KEY TERMS - the coastal zone

Question 1

coast

Answer 1

the place where the land meets the sea

Question 2

weathering

Answer 2

the break down of rocks on the earths surface by the action of rainwater, extreme temperatures, and biological activity

Question 3

wave

Answer 3

a body of water moving towards the coastline at a higher than average level

Question 4

trough

Answer 4

the distance between 2 waves

Question 5

wavelength

Answer 5

the distance between 2 peaks

Question 6

swash

Answer 6

the sand and water moving up the beach

Question 7

backwash

Answer 7

water going back to the sea at 90degrees

Question 8

prevailing wind

Answer 8

the strongest and most common wind direction

Question 9

fetch

Answer 9

the distance the wind has caused the wave to travel

Question 10

erosion

Answer 10

the break down and removal of rock

Question 11

attrition

Answer 11

material carried by the waves bump into each other and so are smoothed and broken down into smaller particles - does not erode the cliff

Question 12

hydraulic action

Answer 12

this process involves the force of the water against the coast. the waves enters cracks in the coastline and compresses the air within the crack. when the wave retreats the air in the crack expands causing a minor explosion

Question 13

solution

Answer 13

this is chemical action of the sea water. the acids in the sea water slowly dissolve rocks on the coast

Question 14

abrasion

Answer 14

this process is when the coats is worn down by material carried by the waves. waved ‘throw’ these particles against the rock, sometimes at high velocity

Question 15

headland

Answer 15

areas of resistant rock which protrude from the coastline

Question 16

bay

Answer 16

areas of less resistant rock (soft rock) between 2 headlands which is eroded quickly

Question 17

solution

Answer 17

dissolved rock in the sea is carried along. the load is not visable

Question 18

suspention

Answer 18

small particles are carried in the water, it can make the water appear cloudy

Question 19

saltation

Answer 19

load is bounced/hopped along the sea bed. particles are too heavy to be suspended

Question 20

traction

Answer 20

pebbles and larger sediment are rolled along the sea bed

Question 21

long shore drift

Answer 21

the transportation of sediment along the stretch of coastline caused by waves approaching the beach at an angle

Question 22

beach

Answer 22

the gentle sloping area of land between the high and low water marks. they can act as a natural coastal defence

Question 23

wave refraction

Answer 23

as waves approach the coast there energy is concentrated at the headlands, causing the wave to bend

Question 24

spit

Answer 24

a finger of land made of sand and shingle that extends into the sea from the coastline

Question 25

tombolo

Answer 25

when spits continue to grow outwards and meet an offshore island

Question 26

sea level rise

Answer 26

the rise of the height of the sea in proportion to the land

Question 27

holding the line

Answer 27

building protection at the current cliff face to prevent further loss

Question 28

do nothing

Answer 28

letting the sea take it’s natural course

Question 29

advancing the line

Answer 29

building sea defences aimed at retaining small area’s of land to assist protection

Question 30

saltmarsh

Answer 30

a coastal ecosystem between land and the open coastal water