Coastal landscapes

• what kind of system is the coast?

  open
• what creates landforms along the coast?

  sediment and energy
• what are the main inputs along a coast?

  • waves/ water
  • sediment
  • humans
  • kinetic energy
• what are the main processes along a coastline?

  • erosional processes
  • mass movement
  • weathering
  • longshore drift
  • tides/ current
  • wind
• what are the main outputs along a coastline?

  • leaving sediment
  • evaporation
  • erosional/ depositional landforms
• what is system equilibrium?

  inputs = outputs
• what happens if something disrupts the coastline?

  system self regulates back to balance (dynamic equilibrium)
• what are sediment cells determined by?

  topography & shape of the coastline
• why does sediment stay in its cells?

  • current
  • temperature
  • depth of ocean
  • salt concentration
• How do winds affect a coastline?

  • speed/ strength determine wave energy
  • determines the quantity of sediment transported
  • direction determines where sediment is transported
• how are winds created?

  frictional drag of winds moving across the oceans surface
• what does the wind direction determine?

  direction waves reach the shore/ direction of LSD
• what does LSD stand for?

  longshore drift
• The height of waves increase as...

  • wind speed increases
  • wind blows for longer times
  • distance blown increases
• what is the highest part of the wave called?

  crest
• what is the lowest part of a wave called?

  trough
• what is the difference between one wave and another called?

  wavelength
• what is the difference between the top and bottom of the wave called?

  wave height
• what are the 4 characteristics of constructive waves?

  • low wave height
  • long wavelength
  • weak wave strength
  • depostion
• what are the 4 characteristics of destructive waves?

  • high steep waves
  • short spilling waves
  • strong wave strength
  • erosion
• what are constructive waves also know as?

  swell waves
• what are destructive waves also known as?

  storm waves
• so what are swell waves?

  waves that have been generated over a long period of time and have a high wave period of 20 seconds
• so what are storm waves?

  waves that have been generated locally and have a shorter wave period
• what are spilling waves?

  steep wave on gentle beach
• what are plunging waves?

  steep-ish wave on steep beach
• what are surging waves?

  low waves on a steep beach
• how do you calculate wave energy?

  Height (squared) x time
• explain how tides are formed...

  As the moon moves round the earth it pulls the water and when it does it either pulls it away from that part of the earth (low tide) or the gravitational pull is weaker and so there is a high tide.
• what are spring tides?

  A spring tide is when the sun and moons gravitational pull work TOGETHER leading to extreme high and low tides.
• what are neap tides?

  A neap tide is when they are working AGAINST each other so you get weaker than normal high and low tides.
• what are offshore currents also known as?

  global ocean currents
• what are nearshore currents also known as?

  rip currents
• what are the three types of offshore currents?

  • tides
  • winds
  • Thermohaline
• when would a flood current occur?

  High tide
• when would an ebb current occur?

  Low tide
• what does the term thermohaline mean?

  deeper ocean water being moved due to heat and amount of salt in oceans
• how do currents increase erosion?

  warmer water = more erosion - sea levels higher (thermal expansion) - water has more energy
• what do nearshore currents do?

  transport sediment - due to tidal motion or waves breaking at right angles to shore
• what can waves at different heights create?

  rip currents