Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments

HKDSE New Interactive Geography

Unit 5 Coastal environments and

associated processes
In this unit, we are going to learn…
A. Main concepts
Concept 1 Concept 2 Formation

Coast Sea waves Constructive

Types
Composition System
Destructive
Concept 4

Concept 3
Factors affecting
Coastal processes
coastal processes

Erosion Transportation Deposition

Atmospheric Marine factors Geological
Hydraulic action Longshore drift factors factors
Abrasion / Corrasion Traction Depth of sea
Wind velocity Offshore gradient Type and
Attrition Saltation
and duration Type of wave structure of
Solution / Corrosion Suspension
Tidal range rock
Solution
Fetch
Longshore current
Coastal environment

Concept 1:
Three parts As a system
Coastal zone

1. What is a coastal zone? Refer to p. 66 in your textbook

Refer to the figure below and fill in the different parts of the coastal zone.
− The coastal zone is the area between the coastline and the shoreline.
− Divided into: Shore, Nearshore and Offshore

Fig.5.1 The coastal zone

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 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography

2. What is a coast system?

− The coast is a system.
− It forms part of the water cycle operating in the seas and oceans.
1. Fill in the inputs, processes and outputs of a coast system.
Inputs Processes Outputs
− Wind energy / Sea − Erosion − Deposition of sediments
waves / Tides − Transportation on the shore
− Sediments from − Deposition − Coastal landform
rivers and seas features

2. A coast system is a/an (open / closed) system because there is exchange of (energy only / mass only /
energy and mass) with the surrounding environment.

Concept 2:
Formation Two types Factors
Sea waves

1. How are sea waves generated? Refer to p. 67 in your textbook

− Sea waves get their energy from wind.

1. Fill in the blanks below to describe its formation.

Wind causes the water Continuous blowing of wind sets the

molecules to rotate in a water molecules to oscillate and pass the
circular orbit. energy to the adjacent molecules.

After a long period of wind

blowing, waves are formed.

Fig.5.2 Wave formation

2. Refer to Fig.5.3 and identify the

C
different parts of a wave. A

A: Wave crest
D
B: Wave trough

C: Wave length
B
D: Wave height
Fig.5.3 Structure of a wave
© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 37 Unit 5
 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography
3. a. Fill in the figure below to describe the changes in shape of sea waves when they approach the
coast.
b. Label X, Y and Z in the figure.
Waves approaching the coast: Elliptical in shape
Waves in seas: Reason: Friction between the sea bed and the bottom
Circular in shape of the wave causes its velocity to (increase / decrease),
while the top of the wave is not affected

Fig.5.4 Changes in shape of sea waves when they approach the coast

2. What are the major types of waves? Refer to p. 68-69 in your textbook

− According to the magnitudes of swash and backwash, two types of waves can be classified.
Identify the types of waves shown in the table below and compare their characteristics.

(Constructive / Destructive) wave (Constructive / Destructive) wave

What type of wave is it?
because it has a stronger swash because it has a stronger backwash

Wave height Lower / Higher Lower / Higher

Wave length Shorter / Longer Shorter / Longer

Wave size Smaller / Bigger Smaller / Bigger

Wave frequency Lower / Higher Lower / Higher

Favourable coastal
Erosion / Deposition Erosion / Deposition
process

3. What are the factors affecting wave energy?

− Wave energy is affected by three factors:
Duration of wind: Longer duration → Higher wave energy Favours the formation of
Wind speed: Higher wind speed → Higher wave energy (Constructive / Destructive)
Fetch: Longer fetch → Higher wave energy waves

© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 38 Unit 5

 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography
Concept 3:
Coastal processes 3 types Effects Factors

1. What are coastal processes? Refer to p. 70 in your textbook

Coastal processes: Interactions between sea

waves and the coasts

Erosion Transportation Deposition

2. What are the erosion processes along coasts?

Types / Effect of coastal erosion

Type : Hydraulic action

Effect: Waves trap air in cracks in rocks at a high
pressure. When the waves retreat, the trapped air is
released and the rocks crack eventually

Type : Abrasion / Corrasion

Effect: Bases of sea cliffs are eroded by rock
fragments in waves

Type : Attrition
Fig.5.6 Types of coastal erosion Effect: Rocks and pebbles collide with each other and
become smaller and rounded in shape

Type : Solution / Corrosion

Effect: Carbonic acid in sea water dissolves certain
types of rocks and causes them to disintegrate

