Coastal Geography

3. Rock fragments carried by the sea knock into each other, they break down and become smaller and more rounded.
7. high level of salt in the soil or water.
11. Another word for abrasion and solution.
13. An action, change or function on the Earth’s surface that occurs naturally.
14. Movement of the gigantic, slowly moving plates that make up the Earth’s surface (or crust) that carry the continents and oceans. This movement can make mountains and valleys, and cause earthquakes and volcanoes.

1. Chemical action of the sea water where salts and acids in the water can dissolve rock.
2. Fragments of rock are picked up and hurled at the cliff by the sea. They scrape and gouge the rock.
4. The wearing away of the Earth’s surface by wind, water or ice.
5. The strong waves crash into the cliff face. Trapped air is blasted into holes and cracks in the rock causing them to break apart.
6. Soil erosion is when the topsoil is removed faster than natural soil-forming processes can replace it. This often happens because of farming, mining or urbanisation.
8. A negative change to the land, mostly caused by human activity. Land degradation affects 33% of the Earth’s land surface.
9. When solid material (mostly rock) which has been eroded is then transported to another part of the Earth’s crust.
10. Changes to the Earth’s surface that are caused by human interference or involvement.
12. The transformation of fertile land into to dry, desert-like land. This is often caused by deforestation, overgrazing, and poorly managed farming.