Physical Geography
A-Level Notes: Edexcel
,Coasts 2.1 - The Littoral Zone
Classifying Coastlines
Littoral Zone - boundary where land Coastal plains Geology
meets the sea ● Young sedimentary rocks (chalk, clay, - NW: metamorphic/igneous (more
1. Backshore sandstone) resistant, uphill relief, rugged)
2. Foreshore ● Low energy areas - SE: sedimentary (erodes easily,
3. Nearshore ● Low relief (flat) flatter relief)
4. Offshore ● More deposition than erosion (= depositional Energy Level
The littoral zone is dynamic: landforms) - NW: high energy (strong waves,
> short term: waves, tides, seasonal ● E.g. Norfolk large fetch, more erosion)
storms - SE: low energy (weak waves,
> long term: sea level change, climate sheltered areas, more deposition)
change Sea Level Change
- submergent
- emergent
Dynamic equilibrium
INPUTS
> marine - waves, tides, storm surges
Rocky coastlines
> atmospheric - weather, climate, solar energy
● Igneous (basalt/granite) & metamorphic (slate)
> land - rock type, tectonic activity
● High energy areas
> people - management
● More erosion than deposition (= erosional
PROCESSES
landforms)
> weathering, mass movement, erosion, transportation, deposition
● High relief
OUTPUTS
● E.g. Yorkshire
> erosional landforms
> depositional landforms
> different types of coastline
,Coasts 2.2 - Geological Structure + 2.3 Coastal Recession Coastal Morphology - the
shape and form of coastal
landscapes and their
features
1. Rock Type 2. Geological Structure
Concordant a) Strata - horizontal layers of rock
- rock runs parallel to the coast b) Bedding Planes - horizontal cracks 4. Permeability
- e.g. Lulworth Coast, Dorset in rock - igneous: impermeable (granite + basalt)
- Dalmatian Coast: Croatia (narrow islands c) Fault - diagonal cracks (when - metamorphic: impermeable (marble + slate)
parallel to coast formed from valleys) pressure exceeds internal strength) - sedimentary: permeable (chalk, sandstone)
- Haff Coast: Southern Fringes of Baltic d) Joint - vertical cracks (caused by
Sea (ridges with sand dunes parallel to the contraction + dry out) 5. Erosion Rates
coast) e) Fold - rock crumples due to ● Igneous: 0.1 - 0.1 cm/yr
Discordant increased pressure during tectonic ● Metamorphic: 0.01 - 10 cm/yr
- rock alternates (creates headlands/bays) activity ● Sedimentary: 10 - 100 cm/yr
- waves refract when they hit the headland f) Dip - angle at which rock strata lies ● Unconsolidated: 100 - 1000 cm/yr
= erosion
- energy dissipates as it reaches bays
- e.g. West Cork Coast, Ireland 3. Relief Sand Dunes Salt Marshes
- steepness of - mobile dunes (embryo, - algae colonises mud exposed at
cliff will affect fore, yellow) low tides
Purbeck Coast marine and - fixed dunes (grey) - thickens sediment = water depth
● Made of portland limestone, with sub-aerial - colonisation of embryo reduced
clay behind it processes dunes through deep root - halophytes (tolerate high concs of
● Concordant: Durdle Door, Stair Cliff Profiles systems salt) colonise = raises height
Hole (cove with Lulworth - Steep = - veg reduces wind speed = - rainwater washes salt from soil =
Crumple), Lulworth cove, seward deposition land plants colonise
Warbarrow Bay - Shallow = - dead organic matter forms - continues until climax vegetation
● Discordant: Durlston Head, inland soils (trees)
Ballard Point, Old Harry
, Coasts 2.4 - Marine Erosion Swell Waves EROSION
1) Hydraulic action - force of
- wind drops
water breaks rock through
but wave pressure
Waves - a medium which energy is How a wave breaks: energy 2) Abrasion - waves throw
transferred > waves reach a depth of ½ their continues to sediment at cliffs
- Created through friction between wavelength be transferred 3) Attrition - sediment being
wind and surface water > circular orbit hits seabed, friction transported collides with each
across the
Wave size depends on: created, turns elliptical other
1. Strength of wind > wave depth keeps decreasing, wave ocean
4) Corrosion - salt water
2. Length of time wind has blown velocity slows, wavelength shortens, wave chemical dissolves rocks
for height increases = waves ‘bunch’ together
3. Length of fetch > wave crest moves faster than wave
2. Cave, Arch, Stack, Stump
4. Water depth trough
- Cracks exposed by hydraulic action create
> wave breaks
weak points
- Wave-cut notch formed
Constructive Destructive Erosional Landforms - Cave deepens by wave refraction
Waves: Waves: 1. Wave-cut notches/platforms - Wave refraction affects all sides of headland
- low energy - high energy (e.g. Kimmeridge Bay) = 2 caves meet = arch
waves waves - Destructive waves hit rock - Erosion of the arch = collapse under gravity
- low wave height - high wave height between high/low water - Stack is formed = further erosion = stump
(short amplitude) over 1m (high marks
- long wavelength amplitude) - Waves undercut cliff =
(up to 100m) - short wavelength curved indentation (notch) 3. Headlands & Bays
- low frequency (20m) - Further erosion deepens - Soft rock erodes quicker = bays
(6-8 per min) - high frequency notch until overhanging - Hard rock erodes slower = headlands
- strong swash (13-15 per min) material collapses by - Headland now sticks out = vulnerable to
- weak backwash - weak swash mass movement due to erosion (bays sheltered)
- creates berms - strong backwash gravity - Wave refraction
