Geography

Question 1

Coastal processes are divided into two parts

Answer 1

Marine processes: offshore (water-based)
Terrestrial processes: onshore (land-based)

Question 2

5 types of coastal processes

Answer 2

Wave action, erosion, weathering, transportation, mass movement

Question 3

Properties of constructive waves

Answer 3

Strong swash
Weak backwash
Long wavelength
Low wave height
Low frequency (6-8 waves a minute)
Cause gently sloping beaches

Question 4

Properties of destructive waves

Answer 4

Weak swash
Strong backwash
Short wavelength
High wave height
High frequency (10-12 a minute)
Cause steep beaches

Question 5

4 methods of erosion

Answer 5

Hydraulic action: Sheerforce of the waves hitting the coast
Attrition: Material carried in the waves bumps against each other and becomes
smaller and smoother
Corrosion: Seawater is slightly acidic and gradually dissolves some types of coastal rock
Abrasion: Waves pick up material and hurl it at the coast

Question 6

4 methods of transportation

Answer 6

Traction: Large heavy material is dragged along the sea floor
Saltation: Smaller material bounces along the sea floor
Suspension: Fine material held in the water
Solution: Dissolved material carried in the water

Question 7

Process of longshore drift

Answer 7

Longshore drift is the main process of deposition and transportation along the coast. The prevailing wind pushes the waves at an angle to the beach. As the waves break, the swash carries material up the beach at the same angle. The backwash then carries the material down the beach at right angles (90°). The process repeats, transporting material along the beach in a zig-zag movement.

Question 8

4 methods of deposition

Answer 8

.Wave energy decreases

.There is increased friction between the water and the seabed

.Large amounts of sediment are being carried by the water

.The water encounters obstacles causing the waves to break

Question 9

3 types of weathering

Answer 9

Mechanical
Chemical
Biological

Question 10

Mechanical weathering

Answer 10

Weathering physically breaks up rock:

Question 11

Describe the process of freeze-thaw

Answer 11

Water gets into cracks and joints in the rock. When the water freezes it expands and the cracks open a little wider. Overtime, pieces of rock split off the rock face, whilst big boulders are broken into smaller rocks and gravel. This process is mechanical.

Question 12

Chemical weathering

Answer 12

Occurs when rocks are broken down by a chemical process:

Question 13

Biological weathering

Answer 13

Takes place when rocks are worn away by living organisms

Question 14

Mass movement

Answer 14

The downhill movement of material under the influence of gravity. Throughflow and overland flow caused by heavy rain can also make cliffs more unstable and increase the likelihood of mass movement. It includes landslides, slumping and rockfalls.

Question 15

Soil creep

Answer 15

Speed is below 1cm per year
Common in humid climates
When soil expands, individual particles are lifted up perpendicular to the slope
Soil also expands when itfreezes, gets wet or is heated up in the sun
When the soil shrinks again,the particles fall straight back down
Soil creep takes a long time because the soil moves only a millimetre to a few centimetres at a time

Question 16

Flow

Answer 16

It occurs on slopes between 5° and 15°, usually after the soil has become saturated with a flow of water across the surface. Vegetation can be flattened and carried away with the soil

Speeds range from 1to 15km per year