Depositional/Distinctive Landforms- COASTS

Question 1

Spit

Answer 1

Sand or shingle beach ridge extending beyond a turn in the coastline. At the turn, the longshore drift current spreads out and loses energy leading to deposition. The length of a spit is determined by the existence of secondary currents causing erosion, either the flow of a river or wave action which limits its length.

For example, Spurn Head on the Holderness Coast in the East Riding Of Yorkshire

Question 2

Bayhead beach

Answer 2

A swash-aligned feature, where waves break at 90° to the shoreline and move sediment into a bay, where a beach forms. Due to wave refraction, erosion is concentrated at headlands and the bay is an area of deposition.

For example Lulworth cove in Dorset.

Question 3

Tombolo

Answer 3

A sand or shingle bar that attaches the coastline to an offshore island.
Tombolos form due to wave refraction around an offshore island which creates an area of calm water and deposition between the island and the
coast. Opposing longshore currents may play a role, in which case the depositional feature is similar to a spit.

For example, St Ninians tombolo in shetland.

Question 4

Bar

Answer 4

Bars are linear ridges of sand/shingle extending across a bay and are connected to land on both sides.
It traps a body of seawater behind it, forming a lagoon.

For example the Chesil Beach in Dorset

Question 5

offshore bars

Answer 5

are exceptionally flat and lumpy areas
of sand, that are parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains. There are three major theories for the development of barrier islands: offshore bar theory, spit accretion theory, and submergence theory. No single theory can explain the development of all barriers distributed extensively along the world’s coastlines.
Example is Slapton Sands.

Question 6

Hooked/ recurved spit

Answer 6

A spit whose end is curved landward, into a bay or inlet.

For example the hurst castle spit in Hampshire.

Question 7

Cuspate forehead

Answer 7

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.

For example the Dungeness in Kent.

Question 8

Sand dunes

Answer 8

Occur when prevailing winds blow sediment to the back of the beach and form large quantities of sand therefore sand dunes

For example odisha