How do waves affect the coastline?
1) Rearrange the following sets of letters to make geographic words.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
rnseioo
arpnsortttaion
tdposeiino
wsahs
abcwhaks
2) Now match up the following definitions with the correct word above.
o The wearing away and removal of sediment
o The putting down of material to form a beach
o The movement of water up the beach
o The movement of water down the beach
o Sediment being carried along the coastline
3) Add the labels in the box in the correct places on the diagram below.
cliff
beach
The labels
Swash
Backwash
Longshore drift
Prevailing wind
waves
sea
Describe the process of longshore drift. Try to use all the key words learned in the lesson.
Extension task
When you visit the coast sometimes the waves are big and powerful and at other times and in
other places they are small and gentle.
a) What do you think a wave that causes lots of erosion will be like?
b) Can you think of 3 things factors that would affect the size of a wave?
Types of waves
Type of wave
Shape of
the beach
Strength of
swash
Strength of
backwash
Energy
process
Steep / flat
Weaker /
stronger
Weaker /
stronger
Less /
more
Erosion /
deposition
Diagram
Constructive
Destructive
Extension task
Imagine you are a particle of sand being carried along the coast by the waves write a short paragraph
describing your experience.