1.2 - Type Of Wave And Coatal Morphology

Question 1

The types of waves are?
For both, is the swash or backwash stronger?
Height and wavelength characteristics?

Answer 1

Constructive - swash>backwash, low height, long wavelength, less frequent
Destructive - backwash>swash, high height, short wavelength, more frequent

Question 2

Wave size depends on:

Answer 2

Strength
Duration
Depth
Fetch
Direction

Question 3

How do waves form?

Answer 3

There’s friction between the bottom of the water column and the seabed
This slows down the waves, increasing height
Elliptical shape

Question 4

More CC means more storms means

Answer 4

More destructive waves

Question 5

Coastal management does what?

Answer 5

Restricts sediment supply

Question 6

Constructive waves and shingle beach?

Answer 6

Shingle beach allows percolation so no backwash

Swash is strong anyway, so beach gets steeper

Question 7

Constructive waves and sandy beach?

Answer 7

Particles are small so gaps are small
No percolation meaning strong backwash
A bit more material taken away than shingle
Allows beach to level out

Question 8

Destructive waves and shingle beach?

Answer 8

Backwash is stronger but percolation occurs

A bit of backwash so a bit steep but not much

Question 9

Destructive waves and sandy beaches?

Answer 9

Little percolation so strong backwash
A lot of sediment taken away
Coast gets eroded

Question 10

Why would coastal morphology depend on waves not the other way round?

Answer 10

The other factors like CC, fetch, and storms depend the wave type
The wave type then determines how the coast shape is affected