Flashcards
Coast
Cards in this deck (30)
- 1AtmosphereAtmosphere: gases that surround the earth. The lowest layer is 8km thick and is called the troposphere. It is within this that all weather occurs and most living things exist.
- 2BiosphereBiosphere: all living things.
- 3LithosphereLithosphere: rocks and soil- the earth's upper crust.
- 4HydrosphereHydrosphere: the storage of water on earth in all its forms (gas, liquid, solid).
- 5Nitrogen FixationNitrogen Fixation is the process in which nitrogen gas from the air is continuously made into nitrogen compounds. These compounds (primarily nitrates and ammonium compounds) are made by nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in the soil and by lightning.
- 6NitrificationNitrification is the process in which ammonia in the soil is converted to nitrates. Nitrification is performed by nitrifying bacteria. Plants absorb the nitrates and use them to make proteins.
- 7DenitrificationDenitrification is the reverse of the combined processes of nitrogen fixation and nitrification. It is the process by which nitrogen compounds, through the action of certain bacteria, give up nitrogen gas that then becomes part of the atmosphere. The amount of gas released by this process is relatively small.
- 8Decay ProcessesDecay Processes are those by which the organic nitrogen compounds of dead organisms and waste material are returned to the soil. These compounds are chiefly proteins and urea. The many bacteria and fungi causing decay convert them to ammonia and ammonium compounds in the soil.
- 9CoastCoast: all the land adjacent to the sea that receives some form of marine influence including sea winds or salt spray
- 10ShorelineShoreline: the water’s edge at any particular time.
- 11ShoreShore: the area between the shoreline at low tide and the coastline.
- 12Intertidal zoneIntertidal zone: he land between low tide and high tide shorelines.
- 13BackshoreBackshore: refers to the beach located landward of the high tide
- 14HinterlandHinterland: the region surrounding the coast landward of the coastline.
- 15Surf zoneSurf zone: marks the area where the sea floor rises up towards the shore, and can be identified by the steepening of waves as they begin to break
- 16Offshore zoneOffshore zone: the deep water seaward of the surf zone
- 17FetchFetch: Uninterrupted stretches of flat sea floor
- 18Constructive wavesConstructive waves: Are created in calm weather, they break on the shore and bring sand that builds up the beach. They have a swash that is longer than their backwash. They are low with long wavelengths.
- 19Destructive wavesDestructive waves are formed in storm conditions. They have stronger backwash than swash which results in the withdrawal of sand from beaches. They are typically tall with short wavelengths
- 20SwashSwash is when a wave breaks and water is washed up the beach, if a wave has stronger swash than backwash sand is deposited which builds up the beach.
- 21BackwashBackwash is the withdrawal of water when a wave breaks on the beach.
- 22Hydraulic ActionHydraulic Action: The pressure of the water against a rock or hard surface (trapping pockets of air).
- 23AbrasionAbrasion: The materials carried by waves act as sand paper on the rocks eroding the coastline.
- 24CorrosionCorrosion: Chemical erosion usually occurs around limestone.
- 25AttritionAttrition: The load being carried by the wave begins to rub away.
- 26Wave refractionWave refraction: wave bands that approaches a headland will slow faster at the headland. The parts of the wave away from the headland keep moving, causing the wave to bend around the headland.
- 27Wave PeriodWave Period: is the number of waves that pass a given point in one minute.
- 28Wave heightWave height: is the height of the wave measured from crest to trough
- 29Wave lengthWave length: is the distance between the crests of two consecutive waves.
- 30The wave crestThe wave crest: is the top of the wave.