Unit 1C - Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Landforms caused by deposition

Question 1

What is a spit?

Answer 1

An extended stretch of beach material that projects out to sea and is joined to mainland at one end

Question 2

Where are beaches found?

Answer 2

Found between high- and low-tide levels

Question 3

How and where does beach material accumulate?

Answer 3

In a sheltered bay around an obstacle

Question 4

Difference between sand and shingle beaches?

Answer 4

Sand - flat and wide, weak backwash can move small sand particles back down beach, creating long, gentle slope
Shingle - steep and narrow, weak backwash can’t move large single particles back down beach, creating steep slope

Question 5

What is a spit?

Answer 5

An extended stretch of beach material that projects out to sea and is joined to mainland at one end with a hooked end

Question 6

5 conditions needed for spit to form? Where do they form?

Answer 6

Change in direction of coastline, large load, constructive waves, shallow water and a weak current.
Form at sharp bends

Question 7

Why do spits stop growing?

Answer 7

Depth of water increases and current becomes stronger, curving end of spit (recurved end)

Question 8

What is created and grows in the sheltered area behind a spit?

Answer 8

Mud flats or salt marsh, lots of material accumulates here so plants can grow

Question 9

Example of a spit in UK?

Answer 9

Spurn Head along Holderness coast

Question 10

What is a bar?

Answer 10

A ridge of sand or shingle which forms across entrance to a bay or cove linking two headlands

Question 11

How does a bar and lagoon form?

Answer 11

• Spit develops in a bay, into which no major river flows, and builds across bay to other headland, cutting off bay between headlands, which forms lagoon behind bar

Question 12

Example of a bar in UK?

Answer 12

Slapton Lay, Devon

Question 13

Conditions need for sand dunes to form?

Answer 13

Obstacles of beach (human or natural), strong winds and lots of sediment moved by saltation

Question 14

What happens when wind encounters obstacle?

Answer 14

Velocity falls and sediment deposited

Question 15

How do sand dunes form?

Answer 15

• Sand deposited by LSD is moved up beach by wind
• Sand deposited behind obstacle
• It is colonised by plants and grasses, which stabilises sand and encourages more sand to accumulate there, forming small dunes (embryo)
• Over time, oldest dunes migrate inland as new dunes form

Question 16

What happens to plants as move inland across a sand dune?

Answer 16

Number and types of plants increases as it becomes warmer and less windy and soils contain more moisture and humus

Question 17

What are names of first dune and species of plants?

Answer 17

Embryo dune and pioneer species

Question 18

What happens to soil/sand as you move inland across . sand dune?

Answer 18

Sand/soil goes from alkaline to acidic and nutrient richer, with increased organic matter content as plants die and put nutrients into soil