3261831
| Question | Answer |
| Beach | The temporary deposition of sand and shingle along the coastline. Without its beach a coast is vulnerable to erosion. |
| Crest + Tombolo | The top of a wave + A spit joining an island to the mainland. |
| Spit | A long, narrow accumulation of sand and shingle formed by long shore drift and deposited where the coastline abruptly changes direction. One end of the spit is connected to the land and the other end projects out to the sea, often with a curved (hooked) end. |
| Erosion + Weathering | The wearing away of rocks by the action of the sea – abrasion, attrition and hydraulic action + The breaking down of rocks by the action of the weather, plants or chemical action. |
| Backwash + Swash | Movement of water down the beach + Movement of a wave up the beach |
| Constructive Waves | Found on low-angled beaches and mainly responsible for coastal deposition. They are gently breaking, with a much stronger swash than backwash. |
| Destructive Waves | Found on steep beaches, are steeply breaking and mainly responsible for coastal erosion. Their backwash is much stronger than their swash. |
| Long-shore Drift | Waves approaching the coast at an angle result in the gradual zig-zag movement of beach materials along the coast. |
| Managed Retreat | Allowing cliff erosion to occur as nature taking its course: erosion in some areas, deposition in others. Benefits include less money spent and the creation of natural environment. |
| Wave Cut Platform | A gently sloping, rocky platform found at the foot of an eroding cliff and exposed at low tide. |
| Beach Replenishment | The addition of new material to a beach naturally, through the action of long-shore drift or artificially, through the dumping of large amounts of material. |
| Arch {1st stage} | Wave-eroded passage through a small headland. This begins as a cave formed in the headland, which is gradually widened and deepened until it cuts through. |
| Stack {2nd stage} | Rock left standing out at sea after wave erosion has separated it from the mainland. Waves will continue to erode the foot of the arch until its roof becomes too heavy to be supported. When the roof collapses, it will leave part of the former cliff isolated. |
| Stump {3rd stage} | Formed by continuing wave action attacking a stack until it collapses. |
| Gabion | A wooden barrier built out into the sea to stop the long-shore drift of sand and shingle, and so cause the beach to grow. It is used to build beaches to protect against cliff erosion and provide an important tourist amenity. |
| Sea Walls | Aim to prevent erosion of the coast by providing a barrier which reflects wave energy. |
| Rip-Rap | Large boulders dumped on the beach as part as part of coastal defenses. |
| Hydraulic Action | The process by which breaking waves compress pockets of air in cracks in a cliff. The pressure may cause the crack to widen, breaking off rock. |
| Abrasion + Attrition | Wearing away of cliffs by sediment flung by breaking waves. + Erosion caused when rocks and boulders transported by waves bump into each other and break up into smaller pieces. |
| Cliff | Hard, resistant rocks form steep cliffs; soft rocks such as clay create low, gentle cliffs. |
| Wetting/Drying | Softer rocks such as clay expand when they are wet and contract when they dry out. This continued expansion and contraction can weaken rocks and make them more easily eroded. |
| Defra | Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs. Responsible for the protection of the coastline from flooding and erosion. |
| Shoreline Management Plan {SMP} | Recommends how each coastal sub-cell should be managed. |
| Advance the line + Hold the line | Build new defenses seaward of the existing defenses. + Maintain the existing coastline by building defenses. |
| Infrastructure + Prevailing Winds | Network of links including transportation and services. + The dominant winds in an area. |
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