The Coastal System

Question 1

Littoral zone

Answer 1

Dynamic area of change where the coastal area is affected by waves, is a dynamic equilibrium

Question 2

Coast - littoral zone

Answer 2

The land affected by the sea, can include settlements and farmland

Question 3

Back shore - littoral zone

Answer 3

The area that sits above the high tide level, is only affected in extreme weather event, such as a storm or an extreme high tide

Question 4

Foreshore - littoral zone

Answer 4

The zone between the high and low tide marks, where many wave processes take place

Question 5

Nearshore - littoral zone

Answer 5

The area just off the coastline beyond the low tide level, it consists of shallow seawater

Question 6

Offshore - littoral zone

Answer 6

The open sea where waves start to break, water is deeper

Question 7

Terrestrial

Answer 7

Land areas of a coast

Question 8

Marine

Answer 8

Ocean parts of the coast

Question 9

Coastlines formed from long term changes

Answer 9

Emerging or submerging, rocky or estuarine, concordant or discordant

Question 10

Emerging coastline

Answer 10

Sea level falling

Question 11

Submerging coastline

Answer 11

Sea level rising

Question 12

Rocky or estuarine coasts depend on…

Answer 12

Geological resistance to weathering and erosion

Question 13

Concordant or discordant coastlines depend on…

Answer 13

Relative position of geological strata and wave action

Question 14

Coastlines formed by short term changes

Answer 14

Classified by their tidal range
Retreating or advancing
High or low energy
Dominated by land based processes or marine based processes

Question 15

Retreating coast

Answer 15

Losing land due to higher levels of erosion

Question 16

Advancing coast

Answer 16

Gaining land due to higher levels of deposition

Question 17

Primary coasts

Answer 17

Land based processes

Question 18

Secondary coast

Answer 18

Marine based processes

Question 19

High energy coasts

Answer 19

Large powerful destructive waves, exposure to strong winds, long fetches, steeply shelving offshore zones, erosion>deposition

Question 20

Low energy coasts

Answer 20

Small gentle constructive waves, gentle winds, short fetch, gentle sloping offshore zones, reef or island may protect the coast, deposition>erosion

Question 21

Fetch

Answer 21

The maximum distance the wind has blown

Question 22

Swash

Answer 22

Water washing up the beach

Question 23

Backwash

Answer 23

Water washing back towards the beach

Question 24

How is a waved formed

Answer 24

Wind blowing over water surface creates friction, creating ripples which will form larger waves over time

Question 25

Wave height (depends on)

Answer 25

Depends on wind speed, the fetch and the depth of sea bed

Question 26

Elliptical

Answer 26

Squashed and oval shaped

Question 27

Destructive waves

Answer 27

High and steep, circular cross profile, short wave length, high frequency, high energy, strong backwash removed material from the beach

Question 28

Constructive waves

Answer 28

Low frequency, low energy, low and long wave length, elliptical cross profile, powerful swash carries material up the beach

Question 29

Short term changes

Answer 29

More destructive waves at storm events Wind levels affect the characteristics of waves, high wind speed can create taller waves

Question 30

Long term changes

Answer 30

Seasonal changes, winter beaches are steeper in the back section, summer beaches are taller in the back section, creating berms Climate change is likely to create more storm like weather in all seasons so more destructive waves

Question 31

Sediment cells

Answer 31

Divide the coast into sections to show how sediment moves around the coast, they are self contained units, 11 sediment cells around English and Welsh coastline

Question 32

Sources - sediment cell

Answer 32

Rivers carrying sediment from inland, erosion and weathering of cliff faces, crushed shells of organisms, movement of material by offshore depositions by waves or tides, sand dune erosion

Question 33

Transfers - sediment cells

Answer 33

Longshore drift moving sediment along coastlines, offshore currents moving sediment inland from out at sea, action of wind, tidal currents moving material moving sediment inland and out

Question 34

Sinks - sediment cells

Answer 34

Flocculations of sediment in salt marshes, formation of spits and bars by the loss of wave energy, sand dunes from wind action, beaches receiving material, offshore bars can build beneath waves

Question 35

Sediment budget

Answer 35

The difference between the amount of sediment entering and leaving the system

Question 36

Positive sediment budget

Answer 36

More sediment enters an area than leaves, meaning beaches, sand dunes and spits will grow

Question 37

Negative sediment budget

Answer 37

More sediment leaves and area that enters it, meaning beaches, sand dunes and spits are likely to shrink

Question 38

Negative feedback - sediment cells

Answer 38

Change causes other changes that have the opposite effect

Question 39

Positive feedback - sediment cells

Answer 39

Change in the system causes other changes that have a similar effect

Question 40

Coastal accretion

Answer 40

The expansion of land into the sea