Coasts revision

→ waves are generated by wind

→ characteristics of waves are determined by the strength of the wind and fetch ( distance the
wind travels over)
● Wave travels up the beach = swash
● Wave flows back = backwash

Constructive Destructive

Low height High height

Long wavelength Short wavelength

Strong swash Weak swash

Weak backwash Strong backswash

Erosion
● Attrition
→Where stones bash into each other breaker into smaller and rounder pieces
● Abrasion
→ impact of particles hitting rock and soil
● Hydraulic action
→ water forcing the air into the cracks and due to friction
● Solution
→ where acid dissolves the rocks that makes up the cliff

Transport
● Traction
→ large rocks roll along the bed
● Solution
→ acid dissolves the rock making the soil
● Salation
→ small stones bounce along the bed
● Suspension
→ small particles carried by the waves
Longshore drift
→ wind blows at an angle to the beach so the wave approaches at an angle. The swash run up
the an angle but the backwash run straight down
→ transport of sediment along the beach in zig zag movement

HEADLAND AND BAY

1. Bands of hard and soft rock run perpendicular to each other
2. Soft rock ( clay) erodes faster than the hard rock
3. This creates an indent in the coast line called bay
4. Hard rock erodes slower than the soft rock
5. Hard rock sticks out into the sea ( headland)

Cave arch and stack

→ the headland feels most of the energy because they wave approaches it first and converge
on it
→ this is wave refraction

Cave
1. A crack in the headland is eroded ( most by hydraulic action )
2. Widening the crack to make a cave

Arch
1. The cave grows overtime until it breaks through the other side of the headland
2. This forms an arch

Stack
1. Erosion at the base of the arch and weathering at the top weakens it
2. This happens until the arch collapses
3. Leaves a column of rock in the sea called a stack

Cliff retreat
1. Wave erode the cliff to form a cut notch
2. Wave cut notch grows bigger and undercuts the cliff
3. The cliff collapses
4. The process repeats and cliff continues to retreat
5. As cliff retreat a wave cut platform is formed
Beaches
→ beach formed when sand or shingle is deposited by low energy waves
→ if shingle and sand are mixed shingle are found at the higher parts and sand are found at the
lower down
→ beaches form in bay because wave refraction energy focuses on headlands it diverges the
bay leading to deposition

Spits and bars

1. When long shore drift occurs and there is a bend in the coastline the sediment is
deposited in the sea
2. Over time it builds up to create a narrow point of land jutting out the sea
3. Often it has a bent end due to wind and wave direction
4. If the split ends extend across a bay and joins the land again on the other side it is called
a bar

Sand dunes
1. Wind blows sand which is deposited around an object due friction
2. This create embryo dunes
3. Plant ( pioneer) grows on them , their roots hold the dunes together and making them
stable
4. Sand dunes continues to grow as more sand is deposited die to friction
5. Plants die and add nutrients to the sand dune slowly creating a soil
6. As soil improves a wilder variety of plants grow making sand dune more stable

Embryo dune → fore dune → yellow dune → grey dune → dune slack → mature dune

Coral reefs
→ found between 30 north and 30 south of the equator because they grow best at a temp of
22-25 C
→ found in shallow waters because the algae need sunlight to photosynthesis
→ need clear water so the algae can photosynthetic
→ not found at the mouth of rivers because the sediment of the rocks make the water dark

Features

→ tiny animals called polyps

→ exoskeleton made from calcium carbonate
→ one generation dies the other grows on top of it upwards and outwards
→ polyps and algae have a symbiotic relationship ( algae use sunlight and waste products from
polyps to make food in photosynthesis and polyps then live on this food
→ high biodiversity
Conditions for growth

→ 30 north and 30 south the equator

● Temp of 22-25C
● Shallow water for sunlight
● Need salt water
● Need clear water so algae can photosynthesize
Threats

● Climate change → warmer temp ( algae cannot live with polyps )

● Sea level rise will make it deeper
● Warmer temp = more storms = more damage
● Population growth = pollution
Importance

● Habitat to many animals

● Economically local ppl earn their livings from the reefs
● Searched for potential cures
● Barrier to erosion and flooding

Mangroves
→ trees which grow on mudflats on the coast
→ submerged by salt water at high tide
→ the mud is deposited by low energy waves
Found in tropical area between 30 north and 30 south

Importance
→ habitat for animals
→ protection from erosion and flooding , absorb pollutants
→ store carbon

Threat

→ fish farming
→Deforestation for wood
→ firewood for fuel

Opportunities on the coast

→ trade = jobs
→ fishing
→ tourism

Hazard on the coast

→ erosion
→ tropical storms
→ flooding
→ sea level rise

Tropical atoms
Distribution
–. Found in the tropics
→ found on the coast
→ area most affected east asia , north america and australia

Formation :
→ storms form over a warm ocean
→ water from the sea evaporates into the air
→ sea warms the air which rises and spins due to the rotation of earth
→ rising air cools and condenser to form huge clouds
→ air is sucked in to replace the rising air creating winds