Spits and bars Flashcards
A long narrow finger of sediment sticking out at sea is known as a…
Spit.
What process occurs along the beach to form spits and bars?
Longshore drift
The dropping of sediment is known as…
Deposition
Strong winds and currents can cause the end of the spit to curve, this is know as a…
Recurved end.
The sheltered area behind the spit is build up with mud deposits, what small-scale ecosystem is developed?
A salt Marsh
When longshore drift enables a spit to form right across a headland, it is known as a…
Bar
When a bar is formed, what is trapped behind it?
A freshwater lake or a lagoon.
What is the difference between a spit and a bar?
A bar connects two headlands across a bay and traps a freshwater lake behind it whilst a spit is a long finger that hasn’t joined two headlands and develops a salt marsh behind it.
