Define the term weathering.
Enjoying Flashcards?
Tell us what you think
Define the term weathering.
Weathering is the break-down of rock in-situ (in its original place).
Define the term mass movement.
Mass movement is the downhill movement of material under the influence of gravity.
What is a landslide?
A landslide is a movement of material 'en masse' (as a whole) that remains together until it hits the bottom of a slope.
True or False?
Weathering involves the movement of material.
False.
Weathering does not involve the movement of material; this is what makes it different from erosion.
What is the name of the process by which living organisms break down rocks?
The name of the process by which living organisms break down rocks is biological weathering.
Define the term slump.
A slump is a type of mass movement where a large area of land moves down a slope in one piece, leaving a curved, indented surface behind. It is also known as rotational slip.
What factors affect mass movement?
Factors that affect mass movement include:
Slope angle
Vegetation cover
Water content
Rock type
Human activity
Climate
What is hydraulic action?
Hydraulic action is the sheer force of the waves hitting the coast.
True or False?
Attrition is the process by which rocks scrape against the cliffs .
False.
Attrition is the process where rocks and sediment carried by waves knock against each other and become smaller, smoother, and more rounded.
What is longshore drift?
Longshore drift is the main process of deposition and transportation of sediment along the coast. It occurs due to waves approaching the shoreline at an angle.
What is the meaning of the term swash?
Swash is the movement of water up the beach.
Define the term fetch.
Fetch is one of the factors that determines the height and strength of a wave, it refers to the distance the wind has blown over the water.
What causes waves to break as they approach the shore?
As a wave enters shallow water near the shore, friction from the seabed causes the wave to lean forward. The waves eventually crest and break.
True or False?
Constructive waves are beach builders.
True.
Constructive waves are beach builders.
What is the difference between destructive and constructive waves?
Destructive waves have a shorter wavelength, a higher frequency, and a stronger backwash compared to constructive waves.
When does deposition occur along the coast?
Deposition occurs when transported material is dropped from the sea water because the velocity (speed) of the water flow slows down and there is not enough force to hold/suspend the material in the water anymore.
True or False?
Coastlines of hard, resistant rock produce a flat landscape?
False.
Coastlines of hard, resistant rock produce a rugged landscape. A coastline made up of softer rocks produces a low, flat landscape.
What is a headland?
A headland is a projection of resistant rock that extends out to sea, typically forming the boundary between two bays.
Define the term bay.
A bay is a wide, curved indentation of the shoreline, often with a beach.
True or False?
The difference between hard and soft rocks does not impact the shape and characteristics of cliffs.
False.
The difference between hard and soft rocks does impact the shape and characteristics of cliffs, as soft rock erodes more quickly than hard rock.
What is a wave-cut platform?
Wave-cut platforms are wide, gently sloped surfaces found at the foot of a cliff.
What is a stack?
A stack is an isolated column of rock, left after the roof of an arch has collapsed due to erosion.
True or False?
A spit is a depositional landform.
True.
A spit is an extended stretch of deposited sand or shingle that extends out to sea from the shore.
What are the stages in the formation of a cave, arch, stack and stump?
The stages in the formation of a cave, arch, stack and stump are:
Wave refraction concentrates erosive action on all sides of a headland, creating cracks in the joints of the rock.
The crack widens to form a cave.
Eventually, erosion will widen the cave until it breaks through the headland to form an arch.
The base of the arch becomes wider and thinner, and eventually, the roof of the arch collapses, leaving behind a column of rock called a stack.
The stack is undercut at the base until it collapses to form a stump.
True or False?
Beaches form in the winter months when the weather is calm.
False.
Beaches usually form in the summer months, when the weather is calmer.
Where do beaches form?
Beaches form in sheltered areas such as bays through deposition via constructive wave movement, where the swash is stronger than the backwash.
What is a berm?
A berm is a ridge of shingle and sand that marks the normal high tide level on a beach.
True or False?
A saltmarsh forms behind a berm.
False.
A saltmarsh is a coastal wetland area that is regularly flooded by saline or brackish water, typically found in sheltered estuaries behind spits.
How do sand dunes form?
The stages of sand-dune formation are:
Strong onshore winds transport dried, exposed sand to the rear of sandy beaches.
Sand grains are trapped and deposited against any obstacle (rubbish, rocks, driftwood, etc.) and begin to form dunes.
