Wave types and their characteristics Flashcards
What is a coast
Where the land meets the sea
What is it called when the land meets the sea
A coast
What is a wave
A long body of water curling into an arched form which breaks on the shore
What is it called when there is a long body of water curling into an arched form which breaks on the shore
A wave
Name the 3 steps of wave formation
Wind, friction, ripples which develop into waves
What is wave length
The distance between wave crests
What is the distance between wave crests
Wave length
What is a wave crest
The top of the wave
What is the top of the wave
The wave crest
What is wave period
The time between wave crests
What is the time between wave crests
Wave period
What is swash
Water travelling up the beach at an oblique angle, in the direction of the prevailing wind
What is water travelling up the beach at an oblique angle, in the direction of the prevailing wind
Swash
What is backwash
Water travelling back towards the sea at 90°, due to gravity
What is water travelling back towards the sea at 90°, due to gravity
Backwash
What is a wave trough
The bottom of a wave
What is the bottom of a wave
The wave trough
What 3 things do wave height and energy depend on
Wind speed, wind duration and fetch
What is wave fetch
The distance the wave has travelled
What is the distance the wave has travelled
Wave fetch
How does fetch effect waves
The longer the fetch, the bigger the wave
How does wind duration effect waves
The longer the wind has blown the bigger the wave
How does wind speed effect waves
The faster the wind the bigger the wave
Which coast often has bigger waves
South-West
Which coast often has smaller waves
East
How does wave orbit change as the wave approaches the shore
It starts circular and becomes more eliptical until it breaks at the shore
Name the 5 characteristics of constructive waves
Low wave height, long wave length, low frequency, strong swash, weak backwash
Name the 5 characteristics of destructive waves
High wave height, short wave length, high frequency, weak swash, strong backwash
How do destructive waves effect the coast
They attack the coast, eroding it
How do constructive waves effect the coast
They deposit sediment, adding to the coast
