GEOGRAPHY COASTS KEY WORDS

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What is weathering?
The break-down of rock by physical or chemical processes.
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What are sea walls?
Aim to prevent erosion of the coast by providing a barrier which reflects wave energy.
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What is Rip-Rap?
Large boulders dumped on the beach as part as part of coastal defences
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What is Long shore drift?
Waves approaching the coast at an angle result in the gradual zig-zag movement of beach materials along the coast.
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What is Hydraulic action?
The process by which breaking waves compress pockets of air in cracks in a cliff. The pressure may cause the crack to widen, breaking off rock.
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What is Attrition?
Erosion caused when rocks and boulders transported by waves bump into each other and break up into smaller pieces.
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What is Abrasion?
Wearing away of cliffs by sediment flung by breaking waves
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What is Biological Weathering?
The breakdown of rock through the action of plants and animals
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What is Chemical Weathering?
The decomposition (or rotting) of rock caused by a chemical change within that rock; sea water causes chemical weathering of cliffs.
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What are Constructive waves?
Found on low-angled beaches and mainly responsible for coastal deposition. They are gently breaking, with a much stronger swash than backwash
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What are Destructive waves?
Found on steep beaches, are steeply breaking and mainly responsible for coastal erosion. Their backwash is much stronger than their swash.
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What is Erosion?
The wearing away of the land by rivers, ice sheets, waves and wind
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What are Headlands?
Areas of land protruding out to sea formed of resistant (harder) rock. They help protect the bay which forms between them from wave attack
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Aim to prevent erosion of the coast by providing a barrier which reflects wave energy.

Back

What are sea walls?

Card 3

Front

Large boulders dumped on the beach as part as part of coastal defences

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Waves approaching the coast at an angle result in the gradual zig-zag movement of beach materials along the coast.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

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

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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