Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Waves
Waves are made because of friction
between the wind and the surface of the sea.
speed it stops and it flows back down the beach into the sea. This is called the backwash.
Constructive waves
They have a strong Swash which transports and
deposits material on the beach.
Constructive Waves
Destructive waves
They have a weak Swash.
They have a very strong Backwash which
wears away and carries away material form the beach.
Destructive Waves
Sea Erosion
Sea erosion is caused by Destructive 1. 2. 3. 4.
Hydraulic Action Air Compression Abrasion Attrition
waves. They erode the coast in 4 ways.
Sea Erosion
1. Hydraulic Action this is the power of
the water hitting the coastline.
Sea Erosion
3. Abrasion this is erosion caused by small rocks carried in the sea water hitting against the coastline.
4. Attrition this is erosion caused by the small stones hitting each other breaking themselves into smaller pieces.
1. 2. 3. 4.
Cliffs Bays and Headlands Sea caves, sea arch, sea stack, sea stump Blowhole
Cliffs
As the waves break onto the coast they cut a
notch into the rock. When the notch gets deeper the overhanging rock collapses. This process continues and the coastline retreats inland. The material that falls into the sea form the cliff is called a wave cut platform. E.g. Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare.
sea. Bays and headlands form when there are different types of rocks occur along the coastline. The softer rocks are eroded quickly creating a bay. The harder rocks are eroded slowly and so they stick out into the sea E.g. Dublin Bay & Howth Head
Sea Cave
A sea cave is a tunnel or passage at the
base of a cliff. The waves erode a weak point (soft rock or an area with cracks/joints) in the cliffs. This forms a passage called a cave.
Sea Arch
A sea arch is a passage that runs
completely through the headland. This can happen when a cave is eroded deep into headland, or if two caves on either side of the headland are eroded and join up to form a complete passage.
Blowhole
A blowhole is a passage from a cave up to the
surface of a cliff top. Compress air is trapped in the cave by strong waves. The pressure created cracks and loosens rock in the roof of the cave. This rock collapses over time forming a passageway called a blowhole. Sea spray spurts out of the opening during stormy weather. E.g. The Two Pistols, Co. Donegal.
and the Backwash. 2. Along the shore by a process known as Longshore Drift.
the beach. The backwash will transport material back down the beach towards the sea.
Longshore Drift
Longshore drift moves material along the beach. This occurs when waves approach the beach at
an angle. The swash brings material up onto the beach, then the backwash brings it back down to the sea in a straight line. The swash, again moving in at an angle will move the material further across the beach. This process continues and the load is moved along in a zig zag pattern.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Beaches
Beach
A beach is made of sand and shingle (small stones) which
are deposited by the waves. The swash carries material up onto the beach. Some of this material, especially the heavier material, stays on the beach because the weak backwash cannot carry it back to the sea. The backwash carries only lighter sand particles back down towards the beach. For this reason we say that beach material is sorted, with the heavier materials furthest from the water, and the lighter sand close to the water. During storms, when the swash is very powerful, it can force heavy stones high up onto the beach where they remain to form a storm beach. E.g. sandy beach, Curracloe, Co. Wexford.
Sand Dunes
Sand dunes are hills of sand which form
above the high tide level. Wind dries sand on the beach making it lighter. The sand is then blown inland until it is trapped by a wall or vegetation. The sand builds up to form hills of sand which are sand dunes. E.g. Portmarnock, Co. Dublin.
Sand Spit
A sand spit is a ridge of sand or shingle which
extends out into the sea. It is connected to the land at one end. Longshore drift moves material along the beach. When it reaches a shallow bay the waves have less energy and they deposit some of the load on the sea bed. This material builds up over time and rise above the sea water. E.g. Tramore, Co. Waterford.
Tombolo
A tombolo is a ridge of sand or shingle
which connects an island to the coastline. A tombolo is formed when a sand spit occurs linking an island to the coastline rather than stretching across a bay. E.g. At Howth, Co. Dublin.
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of water cut off from the sea
by a sand spit. When a sand spit is formed it stretches out across a bay. It may eventually reach the other side of the bay closing off the water behind it. This water forms a saltwater lake called a lagoon. E.g. Lough Gill, Co. Kerry.
Boulders Large rocks are placed at the base of Groynes Groynes are low walls built of wood.
cliffs or in front of sand dunes. It prevents erosion by reducing the power of the waves. They are built at right angles to the shore to help prevent sand being moved along the beach by Longshore Drift.