3. What are the transportation processes along coasts? Refer to p. 71 in your textbook

− Five modes of transportation by sea waves along the coasts

a. Longshore drift
− The major process of moving materials along the coasts
− It consists of two parts:

© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 39 Unit 5

 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography
Longshore drift = Beach drift + Longshore current

Beach drift: Longshore current:

Movement of materials along a beach down-drift in An ocean current that runs parallel to the shore,
a zig-zag pattern parallel to the shore moving sediments along the shore

Movement (Fig.5.7): a+b + Movement (Fig.5.7): a+b +

Describe the formation of beach drift and longshore current by filling in the boxes.

a. The swash brings materials to the beach at an

oblique angle

b. The materials are dragged out to the sea by the a+b = ? Beach drift / Longshore current
backwash at a right angle. As a result, materials are
moved in a zig-zag pattern along the coast.

Materials washed down by the backwash are

moved up the beach again by the next wave. This
causes a slight rise in the water level.

A current that runs parallel to the shore is + = ? Beach drift / Longshore current
formed. It brings a lot of sediment with it.

Fig.5.7 Longshore drift

b. Other transportation processes along the coasts

− Depending on the size of sediment, sea waves move materials along the coasts in four ways:
Process Size of sediment Movement
Traction Large boulders Rolled along the
sea floor
Saltation Lighter pebbles Bounced along
the sea floor
Suspension Sand and silt
Carried by
Fig.5.8 Transportation processes along coasts
Solution Dissolved ions moving water
and salts

© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 40 Unit 5

 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography
4. What are the deposition processes along coasts? Refer to p. 72 in your textbook

Favourable conditions − Swash is (weaker / stronger) than backwash

for deposition − A/An (increase / decrease) in wave energy
− There is (abundant / small) amount of sediment in sea water

Types of waves Constructive waves Destructive waves

Location Headland Bay

Concept 4:
Factors affecting
3 perspectives Effects Outcome
coastal processes
factors
1. How do coastal processes change over space? Refer to p. 74-76 in your textbook
− Interaction of different factors affects the amount of wave energy acting along the coasts, which
determines the ultimate coastal process that dominates at the coast.
a. Atmospheric factors

Effect Dominant process

i. Strength of wind Wind speed ↑ Wave energy (↑ / ↓) Erosion

ii. Duration of wind Duration of wind ↑ Wave energy (↑ / ↓) Erosion

b. Marine factors

Effect Dominant process

i. Depth of sea Depth of sea ↑ Friction (↑ / ↓) Wave energy (↑ / ↓) Erosion

ii. Gradient of Large gradient Steepness (↑ / ↓) (More / Less)

Erosion
offshore slope concentrated impact of sea waves Wave energy (↑ / ↓)

iii. Type of wave Constructive wave: Swash is (stronger / weaker) than Deposition
backwash
iv. Tidal range Larger tidal range Tidal current is (stronger / weaker)
Erosion
Wave energy (↑ / ↓)
v. Fetch Longer fetch (More / Less) time for the wave to gather
Erosion
energy Wave energy (↑ / ↓)
vi. Longshore Stronger longshore current (Fast / Slow) transport of
Erosion
current sediment
vii. Coastal Exposed location Wave energy (↑ / ↓)
Erosion
environment

© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 41 Unit 5

 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography
c. Geological factors

Effect Dominant process

Type and structure − Rocks with many joints (More / Less) Erosion
of rocks resistant to erosion
− Rocks with layered structure of different
resistance (More / Less) prone to erosion

Extension How do coastal processes work?

The photo below shows Sai Wan in Sai Kung. Study it carefully and answer the questions.

X
Y

A. Sai Wan in Sai Kung

1. Compare X and Y in the table below.

X Y
Wave energy Higher Lower
Type of wave Destructive Constructive
Dominant process Erosion Deposition

2. Explain the shape of the coastline shown in the photo in terms of:
a. Atmospheric factors Sai Kung is on the eastern side of Hong Kong, where easterly wind prevails and
results in high wave energy / erosion of the coast results in a rugged coastline

b. Marine factors
c. Geological factors
Sai Kung is on the eastern side of Hong Kong which is facing to the open sea /
Long fetch results in high wave energy / favours erosion and results in a rugged
coastline
The area is made of rocks of different resistance overlying one another / Harder
rocks are eroded less and form headlands / Softer rocks are eroded more and
form bays / alternate headlands and bays results in rugged coastline

© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 42 Unit 5