Coastal Processes

Question 1

How are Waves formed?

Answer 1

• The waves are Formed by the wind blowing over the sea.

Question 2

Name the 2 Different types of Waves and Explain each?

Answer 2

• The 2 different types of waves are constructive and destructive.
• Constructive are waves that build up on the beach and have a small height.
• Destructive are Waves that destroy the beach and have a Tall height.

Question 3

Write a Definition of Weathering and Name the 3 Different types of weathering?

Answer 3

• Weathering is the breakdown/Wearing away of the land in the sea.
• The 3 Different type of weathering is Mechanical, Chemical and Biological.

Question 4

What happens in mechanical Weathering?

Answer 4

• In mechanical Weathering the Disintegration (Breck-up) of rocks. Where this happens, Piles of rock fragments called “Scree” can be found at the foot of the cliff.

Question 5

What happens in Chemical Weathering?

Answer 5

• chemical Weathering is caused by chemical changes. Rainwater, which is slightly acidic very slowly dissolves certain types of rocks and minerals.

Question 6

What happens In biological Weathering?

Answer 6

• Biological weather is due to actions of plants and animals. Plant roots grow into cracks in the rock. Animals such as rabbits burrow into weak rock such as sands.

Question 7

In 3 Steps how does Freeze- thaw weathering happen?

Answer 7

• 1) Rainwater falls into cracks of rocks.
• 2) The temp drops and the water freezes to form ice into those cracks.
• 3) This puts precure on the rocks making them fragments Brecks soft and collects as scree.

Question 8

Name 4 types of Mass movement that happen at the coast?

Answer 8

• 1) Rock fall - Fragments of rock break away from the cliff face due to weathering e.g. freeze thaw.
• 2) Sliding - When chunks or slabs break away from rock.
• 3) Slumping - The materials rotates in a curved line.

Question 9

Name the 4 Different types of Erosion that can happen it a beach and Explain each?

Answer 9

• 1) Hydraulic Power - Waves crash against rocks and compresses air in cracks.
• 2) Abrasion - Eroded Particles That Scrape or Rub Against The Rock.
• 3) Attrition - Eroded Particles in The Water That collide and Break Into Small pieces That Become Rounder.
• 4) Solution - Dissolved Soluble chemicals in rock such as limestone.

Question 10

Name The 4 Types of Transportation And Explain Them?

Answer 10

• 1) Traction - Large Boulders are Carried Across The Sea Bed
• 2) Saltation - Pebbles Bouncing Along The sea bed By the Force Of The Waves
• 3)Suspension - Small Particles Like Clay Being Carried along in the water
• 4) Solution - Soluble Materials Like Limestone Dissolving in The water and Being Carried

Question 11

Write a Definition of Longshore Drift?

Answer 11

• Longshore drift is the process by which sand and other materials move along a coastline because of waves hitting the shore at an angle.

Question 12

write a Definition of Deposition?

Answer 12

• Deposition is where The Winds and The Sea Lose Energy and Drop The sediment on To The Beach

Question 13

What Is A Discordant Coastline?

Answer 13

• Its Where The Coast Is made out of Altering Hard and Soft Rock At Right Angles.

Question 14

What Is a Concordant Coastline?

Answer 14

• It’s Where The Alternating Bands Hard And Soft rock Are Parallel at the coast.

Question 15

In 3 Steps How are Headlands and Bays formed?

Answer 15

• 1) The coastline is made up of hard rock ( Like chalk or Granite) and Soft rock (Like clay or sandstorm)) Over time the waves erode the softer rock faster than the harder rock.
• 2) The softer rock erodes quickly, creating an inward curve or indentation in the coastline. This becomes a bay—a sheltered area where the sea enters the land.
• 3) The hard rock erodes more slowly, so it sticks out into the sea. These are called headlands and are often exposed to strong wave action.

Question 16

Write a Definition of Bays and Headlands?

Answer 16

• A Bay is the Less Resistant Rock Which Has Been Eroded and It Has Sand on it Making It a Bay.
• A Headland is The Resistant rock That Sticks out The Sea Because It Very Resistant.

Question 17

Describe The 4 Process Of How a Cave, Arch, stack, Stump?

Answer 17

Cave: Cracks At The Base of the Headland Become Exposed Due To Hydraulic Action Becoming a Cave.
Arch: Cracks Are Widened By Erosion On Both sides of the cliff Becoming A Arch.
Stack:Overtime The Arch collapse Due to Weathering.
Stump: The stack erodes further and It Cannot Holds iTs Own Mass Flailing into the sea And The Forming a Stump.

Question 18

Describe The Process of How a Wave cut Platform is Formed?

Answer 18

• Most Erosion happens At the foot of the cliff Forming a wave cut Notch which is enlarged over time
• Repeated Erosion Causes The rock above the Notch to collapses Because it is Unstable
• The Collapse Materials Is Washes Away And a new wave cut platform starts to form.

Question 19

How Does Sand And Shingle Form Beeches?

Answer 19

• Sand Beaches are Created by Low energy Waves - Sand Particles are Small so the Weak Backwash can move back down the beach creating long gentle slope.
• Shingle Beeches are created by High energy waves - Sand Particles are Washed away But the larger shingle is left Behind.

Question 20

Describe The Process of How Spits Are Formed?

Answer 20

• Spits Are Formed at Sharp Bends In The Coastline For example River Mouth.
  -Longshore Drift Transports Sand and Shingle Past the Bend and Deposits It in the Sea.
• Strong winds and Waves Can Curve The end of a Spit.
• The area behind the spit is sheltered from waves so Material Gather and Plants Are Able To Grow.

Question 21

Describe that Process of How Bars Are Formed?

Answer 21

• A Bay Forms when a Spit joint 2 Headlands Together.
• The Bay Between The Headlands Gets Cut From The Sea.
• This means A lagoon can form behind this bar
• OffShore Bars can form if the coast has a gentle slope Friction with the Sea Bed cause Waves to slow Down and Deposit Sediment offshore Creating a bar that is not connected to the Coast.

Question 22

Describe How Sand Dunes Are Formed?

Answer 22

• Sand Dunes are Formed When Sand is Deposited By Longshore Drift and is Moved up the Beach By wind.

-Embry Dunes are Colonised By Plants Like Marram Grass The roots of vegetation stabilise the sand Encouraging more sand To Accumulate There This Forms Foredunes and Leading To Mature Dunes
- Dune Slacks (Small Polls) can Form in Hollows Between duns.