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GCSE AQA Geography > paper 1 coasts > Flashcards

paper 1 coasts Flashcards

(64 cards)

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1
Q

Erosion:

what is hydraulic power and how does it cause costal erosion

A

waves crash against the rock and compress air in the cracks, putting pressure on the rocks

repeated compression widens the cracks and makes bits of rock fall off

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2
Q

Erosion

What is abrasion and how does it cause erosion

A

eroded particles in the water scrape and rub against rock, removing small pieces

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3
Q

Erosion;

what is attrition and how does it cause erosion

A

eroded particles in the water smash into each other and break into even smaller pieces

their edges also become rounded over time

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4
Q

what type of waves are erosional waves and what are their characteristics

A
  • destructive waves
  • high, steep
  • stronger backwash than swash, causing material to be removed from the coast
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5
Q

what is mass movement

A

the shifting of rocks and loose material down a slope

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6
Q

when does mass movement occur?

A

when the force of gravity occurring on a a slope is greater than the force supporting it

it casuses coasts to retreat rapidly

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7
Q

when is mass movement more likely

A

when the material is full of water
- acts as a lubricant
- makes the material heavier

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8
Q

what are the 3 types of mass movement

A

slides
slumps
rockfall

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9
Q

what is a slump

A

mass movement where the material shifts with a rotation

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10
Q

what is a slide

A

mass movement where the material moves in a straight line

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11
Q

what is rockfall

A

mass movement where material breaks up and falls down the slope

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12
Q

define weathering

A

the breaking down of rocks where they are

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13
Q

what is mechanical weathering and what is the main type

A
  • breaking down rock without changing its chemical composition
  • main type: freeze-thaw
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14
Q

what is chemical weathering and what is the main type that affects coasts

A
  • breaking down rock by changing its chemical composition
  • carbonation
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15
Q

what conditions are needed for carbonation

A

wet and warm

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16
Q

carbonation on coasts

A
  • rainwater is a weak carbonic acid
  • this reacts with rock that contains calcium carbonate, and these rocks dissolve
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17
Q

where do headlands and bays form

A

where there are alternating bands of hard and soft rock

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18
Q

how are bays formed

A

soft rocks that have a low resistance to erosion are eroded at a much quicker rate than the resistant rock, forming bays with a gentle slope

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19
Q

how are headlands formed

A

hard rocks have a high resistance to erosion so are eroded at a much slower, and are left jutting out as a headland with deep sides

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20
Q

how are wave cut platforms formed

A
  1. waves cause the most erosion at the foot of a cliff, forming wave cut notches
  2. the rock above becomes unstable as the notch enlarges, eventually collapsing
  3. collapsed material is washed away and a new wave cut notch begins to form as erosion continues
  4. repeated erosion and collapsing causes the cliff to retreat and leave behind a wave cut platform
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21
Q

how does a cave form from a headland?

A

headlands are made of resistant rocks that often have weaknesses, such as cracks

the waves crash into the headlands and enlarge the cracks by hydraulic power and abrasion

repeated erosion and enlargement of cracks causes a cave to form

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22
Q

how does an arch form from a cave

A

continued erosion deepens the cave until it breaks through the headland

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23
Q

how does a stack form from an arch

A

erosion continues to wear away the rock supporting the arch, as well as by weathering, and it eventually collapses, forming a stack (an isolated rock seperate from the headland)

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24
Q

what are the 4 other coastal transportation processes (besides longshore drift)

