Depositional and Erosional Landforms

Question 1

Spit

Answer 1

A shingle beach ridge extending beyond a turn in the coastline, usually greater than 30 degrees. The length of a spit depends on secondary wind direction or the presence of an estuary. Spits are created due to the prevailing wind direction causing longshore drift to occur beyond the coast (e.g. Spurn Head- Holderness Coast, Yorkshire)

Question 2

Bayhead beach

Answer 2

A swash aligned feature where waves break at 90 degrees along the shoreline, moving sediment into a bay, forming a beach. Due to wave refraction, deposition occurs in the bay whilst erosion mainly occurs at the headlands. (e.g. Lulworth Cove- Dorset)

Question 3

Tombolo

Answer 3

A sand or shingle bar (similar to a spit) attaching the coast to an offshore island. The tombolo is formed due to wave refraction and longshore drift causing deposition between the coast and the offshore island. (e.g. St Ninian’s tombolo, Shetland)

Question 4

Barrier beach/Bar

Answer 4

A sand or shingle beach connecting two areas of land with a shallow lagoon behind it. Normally formed when a spit grows across a bay. (Chesil Beach- Dorset)

Question 5

Hooked/recurved spit

Answer 5

A spit whose end is curved landward into a bay or inlet. The seaward (distal) end of the spit naturally curves landward into shallower water. The “hook” may be made more pronounced by waves from a secondary direction to the prevailing wind (e.g. Hurst Castle Spit, Hampshire)

Question 6

Cuspate foreland

Answer 6

These are roughly triangular-shaped features extending out from a shoreline. There is some debate about their formation, but one hypothesis suggests the growth of two spits from opposing longshore drift directions (e.g. Dungeness, Kent)

Question 7

Cave

Answer 7

When a headland has been eroded leaving a hollow area on one side of the headland

Question 8

Blowhole

Answer 8

When a cave is worn away vertically, exposing itself through the roof of the headland

Question 9

Geo

Answer 9

When a cave is completely eroded vertically, but not landwards

Question 10

Arch

Answer 10

A cave that has been eroded all the way through to the other side of the headland

Question 11

Stack

Answer 11

When the roof of an arch collapses due to weathering/gravity

Question 12

Stump

Answer 12

When a stack has been eroded down

Question 13

Wave cut platform

Answer 13

The base, of a collapsed headland, that has been eroded away