Booklet 2- How are waves formed and what are the different types?

Question 1

What causes waves?

Answer 1

• Strength of wind blowing over the sea/how long it does this
• The length of wind blowing over the fetch (distance)
• The waves approaching the shore thats becoming shallower and more friction leads to elliptical orbit meaning the crest of wave then topples onto shore

Question 2

What is the fetch?

Answer 2

• The area of water that the wind blows over
  -the longer the fetch, the more powerful the wave will become
  -maximum length of open water which the wind can blow

Question 3

Different types of waves

Answer 3

• Construtive- 6-8 per minute, long wavelength, percolation occurs, low height
• Destructive13-15 per minute, backwash erodes beach, large wave height

Question 5

High energy and low energy coastlines

Answer 5

• High-stretched of coastline that have high energy waves for a period of the year
• Low-stretches of coastline where waves are not powerful
  -often rates of deposition exceed rates of erosion

Question 6

Wave refraction

Answer 6

• Changes in the amount of energy due to changes in how shallow the sea is at the coast, waves divert towards the headlands due to variations in the seabed