Which type of wave has a strong swash and a weak backwash?
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Constructive waves

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Which type of wave has a strong swash and a weak backwash?
What 3 factors affect the size of waves?
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Fetch, wind speed and wind duration.

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What 3 factors affect the size of waves?
What word describes the movement of a wave up a beach?
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Swash

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What word describes the movement of a wave up a beach?
Identify the type of wave that builds beaches.
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Constructive wave

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Identify the type of wave that builds beaches.
What is a wave?
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A wave is a disturbance on the surface of the sea or ocean, in the form of a moving ridge or swell.

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What is a wave?

Give an outline of what abrasion involves.
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Abrasion occurs as breaking waves, concentrated between the high and low watermarks, which contain sand and larger fragments wear away the base of a cliff or headland. It is commonly known as the sandpaper effect. This process is particularly common in high-energy storm conditions.

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Give an outline of what abrasion involves.
Identify the main processes of coastal erosion.
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Corrasion, abrasion, hydraulic action, attrition and corrosion/solution.

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Identify the main processes of coastal erosion.
What is corrosion/solution?
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Corrosion/solution is when certain types of cliff erode as a result of weak acids in the sea.

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What is corrosion/solution?
Give an outline of the steps involved in hydraulic action.
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Waves hitting the base of a cliff causes leads to air compression in cracks, joints and folds in bedding planes, causing repeated changes in air pressure. As air rushes out of the crack when the wave retreats, it leads to an explosive effect as pressure is released. This process is supported further by the weakening effect of weathering. The material breaks off cliffs, sometimes in huge chunks. This process is known as hydraulic action.

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Give an outline of the steps involved in hydraulic action.
Give an outline of what corrasion involves.
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Corrasion is when destructive waves pick up beach material (e.g. pebbles) and hurl them at the base of a cliff. Over time this can loosen cliff material forming a wave-cut notch.

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Give an outline of what corrasion involves.
Describe the processes of freeze-thaw weathering.
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Freeze-thaw weathering occurs when rocks are porous (contain holes) or permeable (allow water to pass through). Water enters the rock and freezes. The ice expands by around 9%. This causes pressure on the rock until it cracks. Repeated freeze-thaw can cause the rock to break up.

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Describe the processes of freeze-thaw weathering.
What is mechanical weathering?
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Mechanical weathering is the breakdown of rock without changing its chemical structure (composition).

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What is mechanical weathering?
What is chemical weathering?
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Chemical weathering is the breakdown of rock through changing its chemical composition.

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What is chemical weathering?
What is salt weathering?
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Salt weathering is when salt spray from the sea gets into a crack in a rock. It may evaporate and crystallise, putting pressure on the surrounding rock and weakening the structure.

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What is salt weathering?
What is weathering?
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Weathering is the breakdown of rock in situ by the action of rainwater, extremes of temperature, and biological activity.

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What is weathering?
Why does coastal deposition occur?
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Wave energy reduces leading to material being deposited.

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Why does coastal deposition occur?
What is traction?
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Traction – large pebbles and boulders are rolled along the seafloor.

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What is traction?
Identify the 4 main processes of coastal transportation.
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Solution, suspension, saltation and traction.

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Identify the 4 main processes of coastal transportation.
Describe how longshore drift transports material.
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Longshore drift happens when waves approach the beach at an angle. The swash (waves moving up the beach) carries material up and along the beach. The backwash (waves moving back down the beach) carries material back down the beach at right angles. This is the result of gravity. This process slowly moves material along the beach and provides a link between erosion and deposition. The material is transported through suspension, traction, solution and saltation. Longshore drift provides a link between erosion, transportation and deposition.

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Describe how longshore drift transports material.
What is suspension?
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Beach material is suspended and carried by the waves.

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What is suspension?