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coastal processes - Coggle Diagram
coastal processes
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There are two different types of wave - constructive and destructive. They can affect the coastline in different ways. When a wave reaches the shore, the water that rushes up the beach is known as the swash. The water that flows back towards the sea is known as the backwash. The energy of the swash and backwash determine the type of wave.
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Soil slides down a curved slip plane. The top is called the head, the bottom the foot. The soil collects at the toe. The wall of the curved slip plane is the scarp.
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Bits of rock fall off the cliff face, usually due to freeze-thaw weathering.
Hydraulic action - this is the sheer power of the waves as they smash against the cliff. Air becomes trapped in the cracks in the rock and causes the rock to break apart.
Abrasion - this is when pebbles grind along a rock platform, much like sandpaper. Over time the rock becomes smooth.
Attrition - this is when rocks that the sea is carrying knock against each other. They break apart to become smaller and more rounded.
Solution - this is when sea water dissolves certain types of rocks. In the UK, chalk and limestone cliffs are prone to this type of erosion.
Solution - when minerals in rocks like chalk and limestone are dissolved in sea water and then carried in solution. The load is not visible.
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Freeze-thaw weathering
Freeze-thaw weathering occurs when rocks are porous (contain holes) or permeable (allow water to pass through).
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When temperatures drop, the water freezes and expands causing the crack to widen.
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Plants and animals can also have an effect on rocks. Roots burrow down, weakening the structure of the rock until it breaks away.
Chemical weathering
Rainwater and seawater can be a weak acid. If a coastline is made up of rocks such as limestone or chalk, over time they can become dissolved by the acid in the water.