Waves and Cliffs

Aim: to understand different types of waves and how cliffs disappear

What's the difference?• In your books write

down 3 differences you can see from these pictures

• http://whs.moodledo.co.uk/file.php/1365/Coastal%20Systems/Wave%20Motion.swf

• http://www.curriculumbits.com/prodimages/details/geography/geo0003.html

Tom Abbott, Biddulph High School and made available through

www.sln.org.uk/geography and only for non commercial use in schools

Constructive Waves

Spilling Breaker

Powerful SwashWeak Backwash

Tom Abbott, Biddulph High School and made available through

www.sln.org.uk/geography and only for non commercial use in schools

Destructive Waves

Crashing breaker

Weak swash

Powerful Backwash

Constructive and Destructive Waves

• Copy the 2 diagrams and label the keywords. Keywords: Strong Backwash, Coastline, Strong

swash, Weak swash, Weak Backwash, build up and deposit sediment, beach eroded, Coastline.

• EXT: Which beach would you sunbathe on and why?

Wave Cut Platform

Tom Abbott, Biddulph High School and made available through

www.sln.org.uk/geography and only for non commercial use in schools

Joints and beds allowwaves to attack the cliff

more easily

Waves can use rocks to erode the cliff

Wave cut platform

Wave cut notch

Cliff line

HIGH TIDE LEVEL

Tom Abbott, Biddulph High School and made available through

www.sln.org.uk/geography and only for non commercial use in schools

The force of the waves pushes air into cracks in the rock

The compressed air exerts enormous pressure at the tip of the crack. As the water falls back the air pressure is released and rock is pulled out from the crack further enlarging the hole.

Tom Abbott, Biddulph High School and made available through

www.sln.org.uk/geography and only for non commercial use in schools

Wave-cut platform Wave built terrace

large angular rocks rocks and pebblessoft sand

Ouch!

ExL

• What is longshore drift?– Don’t copy and paste– Images– Diagram– Description in your OWN WORDS