"Beaches are familiar landforms seen on many coastlines. They can be made up of any deposited material, including shingle (small, rounded pebbles), but most beaches are made from sand. The sand is distributed along the beach by wave movement. It may be brought to the coast by rivers, or it may be deposited by waves from eroded rock material along the coast."
Beaches:
All beaches have three main components:
1. In your work book, define these three terms. Use Pearson and this website to help you.
2. What was the issue relating to the depletion of the beach along the Gold Coast?
- Made up of loose material
- Their location depends on the actions of the waves and rivers
- Sand is continuously being deposited on beaches or taken away from beaches by waves
- Beaches will only form in places where there is a good supply of sand
- Beaches need to be in an area that is protected in order for the sand to build up
- On most beaches there is a continuous cycle of sand being deposited and taken away
- In stormy weather and strong winds, sand is taken away and stored offshore as a sandbar
- In calmer seas and light winds, the sand is gradually deposited on the beach
All beaches have three main components:
- The Swash Zone
- The Berm and Foredune
- Coastal Sand Dunes
1. In your work book, define these three terms. Use Pearson and this website to help you.
2. What was the issue relating to the depletion of the beach along the Gold Coast?
Dune Formation:
Behind a beach there are often sand dunes. These are built by wind blowing loose, dry sand from the beach inland, where it accumulates to form a number of dunes. The sand is anchored, or stabilised, by plants.
Behind a beach there are often sand dunes. These are built by wind blowing loose, dry sand from the beach inland, where it accumulates to form a number of dunes. The sand is anchored, or stabilised, by plants.
Dunes are very important as they prevent storm waves from extending into low lying areas behind the beach. The following three things are required for dunes to exist:
As sand begins to accumulate in a dune, plants begin to settle and grow. The first colonisers of plants bind the sand with their roots and creates a more stable environment for different plants to grow. Each following group of plants is taller and more complex as the growing conditions are gradually improved.
3. Explain why sand dunes are important to coastlines
4. What are some ways local councils protect sand dunes?
- A large supply of sand
- Long periods of dry weather
- Frequent onshore winds
As sand begins to accumulate in a dune, plants begin to settle and grow. The first colonisers of plants bind the sand with their roots and creates a more stable environment for different plants to grow. Each following group of plants is taller and more complex as the growing conditions are gradually improved.
3. Explain why sand dunes are important to coastlines
4. What are some ways local councils protect sand dunes?
Sandbars, Spits & Tombolos:
5. Complete these two activities:
Coastal Landforms Diagram | |
File Size: | 257 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Coastal Landforms Annotate | |
File Size: | 724 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Complete the interactive activity on page 145 of Pearson.