What is wave size and energy influenced by?
Waves are generated by wind blowing over the sea. The characteristics of waves are determined by the strength of the wind, its duration and fetch (distance a wave travels). The stronger the wind the greater the friction on the surface of the sea and therefore the bigger the wave.
What is Wave quarrying?
Wave quarrying – when high energy, tall waves hit the cliff face they have the power to enlarge joints and remove large chunks of rock in one go through vibration. As the wave breaks at the foot of the cliff, material is thrown at the cliff face and wears it away by chipping fragments off.
What causes refraction waves?
what does wave refraction cause? it causes the waves to bend and their energy to be focused on the headland. The energy is focused on the headland and they dissipate into the bay forming constructive waves.
What is Cliff quarrying?
This process refers to the removal of rocks from a cliff or wave-cut platform from their in situ position by wave action. On wave-cut platforms and at cliff bases, quarrying is the major process of erosion, being the prime mechanism of removing blocks lying below the level of saturation.
What is the definition of quarrying?
: the business, occupation, or act of extracting useful material (such as building stone) from quarries.
What is cavitation in geography?
Cavitation: Compression of air in sea-facing joints as waves crash against cliffs can cause sea water to be severely compressed. As the wave recedes the pressure reduces and air comes out of solution in violent ‘fizzing’, enlarging fissures within joints.
What is abrasion in geography?
Abrasion – this is when pebbles grind along a rock platform, much like sandpaper. Over time the rock becomes smooth. Attrition – this is when rocks that the sea is carrying knock against each other. They break apart to become smaller and more rounded.
What is a example of abrasion?
A scraped knee is an example of an abrasion. Other examples include road rash, raspberries, strawberries, and injuries such as a cheese grater or sandpaper could create.