Coastal Landscapes - Key Terms

Caused by waves picking up material which is forced against the cliff face gradually wearing it away

Where weak acids in rain cause solution of minerals in rock

An opening which passes through a Headland

Where stones & pebbles knock against each other causing them to become smoother & rounded

The movement of water down a beach

A ridge of sand and shingle joining two headlands

An indent in the coastline formed due to the faster erosion of softer rock

A build up of sand and shingle deposited at the coast

Adding sand to a beach

Where roots of vegetation grows into cracks in rock splitting it apart

An opening in a cliff face

The eroding back of a cliffline

This involves reducing the slope of a cliff to reduce the likelihood of slumping

The meeting point between the land and sea

Gentle low frequency waves which have a stronger swash than backwash and build up a beach

Dissolving of minerals in rocks by sea water

Powerful, frequent waves with a stronger backwash than swash

The breakdown and removal of material

The distance over which the wind has blown to form a wave

The breakdown and removal of material

Powerful, frequent waves with a stronger backwash than swash

A wire cage filled with rocks used to protect a cliffline

A structure built across the beach perpendicular to the coast to stop LSD and build up a beach

The use of physical man-made structures to control coastal erosion

A resistant rock outcrop sticking out from the coastline

The transport of material along a coastline by the action of waves

Where people are gradually moved back from vulnerable areas of coast and the coastline can erode

A barrier built on the sea bed just off of the coastline to cause waves to break off of the coast

A long concrete barrier built at the base of a cliff

Slatted wooden or concrete structure built at the base of a cliff to reduce erosion

Large boulders of resistant rock

Rotational downward movement of a cliff face due to undermining at the base and saturation of upper material

Working with natural processes to manage coastal processes

Slow downslope motion of individual soil particles due to gravity

A narrow ridge of sand and shingle projecting from the coastline out into the sea

An isolated column of rock formed when the roof of an arch collapses

offshore rise in water created due to a combination of low pressure, high winds and high tide

A low rock outcrop formed when a stack collapses, often covered at high tide

The movement of water up a beach

A low rock outcrop formed when a stack collapses, often coered at high tide

The movement of water up a beach

A gently sloping rocky platform formed as a cliff erodes

The breakdown and decay of rock