Waves

Question 1

What are waves?

What are swells?

Answer 1

Large Ripples of Water set into motion by steady winds

Swells are steady movements of smooth waves by the shore, caused by winds and storms far out to sea

Question 2

Wave Height
Wavelength
Wave speed

Answer 2

Measured by distance from it’s crest to its trough
The distance from one crest to the next
the time required for a wave to pass a certain point

Question 3

Breaking Waves

Answer 3

As the wave nears the shoe,it is slowed by friction.The wavelength decreases,but the wave height increases.
The wave eventually outruns the trough and topples over itself. This is called a 👉breaker. 👈

Question 4

Waves and Shorlines

Answer 4

Waves shape shorelines by eroding and depositing sediments.
Waves usually collide with the shore at slight angles
This creates a 👉longshore current👈

Question 5

Longshore Currents

Answer 5

Carry many tons of sediment daily
Act like rivers of sand in the ocean
Sediment is carried all over by longshore currents
Run parallel to the shore

Question 6

Beaches forming

Answer 6

• Rock fragment are rubbing together in surging water, they are ground into tiny pebbles and sand grains
• Beaches are deposits of sediment and are made up of sand less than 2mm in diameter and range to small boulders.
• Beaches are always changing due to tide, waves, and winds

Question 7

Preserve Beaches

Answer 7

• Many communities build seawalls and breakwaters to slow down the speed of the wave
• Jetties prevent sand from blocking the mouth of a harbour
• Small walls called groins help to reduce sand movement along beaches