Features of a spit

Question 1

What process moves sediment along a spit

Answer 1

Longshore drift

Question 2

What happens to the material when the spit suddenly changes direction

Answer 2

The material continues to be deposited in the original direction

Question 3

What do short term changes in wind direction or currents cause?

Answer 3

The distal end to curve.

The distal end lies in open water. The proimal end is joined to mainland

Question 4

What happens in the sheltered water behind the spit

Answer 4

sediment is deposited to form mudflats or saltmarsh

Question 5

When do double spits occur.

Answer 5

Where a pair of spits grow towards each other from facing sides of a bay. An example of a double spit is Christchurch harbour in Dorset

Question 6

How does the spit form

Answer 6

Prevailing winds cause longshore drift to deposit sediment on a bend of mainland. The spit curves where there is a change in wind direction

An example of a spit is Hurst spit in Hampshire.