, slumps and rock falls which move material downslope under the influence of gravity

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

What is a sediment cell

A

Area of coast often hemmed in by physical barriers
Contains sediment budget in dynamic equilibrium
It contains sources and stores which become sinks when permanent

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

How is a stump formed?

A

Water rises through joint forming a blowhole
Erosion widens weakness, forming cave
Waves out through headland to form arch until roof of arch becomes too heavy and collapses to form a stack
The stark is undercut by subaerial processes and collapses, leaving a stump

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

How are Wave cut notch + platforms formed

A

Erosion concentrated around high tide line, creates wave cut notch
Rock above notch becomes more unstable as notch deepens until it collapses, leaving wave cut platform.

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

What does dynamic coastline mean

A

The coastline is constantly changing due to physical processes, human processes and natural hazards

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

What are some human processes which can impact the coastline

A

Harbours, marinas
Tourism
Fishing
Undersea oil extraction
HEP
Residential areas

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

What are some examples of physical processes which can impact coastlines

A

Terrestrial - weathering
Marine- wave action erosion

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

What makes coasts such dynamic environments

Study These Flashcards
A

Affected by both marine and terrestrial processes
Experience extreme events which change their landscape
Human development is varied and is constantly expanding which puts different pressures on the system

25
What are some examples natural hazards which can impact coastlines
Tsunami Hurricane Storm surge
26
What is an open system
Energy and matter can come into the system as well as leave the system
27
What are some coastal inputs of energy and matter
Energy - kinetic energy from waves and wind , thermal energy from sun, potential energy from material on cliffs and slopes Material - sediment from processes of weathering, mass movement, erosion and deposition
28
What is a rocky/ cliff coastline features
Cliffs vary in height up to hundreds of metres Dramatic distinction between land and sea
29
What are some features of a coastal plains Coastline
Land which gradually slopes towards the sea across deposited sediment Sand dunes, mud flats Blurred division between land and the sea
30
What are characteristics of waves in a low energy coast
Constructive, less powerful Calmer conditions Short fetches
31
What are examples of processes occurring in a low energy coastline
Deposition and transport Sediments from rivers, longshore drift Nearshore currents
32
Name some landforms which form in a low energy coast
Depositional landforms Beaches Spits and bars Salt marshes Sane dunes Mudflats
33
What are some examples of low energy coasts
Mediterranean Sea coasts East Anglian coast
34
What are characteristics of waves in a high energy coast
More powerful destructive waves Storm conditions Long fetches
35
What are some examples of processes which occur in a high energy coastline
Erosion Transport of sediment from eroded land Mass movement Weathering Offshore currents
36
What are some examples of landforms which occur in a high energy coastline
Erosional Cliffs Wavecut okatforms Arch cave stack stump formations
37
What are some examples of high energy coastlines
Atlantic coast of Norway and Scotland Pacific coasts of Alaska and Canada
42
What is the morphology of a coast determined by
Lithology or physical characteristics of rock Relief and slope of cliff profiles Rock type Permeability of rock Rocks resistance to erosion
43
What is coastal morphology
The shape and form of coastal landforms and their features
44
How does geology influence coastal development
Location of micro features (caves, wave cut notches) within a coastline are controlled by the location of faults and strata with a high density of joints and fissures
45
Why does folding of rock occur
Crustal compression Horizontal strata squeezed into anticlines (A shaped) and sync lines (U shapes) Accompanied by joints and fissures
46
What kind of cliff profile do uniform horizontal strata produce
Steep cliffs
47
What can happen when a cliff profile has rocks dipping seaward with vertical joints?
Joints opened by weathering and pressure releases large slabs Can cause mass movement
48
What is the most stable cliff profile
Rocks dipping inland - causes reduced rock fall
49
How can rocks dipping inland become unstable
When there are well developed joints at the right angle- can form slide planes and cause mass movement
50
What is coastal recession
The movement of cliffs inland
51
What is resistance of a cliff most influenced by.
Its weakest rock type
52
What is the difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks
Intrusive - slow cooling of magma Extrusive- rapid cooling of la a
53
Examples of igneous rock
Granite (intrusive) , basalt (extrusive)
54
What are the different types of sedimentary rock
Clastic - compaction of broken rocks Chemical - compaction of dissolved minerals Organic - compaction of organic materials
55
What are some examples of the different types of sedimentary rock
Clastic- sandstone Chemical- rock salt Organic- coal, limestone
56
What are the different types of metamorphic rock
Foliated ( distinguishable by layers) Non foliated ( indistinguishable layers)
57
What are some examples of the different types of metamorphic rock
Foliated - skate Non Foliated - marble
58
How does vegetation stabilise sandy coastlines
Roots bind sediment together making them harder to erode Sheltering from water - sediment not directly exposed to moving water Sheltering from wind- reduce wind speed with friction
59
What are the two types of vegetation which grow at coastlines
Halophytes - can tolerate salt water Xerophytes - can tolerate very dry conditions eg found in sand dunes
60
What is succession
The changing structure of a plant community over time as an area of initially bare sediment is colonised by plants
61
What are the different names for a sand dune and salt marsh climax community
Sand dune - psammosere Salt marsh - halosere
62
How are salt marshes created
Bare mud desposited on estuaries is exposed to sea at low tide and submerged at high tide Ideal at estuaries because it is sheltered and there is an extra sediment source from the river

Geography (37 decks)

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