Wave Types And Charteristics

Question 1

How do waves form?

Answer 1

By the wind blowing over the sea. Friction with the surface of the water causes ripples to form and these develop into waves

Question 2

What do the size of waves depend on?

Answer 2

•the strength of the wind
•How long the wind blows for
•The length of water the wind flows over(The fetch)

Question 3

What is the swash?

Answer 3

Movement of wave onto the beach

Question 4

What is backwash?

Answer 4

Movement of wave back into the sea

Question 5

What is the crest?

Answer 5

The top of the wave

Question 6

What is the trough?

Answer 6

The base of the wave

Question 7

What is wave amplitude?

Answer 7

Vertical distance from trough to crest of wave

Question 8

What is the wavelength?

Answer 8

The horizontal distance between 2 crests

Question 9

What is wave frequency ?

Answer 9

The number of waves breaking per minute

Question 10

What happens when a wave breaks?

Answer 10

As the waves gets closer and closer to the coast the impact of friction grows, with the top of the wave moving faster than the base of the wave. Eventually a critical point is reached where the top of the wave (the crest) curves over and creates a breaking wave.

Question 11

What are the features of a destructive/plunging/winter wave?(7 points)

Answer 11

*high wave frequency (arrive one after the other very quickly)
*high wave height
*strong backwash
*weak swash
*created by strong wind over a large fetch (usually in storm conditions)
*erode sediment from the beach
*carry sand offshore by an underwater rip current

Question 12

What are the features of a constructive/ spilling/summer wave?(6)

Answer 12

*low wave height
*low wave frequency
*strong swash
*weak backswash
*created by weak wind over a small fetch
*build up the beach by depositing sand on it and transporting it up the beach (they deposit sand as a bank or beach berm)