A

traction, suspension. saltation, solution

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25
how does longshore drift transport material
1. waves follow the direction of the prevailing wind and hit the coast (usually) at an oblique angle 2. the swash carries material up the beach, in the same direction as the waves 3. the backwash then carries material down the beach at 90 degrees, back towards the sea 4. over time, material is moved down the coast
26
what is deposition
when materials carried by sea water as dropped on the coast
27
when does deposition occur
when water (carrying sediment) slows down
28
when are coasts built up?
when the amount of deposition is greater than that amount of erosion
29
when is deposition increased (2)
1. there is lots of erosion elsewhere (lots of available materials) 2. lots of transportation into the area
30
properties of constructive waves
- low energy -lower frequency - carry material to the coast - swash> backwash
31
32
when are sandy beaches made
when there are constructive waves
33
how are sandy beaches made
swash is greater than the backwash so sediment builds up
34
properties of a sandy beach and why
- long and shallow - small sand particle are easily carried back down the beach by the backwash
35
when are shingles beaches made (rocky/sandy)
when there are high energy waves
36
how are shingle beaches formed
stronger backwash than swash, so smaller sand particles are washed away, leaving larger sediment on the beach by
37
properties of a shingle beach and why
short and steep the weak swash does not move the sediment far up the beach
38
how is a sand dune formed
1. sand is deposited by longshore drift and blown to the top of the beach by onshore winds 2. obstacles such as driftwood block sand movement, causing deposits to build over time 3. vegetation such as marram grass helps to stabilise and bind the sand together, creating small embryo dunes 4. over time, the dunes get bigger and move inland
39
what is managed retreat
allowing land to become naturally flooded, creating an area of marshland that protects inland areas
40
pros and cons of managed retreat
+ cheap and natural - large areas of agricultural land may be lost, relocating inhabitants is expensive
41
what is rock armour
large boulders placed along the coastline to absorb wave power
42
pros and cons of rock armour
+ very effective + cheap and quick to build - may seem out of place next to the local geology
43
what are sea walls
walls that are usually curved and are built at the back of beaches to reflect waves back to the sea
44
pros and cons of sea walls
+ can last a long time if well maintained + good at preventing erosion - expensive to build and maintain - create strong backwash which may erode wall foundations
45
what are groynes
concrete or wooden barriers built at right angles to the beach that trap sediment and help prevent the effect of longshore drift
46
pros and cons of groynes
+ relatively cheap, effective at preventing erosion + create larger beaches which may attract more tourists - restricting movement of sediment may move the problems of erosion further down the coast
47
what are gabions
wire cages filled with rock as and placed at the base of cliffs to absorb wave energy
48
pros and cons of gabions
+ cheap and easy to construct + often made from local materials - wire cages are ugly and can erode within 10 years - loose material can be dangerous (if broken)
49
what is dune regeneration
when dunes are created or restored by adding more sand, building fences or planting vegetation
50
pros and cons of dune regeneration
+ form an affective barrier between land and sea and help maintain natural habitats - expensive -require a lot of maintenance
51
what is beach nourishment and re profiling
sediment is either added to the beach form elsewhere or shifted from the bottom of the beach to the top
52
pros and cons of beach nourishment and re profiling
+ creates a wider beach, slowing waves and providing protection form erosion and flooding - expensive - must be repeated regularly - beach access may be limited during construction
53
what is a spit
a long stretch of sand of shingle that extend from the land
54
how is a spit formed
sand/shingle is transported by longshore drift past the point where land ends. as the waves lose energy, material is deposited, forming a spit strong winds can cause the end of a spit to curve towards the land, creating a recurved end
55
how is a bar formed
bars form when a spit joins 2 headlands together, trapping the water in a lagoon behind it.
56
where may a salt marsh grow
in the sheltered are behind a spit, where vegetation can grow easily
57
where is the holderness coast
North-east England
58
How much land does the holderness lose to erosion each year?
2 meters
59
Why is the land in north-east England being eroded?
- Made of soft boulder clay - Strong prevailing winds creating lots of longshore drift
60
What defences were implemented in Mappleton?
£2 million spent in 1991; rock armour installed and groynes built
61
What is the impact of the Mappleton defences?
- Groynes prevented effects of longshore drift - This has however increased the erosion rate of land further south of Mappleton
62
What defences were built in Bridlington?
4.7km long sea wall built to protect seafront
63
What are the positives of Holderness management?
- Helped to protect many key areas from erosion such as the Easington Gas Terminal
64
What are the negatives of Holderness management?
- Due to high costs from building and maintaining, only the most valuable locations are protected - This leaves large areas vulnerable to damage

GCSE AQA Geography (7 decks)

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