WorksheetsCoasts key terms
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
Recurved Tip
The end of a spit that has curved round, as wave refraction carries material round into the more sheltered water behind the spit.
A type of fishing hook designed to catch fish more effectively.
A term used to describe the shape of a river bend.
A geological formation created by volcanic activity.
swash-aligned beach
A beach formed in a low-energy environment by waves roughly parallel to the shore.
A beach characterized by high-energy waves and steep slopes.
A beach that is formed by the accumulation of sand dunes.
A beach that experiences strong tidal currents and erosion.
soil creep
A rapid movement of soil and rock down a slope.
An extremely slow form of movement of individual soil particles downhill.
The process of soil being washed away by water.
A sudden and fast movement of soil due to earthquakes.
Sediment Budget
A method to measure water quality in rivers.
An attempt to quantify the various stores and transfers associated with sediment movement.
A technique for predicting weather patterns.
A process for calculating the age of sedimentary rocks.
Raised Beach
The result of volcanic activity that creates new landforms.
The result of isostatic recovery which raises wave-cut platforms and their beaches above the present sea level.
The process of erosion that lowers the land near the coast.
The formation of coral reefs that rise above sea level.
Runnels
The raised areas of a beach that collect water.
The dips in the foreshore area of a beach between ridges. They are drained down the beach by channels that break the ridges.
The flat areas of a beach that are always submerged.
The rocky formations found at the base of cliffs.
submergent coastline
A coastline created when a rise in sea level floods the coast.
A coastline formed by the erosion of land due to wave action.
A coastline that is characterized by steep cliffs and rocky shores.
A coastline that is formed by the deposition of sand and sediment.
tombolo
A type of ancient burial site.
A ridge of beach material that has formed between an island and the mainland.
A geological formation caused by volcanic activity.
A shallow area of water between two land masses.
Pioneer Species
The last plants to colonise an area, usually with no special adaptations.
The first plants that colonise an area, usually with special adaptations.
Plants that grow in waterlogged areas and have deep roots.
Plants that are found only in urban environments.
slump (or landslip)
When a block of land moves very rapidly downhill but its slide surface is flat, characterized by a gradual break of slope.
When a block of land moves very slowly uphill, characterized by a smooth surface and no visible scar.
When a block of land moves very rapidly downhill but its slide surface is curved rather than flat, characterized by a sharp break of slope and the formation of a scar.
When a block of land remains stationary but experiences soil erosion over time.
tides
Changes in the water level of seas and oceans caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and, to a lesser extent, the Sun.
A type of ocean current that moves in a circular pattern.
The rise and fall of sea levels due to wind patterns.
A phenomenon that occurs only during full moons.
wave quarrying
The action of waves breaking against unconsolidated material such as sands and gravels.
The process of waves eroding solid rock formations.
The movement of sediments caused by tidal forces.
The formation of wave patterns on the surface of water.
Offshore Bars
Submerged (or partly exposed) ridges of sand or coarse sediment created by waves offshore from the coast.
Elevated landforms formed by volcanic activity near the shore.
Flat areas of land that are completely dry and above sea level.
Deep underwater trenches formed by tectonic plate movements.
Mudflow
A phenomenon where water flows uphill due to geological activity.
Involves earth and mud flowing downhill, usually over unconsolidated or weak bedrock such as clay, often after heavy rainfall.
A type of erosion caused by wind that removes soil from the surface.
A sudden release of water from a dam that floods the surrounding area.
wave refraction
The bending of waves as they pass through different mediums.
The distortion of wave fronts as they approach an indented shoreline.
The reflection of waves off a flat surface.
The scattering of waves in multiple directions.
vegetation succession
The process by which plant life is destroyed by fire.
The sequence of changes that take place as plant life colonises bare rock, sand, water or salty areas.
The method of planting trees in urban areas to improve air quality.
The phenomenon of seasonal changes in plant life due to climate variations.
wave-cut platform
A flat area of land formed by volcanic activity.
A largely-flat stretch of rock created by repeated erosional processes causing a wave-cut notch to migrate inland and the cliff to retreat.
A type of platform used for wave energy conversion.
A geological formation created by sediment deposition in river deltas.
tidal range
The distance between the highest and lowest points of a wave.
The relative difference in height between high and low tides.
The time interval between successive high tides.
The average height of tides over a month.
spit
A long, narrow feature, made of sand or shingle, that extends from the land into the sea (or part of the way across an estuary).
A type of fish commonly found in shallow waters.
A small, shallow bay or inlet.
A geological formation that is a result of volcanic activity.
cusp
Crescent-shaped beach formations with graded sediment; coarse material collects at the 'horns' and finer material collects in the 'bay' area.
A type of fish found in coastal waters.
A geological term for a sharp point or edge.
A type of cloud formation that resembles a crescent shape.
