Paper 4 - Coastal measurements

Question 1

What are some safety precautions that must be followed when at the beach?

Answer 1

-check tide times (watch out for incoming tides, especially in enclosed areas)
-avoid sharp/slippery rocks
-don’t go near foot/edge of cliff
-don’t go in the sea
-take whistle and phone

Question 2

How can you measure a beach’s profile?

Answer 2

-set up ~30m transect from shore to the back of the beach, and put ranging poles vertically in the group wherever there is a break (change) in slope
-record distances between all poles
-hold clinometer at the top of the first pole, aim it at the top of the pole in front, and record the angle
-do the same for the other poles
-repeat along the beach and take mean of results

Question 3

How can you measure the movement of beach material by longshore drift?

Answer 3

-mark out ~10m strip of shore (with ranging poles) to measure LSD over
-place a float at the starting pole in the water
-time how long it takes to move to the finishing pole
-calculate its speed (d/t)
-repeat and take mean

Question 4

How can you measure wave frequency?

Answer 4

-mark a point on the shore with a ranging pole
-record number of waves breaking past the pole in 5 minutes
-calculate frequency (waves/time)
-measure time using stopwatch
-repeat and take mean