Coastal & Glacial Landscapes is a core part of A-Level Geography. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Key concepts
Hard EngineeringBuilt structures resisting marine processes.
Soft EngineeringWorking with natural processes, lower impact.
GroyneWooden or rock barrier trapping longshore drift.
Managed RealignmentStrategic retreat allowing coastline to move inland.
Sea WallVertical or curved concrete defence reflecting waves.
Cost BenefitComparison of intervention costs and avoided damages.
Hydraulic ActionAir compressed in cracks blasts rock apart.
AbrasionSediment scours cliff base at wave impact.
AttritionParticles knock together becoming rounder and smaller.
Longshore DriftSediment transport along coast by oblique waves.
Swash AlignedBeach where wave crests are parallel to shore.
Drift AlignedBeach formed by significant longshore transport.
LithologyPhysical and chemical properties of rock at coast.
Discordant CoastRock bands run perpendicular to shoreline.
Common mistakes to avoid
Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:
Why might managed retreat be more sustainable than building a sea wall?✗ Sea walls always solve coastal erosion problems permanently. ✓ Sea walls are expensive, deflect erosion elsewhere and reflect wave energy worsening beach loss; managed retreat works with natural processes, creates habitat and is cheaper long-term.
What is the difference between hard and soft engineering for flood management?✗ Hard engineering always works better than soft engineering at preventing floods. ✓ Hard engineering uses built structures (dams, levees, channelisation) to control flow; soft engineering works with natural processes (afforestation, wetland restoration, floodplain zoning).
Why do some rivers form deltas and others form estuaries?✗ Deltas form on big rivers and estuaries on small ones. ✓ Deltas form where rivers deposit sediment faster than the sea can remove it (calm seas, heavy load); estuaries form where tidal energy removes sediment (strong tides).
What weather does an anticyclone (high pressure system) bring?✗ High pressure brings stormy weather because the air pushes down hard. ✓ Descending air warms and dries, suppressing cloud formation — so anticyclones bring clear, settled weather: hot in summer, cold and frosty in winter.
What are the three cells of global atmospheric circulation?✗ There is one big Hadley cell from the equator to each pole. ✓ The Hadley cell (equator to 30 degrees), Ferrel cell (30 to 60 degrees) and Polar cell (60 degrees to poles) together redistribute heat from equator to poles.
Practise Coastal & Glacial Landscapes — free games
Test yourself with these quick revision games for this topic:
See all 17 games in the Subjects Arcade →
More A-Level Geography topics
← All revision guides
Want to revise every topic this smart?
The Velvet Method teaches you to use AI to revise any subject — £25, lifetime access.
Explore the Course →