Glossary- Coastal Landforms and their management

Glossary

Abrasion- Waves hurling beach material against a cliff, wearing the land away like a sandpaper effect.

Arch- A hole right through a headland formed by the sea eroding through a cave in a headland.

Attrition- waves smash rock fragments against each other, making pebbles smoother, rounder and smaller.

Backwash- Water that washes back down a beach.

Bar- Ridges of sand and other material that run roughly paralell to the coast.

Bay- An inlet in the coast where less resistant (soft) rock has been worn back. eg Swansea Bay.

Beach- Eroded material in the sea that has been deposited eg in a bay between two headlands.

Beach Nourishment- Replacement of natural beach with material that has been dredged from the sea bed.

Blow Hole- Formed when a cave is eroded upwards by hydraulic action.

Cave- Formed when joints and faults have been enlarged by waves.

Cliff Stabilisation- Pipes inserted to remove excess water and vegetation is planted to stabilse soil.

Cliff- High rock face that runs along the coast.

Coast- Where land meets the sea.

Constructive wave- Low waves that build up the beach.

Corrosion- Chemicals in the sea water dissolves a cliff.

Defences- Strategies to try stop flooding…