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32 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Swash
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More dominant in constructive waves. |
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Backwash
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Water being drawn back from the beach. |
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Tidal Range |
The relative difference between high and low tide.
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Weathering
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The gradual breakdown of rocks in situ at ground surface. |
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Freeze-thaw
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A type of weathering involving water percolating into cracks and pores in cliffs and then freezing to form ice. Regular freeze-thaw can lead to some fragments on cliff rock falling off and collecting at the cliff foot in the form of scree. |
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Salt weathering |
Salt water evaporating and leaving crystals behind. These crystals can grown larger over time and exert stress in the rock causing it to break. |
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Wetting and Drying |
Clay rich rocks (i.e. shale) expand when they get wet, and contract when they dry. Frequent cycles can cause them to crack and contribute to their break up. |
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Carbonation |
The slow dissolving of calcium carbonate from limestone and chalk. When it absorbs carbon dioxide, water forms a weak carbonic acid. This acid reacts with the calcium carbonate to form calcium bicarbonate . This is easily dissolved. Cooler water increases the effectiveness of carbonation |
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Biological weathering |
Can include several types of biological weathering including plants, birds, and marine organisms. |
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Mass movement |
The downhill movement of rock and soil in response to the fore of gravity. Includes processes of rock falls, landslides, mudflows, rotational slips, and soil creep. |
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Hydraulic Action
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Waves breaking at the foot of a cliff can cause significant erosion. Air being blasted into cracks loosens rocks that are gradually removed. This can lead to the formation of a wave-cut platform. |
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Corrasion |
Rocks caught up in surging seawater are hurled at cliff face causing it to be chipped and gouged. |
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Abrasion |
The sandpapering effect of loose rocks being constantly scarped across bare rock e.g. a wave cut platform. It often causes smoothing and polishing of the rock surface. |
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Attrition |
When rocks carried by seawater bash against each other gradually making them smaller and smoother |
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Traction |
The rolling of relatively large and heavy rocks ion the seabed |
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Saltation |
Slightly smaller and lighter rocks adopting a bouncing motion |
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Suspended
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sediment floating on top of the water accounting for the slightly murky appearance of the sea and river estuaries. |
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Solution |
Sediment that has dissolved completely will be transported in this way. |
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Sediment cell |
11 major cells have been identified in England and Wales. |
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Headlands and Bays |
Headlands are an area of land that protrudes into the sea. The area between headlands are sandy bays. |
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Beach
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Commonly found in bays. Wave refraction creates a low energy environment that leads to deposition of sediment. |
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Spit |
Formed on stretches of coast where the beaches are drift aligned. When sand or shingle is transported along a stretch of coast by LSD it may reach a point where the direction of coast changes. At this point sediment will build up and begin to protrude into the sea. |
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Tombolo |
This is when a spit joins up with an island. |
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Sand dunes |
Sand deposited by the sea being blown further inland by the wind to form a mound. |
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Bar
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Sand or shingle can sometimes build up across a bay to form a bar. |
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Thermal expansion |
Can lead to sea level rise |
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Tectonic Uplift |
Can have a direct impact on the coast and therefore sea level |
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Submergent coastline
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A rise in sea level flooding the coast
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Ria
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A permanently flooded lower course and estuary of a river as it approaches the sea. Rias are common in the southwest of England. |
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Fjords
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Formed in mountainous regions (i.e. the coast of Norway). A drowned glacial valley. extremely deep witih dramatic and often sheer rock walls forming their sides. |
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Emergent coastline |
Caused by a fall in sea level exposing land normally covered by sea water. |
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