What is a wave-cut platform?
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What is a wave-cut platform?
A wave-cut platform is a flat or gently sloping surface formed by wave erosion at the base of a sea cliff.
True or False?
Undercutting occurs when powerful destructive waves attack the base of the cliff at high tide.
True.
Undercutting occurs when powerful destructive waves attack the base of the cliff at high tide.
Define the term wave refraction?
Wave refraction is the bending of waves as they approach a headland, concentrating wave energy onto the headland.
Define the term stack.
A stack is a tall, vertical column of rock formed by erosion of a headland which stands isolated from the coast.
What is the sequence of erosional landform formation at a headland?
The sequence of erosional landform formation at a headland is: crack, cave, arch, stack, and finally stump.
Which two types of erosion are mainly responsible for widening joints to form caves?
Hydraulic action and abrasion are mainly responsible for widening joints to form caves.
What is the most common depositional landform?
The most common depositional landform is a beach.
True or False?
Spits form where the coastline changes direction and waves no longer have the energy to carry sediment.
True.
Spits form where the coastline changes direction and waves no longer have the energy to carry sediment.
What is a tombolo?
A tombolo is a bar of sediment connecting an island to the mainland or another island, formed by deposition.
True or False?
The area behind spits is not sheltered and is exposed to the wind.
False.
The area behind spits and barrier beaches the area is very sheltered, tidal currents and river currents meet leading to lots of deposition. This can lead to the formation of salt marshes.
What is eustatic change?
Eustatic change is a global change in sea level relative to the land. This is caused by changes in the volume of water in ocean basins due to changes in ocean temperature or the amount of water locked up in ice sheets.
True or False?
Isostatic change occurs when the land height changes relative to the sea level.
True.
Isostatic change occurs when the land height changes relative to the sea level. This is a local change and is often due to the removal of weight (e.g. ice sheets) from a land mass.
What are the three main causes of eustatic change?
The three main causes of eustatic change are:
Changes in the amount of ice.
Thermal expansion.
Tectonics.
True or False?
Isostatic change happens more quickly than eustatic change.
False.
Isostatic change happens more slowly than eustatic change.
What is isostatic recovery?
Isostatic recovery is the process of land rebounding to a higher level after the melting of ice sheets.
Define emergent landforms.
Emergent landforms are coastal features that exist due to a reduction in sea level or an increase in land height.
What is a ria?
A ria is a submergent landform (flooded estuary) created when the lower course of a river valley is flooded due to sea level rise.
True or False?
Fjords are typically shallower than rias.
False.
Fjords are typically deeper than rias, especially inland, due to their glacial origin.
What is a Dalmatian coast?
A Dalmatian coast is a submergent landform where parallel valleys are flooded, creating small offshore islands parallel to the coast.
According to the IPCC, what is the predicted range of sea level rise by 2100?
According to the IPCC, the predicted range of sea level rise by 2100 is between 0.3 and 1.0 m higher than current levels.