Landforms

Question 1

What is longshore drift

Answer 1

waves approach beach at a 90 angle due to prevailing winds.

swash carriers some material up beach

backwash carries material directly down the beach

Question 2

What are rip currents

Answer 2

strong currents moving away from the shoreline

Question 3

Spit formation

Answer 3

longshore drift deposits sand and shingle across a river mouth, leaving a bank of sand and shingle sitcking out to sea

A spit is formed by LSD, which transports sediment along the coast. Where the coastline changes direction or meets a river mouth, the sediment is deposited, extending out to sea.

Over time the spit grows and may develop a recurved end due to wave refraction or wind direction

Question 4

compound spit

Answer 4

changes in dominant wind and wave direction lead to a curved end

Question 5

Bar

Answer 5

a bar is formed where a spit grows the whole way across a bay
behind bar is a lagoon

overtime filled with silt and may gradually form a salt marsh

Question 6

Where are Mudflats found

Answer 6

found on edges of submerged marine zone

exposed to low tide- water left their in permanent channels

Question 7

Eustatic change

Answer 7

sea level change caused by a change in volume of water in the sea

Question 8

How are isostatic changes caused

Answer 8

caused by vertical movements of the land relative to the sea

Question 9

Submergent coastlines

Answer 9

submerged by the sea due to rise in sea level

Question 10

emergent

Answer 10

exposed to sea due to fall in se levels

Question 11

What is the integrated coastal zone management

Answer 11

considers all elemts of the coastal system

considers tourism, fishing, tourism

Question 12

tropical storm

Answer 12

form between 5- 30 lattitude

27 degrees

warm moist air rises quickly- creating strong winds

Question 12

Explain the formation of a wave-cut platform (4 marks)

Answer 12

Forms when waves erode the base of the cliff through hydraluic action and abrasion creating a wave-cut notch.

overtime, the notch deepens and the overhanghing rock becomes unstable and collapses.

As this process repeats, the cliff retreast inland and leaves behind a gently sloping platform of exposed rock at the base of the cliff

Question 13

Explain how headlands and bays form on a discordant coastline (4 marks)

Answer 13

Form on discordant coastline where bands of hard and soft rock run perpendicular to the coast.

The soft rock, like cly, erodes more quickly than the hard rock, such as limestone.

the differential erosion creates indented areas called bays and more resistant protrusions called headlands

Question 14

Explain the formation of a stack from a headland (4 marks)

Answer 14

Erosion occurs at a line of weakness in a headland, forming a cave through hydraulic action and abrasion

Continued erosion deepens the cave unitl it breaks through the headland, creating an arch.

Eventually, the arch roof collapses, forming a stacl, which is an isolated pillar of rock.

Question 15

Explain how sand dunes develop along a coastline (4 marks)

Answer 15

Sand dunes form when dry sand is blown inland by wind and is trapped by obstacles like driftwood.

As sand accumulates, embryo dunes form, which grows as vegetation like marram grass stabilises them.

Overtime, these develop into foredunes and grey dunes through succession

Question 16

Explain how a tombolo forms (4 marks)

Answer 16

A tombolo is formed when sediment is transported by longshore drfit and deposited between the mainland and an offshore island

Overtime, this sediment builds up and connects the island to the mainland, forming a narrow strip of land.

Question 17

Explain how geology influences the formation of coastal landforms (4 marks)

Answer 17

Geology affects coastal landforms by determining rock resistance and structure.

Hard rocks like granite erode slowly, forming steep cliffs of headlands, while soft rocks like clay erode faster, creating bays.

Rock structure also matters; concordant coasts resist erosion differently than discordant ones due to parallel or perpenidcular rock alignment

Question 18

Explain the formation of a cave (4 marks)

Answer 18

Caves form when waves exploit weaknesses in a cliff such as joints or faults through hydralic action and abrasion

Overtime, continious erosion enlarges the cracks into a hollow feature.

A waves repeatedly enter and erode the rock the cabe widens and deepens

Question 19

Explain the formation of a bar (4 marks)

Answer 19

a bar forms when LSD transports sediment across the entrance of a bay.

If the bay is shallow and no river flows through it, sediment builds up and seals the bay from the sea

This creates a ridge of sand or shingle across the bay, forming a bar with a lagoon behind it

Question 20

Explain how LSD contributed to the formation of beaches (4 marks)

Answer 20

LSD moves sediment along the coast in the direction of the prevailing wind.

Sediment is picked up by swash at an angle an dreturned by backwash at 90 degrees- creating a zigzag movement.

This causes deposition in sheltered areas, forming drift-aligned beaches.

Question 21

Explain how a recurved spit develops (4 marks)

Answer 21

a recurved spit forms when longshore drift deposits sediment at a change in the coastline direction.

As the spit grows, wave refraction or secondary wind directions cause the end to curve inward

this creates a hooked or recurved tip

Question 22

Explain how salt marshes form behind spits or barier islands (4 marks)

Answer 22

salt marshes for in the sheltered, low-energy water behind spits or barrier islands.

Fine sediment is deposited and begins to accumulate. As sediment builds up, oioner vegetation colonises the mudflats, trapping more sediment and promoting vertical growth.

Overtime, this leads to full salt marsh development

Question 23

Explain the formation of dune succession from embryo dunes to grey dunes

Answer 23

Embryo dunes form when sand is trapped by obstacles like driftwood.

These dunes are colonised by hardy pioneer speices like marram grass, forming foreduness\

Overtime as organic matter accumulates, soil quality improves, allowing more vegetation to grow.

This leads to mature grey dunes inland

Question 24

Explain how prevailing wind direction influences the development of depositional landforms (4 marks)

Answer 24

the prevailing wind determines the direction of swash on beach, which controls the movement of sediment via LSD. Consistent wind direction promotes the formation of features like spits and bars. changes in wind direction can cause recurved ends on spits or sand dune migration

Question 25

Explain how tides and wave energy affect the formation of coastal landforms

Answer 25

high energy waves increase erosion- forming features iike cliffs and arches low-energy waves encourage deposition creating beaches and spits tidal range affects how much of the coast is exposed to erosion or depositiom A larger tidal range can spread erosion over a wider area

Question 26

Explain how human activity can influence the formation and development of coastal landforms (4 marks)

Answer 26

coastal defences like groynes interput LSD, leading to beach build up on one side and erosion on the other sea walls reduce eroison but can increase it further down the coast human activies like dredging or tourism can also disturb sediment and natural processes, altering landform development

Question 27

Explain the role of sub-aerial procesess in shaoing coastal landforms (4 marks)

Answer 27

sub-aerial processes like weathering and mass movement waken cliffs weathing breaks down rock chemically and physically, while processes like slumping and rockfalls cause cliff retreat these help create and modify landforms like wave cut platforms and notches

Question 28

Formation of dalmation coasts (4 marks)

Answer 28

Form when rising sea levels submerge folded mountain ranges running parrallel to the coastline As sea levels rise, the valleys are flooded, while the ridges remain above the water as parralel islands. This creates a distinctive coastline where the islands run parralel to the mainland

Question 29

Barrier islands

Answer 29

form from the accumulation of sand and sediment along a gently sloping continental shelf Waves and longshorte drift transport sediment, which builds up to form narrow islands parallel to the coast Rising sea levekls may push these deposists landward, forming a lagoon between island and mainland eg outerbanks in N carolina USA