Wave frequency: the number of waves per minute

Wave Crest: the highest point of a wave

Wave Trough: the lowest point of a wave

Wave Steepness: ratio of wave height to wave length (>1.7 then wave breaks)

Wave Period: time it takes for a wave to travel one wavelength

Wave energy: (wavelength x wave height) squared

N.B. a small increase in height will result in a large increase in energy

Swash: water going up a beach

Backwash: water going down a beach

Fetch: distance over which wind blew

Differential erosion: different rates of erosion between different types of rock

Attrition: sediment particles hit each other and make smooth rounded pebbles

Corrosion/Solution: sea water dissolves rock or minerals

Abrasion: rocks are thrown at cliff breaking sections off

Hydraulic Action: water is forced into cracks, increasing air pressure and causing small explosions. Rock is weakened and cracks are widened.

Subaerial weathering: weathering that happens to coastline above sea level

Freeze-thaw: process by which rock is weakened by water continually freezing and thawing in cracks

Pressure release: Pressure from surrounding rocks is removed. This causes expansion.

Biological weathering: when living things break up the rock

Oxidation: where rocks containing metals are exposed to water or oxygen, breaking them down.

Hydration: where permeable rocks absorb water and swell, making them more susceptible to decomposition.

Hydrolysis: where H+ and OH- ions in the water combine with ions found in minerals.

Carbonation: weak acid in rain water formed by CO2 mixing with rain is strong enough to weather rocks like limetone.

N.B. Natural process.

Solution: dissolving action of water on rocks.

Acid rain: CO2, NO2 amd SO2 mix in atmosphere to form acid rain. Limestone and sandstones are particularly vulnerable.

N.B. Man-made process

Mass movement: downslope movement of rocks, regolith or soil due to the force of gravity outweighing the resisting force that supports the material.

Lithology: characteristics of the rock