A-Level Notes: Edexcel
,Coasts 2.1 - The Littoral Zone
Classifying Coastlines
Littoral Zone - boundary where land Coastal plains Geology
meets the sea ● Young sedimentary rocks (chalk, clay, - NW: metamorphic/igneous (more
1. Backshore sandstone) resistant, uphill relief, rugged)
2. Foreshore ● Low energy areas - SE: sedimentary (erodes easily,
3. Nearshore ● Low relief (flat) flatter relief)
4. Offshore ● More deposition than erosion (= depositional Energy Level
The littoral zone is dynamic: landforms) - NW: high energy (strong waves,
> short term: waves, tides, seasonal ● E.g. Norfolk large fetch, more erosion)
storms - SE: low energy (weak waves,
> long term: sea level change, climate sheltered areas, more deposition)
change Sea Level Change
- submergent
- emergent
Dynamic equilibrium
INPUTS
> marine - waves, tides, storm surges
Rocky coastlines
> atmospheric - weather, climate, solar energy
● Igneous (basalt/granite) & metamorphic (slate)
> land - rock type, tectonic activity
● High energy areas
> people - management
● More erosion than deposition (= erosional
PROCESSES
landforms)
> weathering, mass movement, erosion, transportation, deposition
● High relief
OUTPUTS
● E.g. Yorkshire
> erosional landforms
> depositional landforms
> different types of coastline
,Coasts 2.2 - Geological Structure + 2.3 Coastal Recession Coastal Morphology - the
shape and form of coastal
landscapes and their
features
1. Rock Type 2. Geological Structure
Concordant a) Strata - horizontal layers of rock
- rock runs parallel to the coast b) Bedding Planes - horizontal cracks 4. Permeability
- e.g. Lulworth Coast, Dorset in rock - igneous: impermeable (granite + basalt)
- Dalmatian Coast: Croatia (narrow islands c) Fault - diagonal cracks (when - metamorphic: impermeable (marble + slate)
parallel to coast formed from valleys) pressure exceeds internal strength) - sedimentary: permeable (chalk, sandstone)
- Haff Coast: Southern Fringes of Baltic d) Joint - vertical cracks (caused by
Sea (ridges with sand dunes parallel to the contraction + dry out) 5. Erosion Rates
coast) e) Fold - rock crumples due to ● Igneous: 0.1 - 0.1 cm/yr
Discordant increased pressure during tectonic ● Metamorphic: 0.01 - 10 cm/yr
- rock alternates (creates headlands/bays) activity ● Sedimentary: 10 - 100 cm/yr
- waves refract when they hit the headland f) Dip - angle at which rock strata lies ● Unconsolidated: 100 - 1000 cm/yr
= erosion
- energy dissipates as it reaches bays
- e.g. West Cork Coast, Ireland 3. Relief Sand Dunes Salt Marshes
- steepness of - mobile dunes (embryo, - algae colonises mud exposed at
cliff will affect fore, yellow) low tides
Purbeck Coast marine and - fixed dunes (grey) - thickens sediment = water depth
● Made of portland limestone, with sub-aerial - colonisation of embryo reduced
clay behind it processes dunes through deep root - halophytes (tolerate high concs of
● Concordant: Durdle Door, Stair Cliff Profiles systems salt) colonise = raises height
Hole (cove with Lulworth - Steep = - veg reduces wind speed = - rainwater washes salt from soil =
Crumple), Lulworth cove, seward deposition land plants colonise
Warbarrow Bay - Shallow = - dead organic matter forms - continues until climax vegetation
● Discordant: Durlston Head, inland soils (trees)
Ballard Point, Old Harry
, Coasts 2.4 - Marine Erosion Swell Waves EROSION
1) Hydraulic action - force of
- wind drops
water breaks rock through
but wave pressure
Waves - a medium which energy is How a wave breaks: energy 2) Abrasion - waves throw
transferred > waves reach a depth of ½ their continues to sediment at cliffs
- Created through friction between wavelength be transferred 3) Attrition - sediment being
wind and surface water > circular orbit hits seabed, friction transported collides with each
across the
Wave size depends on: created, turns elliptical other
1. Strength of wind > wave depth keeps decreasing, wave ocean
4) Corrosion - salt water
2. Length of time wind has blown velocity slows, wavelength shortens, wave chemical dissolves rocks
for height increases = waves ‘bunch’ together
3. Length of fetch > wave crest moves faster than wave
2. Cave, Arch, Stack, Stump
4. Water depth trough
- Cracks exposed by hydraulic action create
> wave breaks
weak points
- Wave-cut notch formed
Constructive Destructive Erosional Landforms - Cave deepens by wave refraction
Waves: Waves: 1. Wave-cut notches/platforms - Wave refraction affects all sides of headland
- low energy - high energy (e.g. Kimmeridge Bay) = 2 caves meet = arch
waves waves - Destructive waves hit rock - Erosion of the arch = collapse under gravity
- low wave height - high wave height between high/low water - Stack is formed = further erosion = stump
(short amplitude) over 1m (high marks
- long wavelength amplitude) - Waves undercut cliff =
(up to 100m) - short wavelength curved indentation (notch) 3. Headlands & Bays
- low frequency (20m) - Further erosion deepens - Soft rock erodes quicker = bays
(6-8 per min) - high frequency notch until overhanging - Hard rock erodes slower = headlands
- strong swash (13-15 per min) material collapses by - Headland now sticks out = vulnerable to
- weak backwash - weak swash mass movement due to erosion (bays sheltered)
- creates berms - strong backwash gravity - Wave refraction