As more sand particles are caught, the dunes grow in size, forming rows at right angles to the prevailing wind.
Dune ridges move inland due to onshore winds pushing the seaward side of the dune to the leeward side.
Name the stages of sand-dune succession in order of age?
Sand-dune succession, in order of age is:
Embryo dunes
Fore dunes
Yellow dunes
Grey dunes
Mature dunes
Why do sand bars form?
Bars form when a spit grows across a bay and joins two headlands together.
A bar of sand (sandbar) is formed through longshore drift.
Freshwater is trapped behind it to form a lagoon.
What is Durdle Door in Dorset an example of?
Durdle Door is an example of an arch formation.
What is Lulworth Cove in Dorset an example of?
Lulworth Cove is a small bay with a narrow entrance that was formed when a gap was eroded in the band of tough limestone.
What is Old Harry an example of at the end of The Foreland in Dorset?
Old Harry is an example of a cave, arch and stack formation at the end of the Foreland in Dorset.
The stump is called Old Harry's Wife.
What and how was Chesil Beach in Dorset formed?
Chesil Beach is an 18-mile-long pebble tombolo. It was formed through the process of longshore drift; it joins the Isle of Portland to the mainland.
What is the geology of the Dorset coastline?
The geology of the Dorset coast is composed of soft clay and harder limestone and chalk.
These rocks erode at different rates, creating both erosional and depositional landforms.
Define hard engineering.
Hard engineering involves the construction of structures such as sea walls and groynes to alter natural coastal processes.
Define soft engineering.
Soft engineering works with natural coastal processes rather than against them to reduce coastal erosion for example beach nourishment.
True or False?
Groynes stop beach material from being moved by longshore drift.
True.
Groynes stops longshore drift from moving beach material.
What is beach replenishment?
Beach replenishmentis the process of pumping or dumping sand and shingle back onto a beach to replace eroded material.
Define dune regeneration.
Dune regeneration is the planting of vegetation to create or stabilize sand dunes and beaches.
A managed retreat is an example of what type of engineering?
A managed retreat is an example of soft engineering.
What is rip-rap?
Rip-rap is large boulders piled up to protect a stretch of coast from erosion.
True or False?
Sea walls are effective at preventing erosion but not flooding.
False.
Sea walls are effective at preventing both erosion and flooding if they are high enough.
What are the four possible options in shoreline management plans?
The four possible shoreline management options are:
Do nothing
Hold the line
Managed realignment or retreat
Advance the line
What is a Shoreline Management Plan?
A shoreline management plan is developed to reduce the threat of flooding and erosion and benefit local communities, economy and the environment.
The Holderness Coast stretches for how many kilometres?
The Holderness Coastline stretches for 61 kilometres from Flamborough Head in the north down to Spurn Head, where it meets the Humber Estuary in the south on the East Coast of Yorkshire.
At what rate is the Holderness coastline eroding?
The Holderness coastline is eroding at 2 metres a year.
What is the geology of the Holderness coastline?
The Holderness coastline is made of soft boulder clay and chalk.
What is the dominant process along the Holderness coastline?
Longshore drift is the dominant process due to North Sea waves having a long fetch, which increases wave energy.
How is Bridlington, on the Holderness coast, protected?
Bridlington is protected by a 4.7-kilometre-long sea wall along the Holderness coast.
True or False?
Groynes and a sea wall protect Spurn Head.
False.
Spurn Head is protected with groynes and rock armour.
What has riprap, groynes and beach nourishment done for the beach at Mappleton?
Riprap, groynes and beach nourishment at Mappleton have produced a sandy beach that protects the town.
What has Hornsea done to protect its coastline?
Hornsea has spent money on repairing its wooden groynes and concrete sea wall. They have also built a stone and steel gabion along with a concrete revetment south of Hornsea, helping to protect the caravan park.
£4.5 million was spent on riprap at Easington, but why has it caused conflict?
The £4.5 million scheme at Easington caused conflict because it was spent on protecting the gas terminal, not the village.
Why does conflict arise between communities and coastal defence schemes ?
Conflict arises when coastal development is seen as being given a higher priority than overall coastal conservation.
Along the Holderness coastline, maintaining the coastal defences is expensive, and the cost is becoming too high to continue defending an area that is eroding quickly and will continue to erode.