Explain the role of sediment transport in creating distinctive landforms. (8

Question 1

Explain the role of sediment transport in creating distinctive landforms points

Answer 1

• Beaches
• Spits
• Recurved spits
• Bars

Question 2

How are beaches formed?

Answer 2

For this to occur, waves must have limited energy, so beaches often form in sheltered areas like bays
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Constructive waves build up beaches as they have a strong swash and a weak backwash

Question 3

How do spits form?

Answer 3

When there is a change in the shape of the coastline (e.g. headland), deposition occurs. A long thin ridge of material is deposited. This is the spit.
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Waves cannot get past a spit, therefore the water behind a spit is very sheltered. Silts are deposited here to form salt marshes or mud flats.

Question 4

How do recurved spits form?

Answer 4

• Formed when there are two dominant directions sediment transportation through two dominant directions of wind causing two directions of longshore drift
• They can also be formed when wave refraction ‘bends waves’ around the tip of the spit and so causes the spit to become recurved

Question 5

How do bars form?

Answer 5

• When a spit grows across a bay, and joins two headlands together
• They can trap shallow lakes behind the bar, these are known as lagoons. Lagoons do not last forever and may be filled up with sediment

Question 6

examples of

spit

Answer 6

Spurn Head spit

slapton sands norfolk

Question 7

recurved spit example