Coast keywords

Arch

wave eroded passage through a small headland

1 of 36

attrition

erosion caused when rocks and boulders transported by waves bump into each other and break into small pieces

2 of 36

beach nourishment

the natural addition of material to a beach, usually through longshore drift or artifically

3 of 36

constructive waves

found on low-angled beaches and mainly responsible for coastal deposition. gentle breaking, stronger swash, weak backwash

4 of 36

abrasion

wearing away of cliffs by sediment flung at breaking waves

5 of 36

destructive waves

found on steep beaches mainly responsible for cosatal erosion. Strong backwash, weak swash

6 of 36

fetch

maximum distance of water over which winds can blow,

7 of 36

gabions

steel wire mesh filled with boulders, used in coastal defences.

8 of 36

groynes

wooden barrior built out to sea to stop longshore drift and allowing the beach to grow

9 of 36

hard engineering

building artificial structures to control the natural process of the sea

10 of 36

hydraulic action

the process by which breaking waves compress pockets of air in cracks in a cliff. the pressure causes the crack to widen, breaking off the rock

11 of 36

longshore drift

waves approaching the coast at angle and leaving at a right angle resulting in gradual zig-zag movement of sediment along the coast

12 of 36

managed retreat

allowing cliff erosion to occur as natural

13 of 36

mass movement

the downhill movement of weathered material due to gravity. the speed varies; soil creep- barely noticeable movement to mud flows- rapid

14 of 36

pioneer species

first plant to colonise an area that is well adapted to the harsh environment

15 of 36

revetements

wooden, steel or concrete fence like structures that allow water and sediment to pass through, but the structures aborb wave energy, a beach builds up behind revetment providing further Cliff protection

16 of 36

rock armour

large stones placed along the coast to dissipate the energy of the waves and stop coastal erosion

17 of 36

rockfall

the collapse of the cliff face

18 of 36

rotatonal slip

slippage of a cliff face along along a curved surface causing he cliff to eventually retreat

19 of 36

SMP

Shorline Management Plan - each local authority should have one that outlines the strategies for their stretch of the coastlien

20 of 36

Salt marsh

low lying coastal wetland

21 of 36

sediment starvation

an area of a beach where sediment has been held back (by groynes) and as result the beach downdrift loses sand and rocks become exposed as marine processes are allowed to reach the cliffs

22 of 36

slumpimg

mass movement of materail from a cliff face as gravity takes over- often caused by being saturated from heavy constant rain

23 of 36

soft engineering

a sustainable approach t managing the coastline without artificial structures

24 of 36

solution

the dissolving of rocks such as limestone or chalk in water. also used as the transportation of dissolved chemicals

25 of 36

spi

a long narrow accumulation of sand and shing from longshore drift and deposited when the coastline abruptly changes direction. one end is connected to the land and the other projects out to sea

26 of 36

stack

wavs erode rock left standing out at sea after wave erosion has seperated it from the mainland. its the next stage from an arch. waves continue to erode the foot of the arch until its roof becomes to heavy to be supported

27 of 36

stump

formed by continuing wave action attacking a stack until it collapses

28 of 36

sub ariel erosion

weathering from above, eg. rain

29 of 36

swash

forward movement of a wave up a beach

30 of 36

sustainable coastal management

a management approach that conserves the environment for future generations to enjoy as it is today

31 of 36

undercutting

marine processes acting on cliffs and eroding between high and low water marks to the extent that eventually the material on the cliff face collapses because it oes not have support at the base

32 of 36

updrift

areas that provide a supply of material for deposition by longshore drift further along the coast

33 of 36

vegetation succession

a sequence of vegetation species colonising an environment

34 of 36

wave cut plat from

a gently sloping, rocky platform found at the foot of an eroding cliff and exposed at low tide

35 of 36

weathering

the break down of rock by physical or chemical processes

36 of 36

Get Revising

Coast keywords

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Back

Card 3

Front

Back

Card 4

Front

Back

Card 5

Front

Back

Comments

Similar Geography resources:

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Back

Card 3

Front

Back

Card 4

Front

Back

Card 5

Front

Back

Comments

Related discussions on The Student Room

Similar Geography resources: