7.3 Questions

1. The three key geographical processes that shape the coastal environment are erosion, transportation and deposition.
2. Wave refraction is the bending of waves due to headlands and the contours of the ocean floor.
3.  

    

     
      4. Headlands are the most common erosional feature found on coasts

      5. The three wave action processes are hydraulic action, corrasion and corrosion.
      6. During severe storms, beaches can lose large quantities of sand through erosion from  
           waves. The sand will form sand bars and when they are eroded away and deposited 
           back onto the beach, restoring the beach to its former state.
      7. The three forces that shape depositional landforms on the beach are wind, waves and 
           prevailing ocean currents.
      8. Beaches are The most common depositional landforms found along the coastline
      9. Coastal dunes are formed by the wind blowing sand into low lying vegetation which block 
           the sand from being transported any further. The low lying vegetation is important in the  
           formation because it 'clogs' the sand from being transported.
     10. 

    Long-shore Drift is important in moving sand along the coast through the sand being pushed by waves up the beach than the backwash brings the sand back into the ocean. As seen in the diagram above, the waves hit the sand at an angle than the backwash pulls the sand back at about a 90 degree angle.
    11. i) Tombolos - In shallow water, the eroded materials are kept in one place due to the refracting waves, thus causing land to stick up.

         ii) Sand Bar - When large storms occur, sand on the beaches are pulled out to see through the backwash which get deposited in large bars of sand

        iii) Natural Bridge - the corrasion and corrosion of cliffs bases begin to become eroded and ware away. The water normally only reaches a certain height thus not eroding the top and leaving a bridge.

      iv) Sea stacks - occur when soft limestone cliffs are gradually eroded away until it is separated from land and are stacks of limestone.

 12. Foredunes play an important role in the protecting of coastal areas because they provide a 'buffer zone' for dune vegetation. This helps the vegetation to grow back quickly if eroded. 

 13. 

      a) Great Road in Victoria

      b) popular tourist location, made 20 million years ago and very rare

      c) wave erosion

      d) A bridge that linked the mainland to offshore rocks which collapsed in 1990

      e) no, because erosion occurs naturally and is almost impossible to prevent

 14. The Apostles were a naturally occurring 'sea stack' which is a limescale stack that has been separated from the land due to erosion. This 'apostles' were formed over 20 million years ago and were about 45 meters tall. They weren't always 'sea stacks'. There was a natural bridge that connected them to the mainland which was called London Bridge, which collapsed in 1990. Many of the 12 'apostles' have collapsed and the latest being in 2005.

 15. WARNING! THE LOCAL COUNCIL IS COMING FOR YOUR PROPERTY! The local council has been buying back coastal land foredune is subjected severe erosion. Local residents are outraged by this because they believe that the local council is depriving them of the spectacular views, relaxed lifestyle and valuable property. This is an outrage that the whole community should stand up against. Why should you, the owner of a magnificent property, have to move just because the council is worried about the foredune. The council could quite easily replace the foredune which a synthetic foredune to create the needed buffer zone without the risk of erosion. I believe that action must be taken