2.2. Types Of Waves

Question 1

What is the formation of constructive waves?

Answer 1

Distant weather systems generate these waves in the open ocean
Light wind

Question 2

What is the wave form in constructive waves?

Answer 2

Low rolling waves with a long wavelength

Question 3

What is the wave break of a constructive wave?

Answer 3

Strong swash
Weak backwash

Question 4

What is the beach gain/loss of a constructive wave?

Answer 4

Beach gain

Question 5

What is the beach profile of a constructive wave?

Answer 5

Usually associated with a gentle beach profile although, over time, they will build up the beach and make it steeper.

Question 6

What is the formation of a destructive wave?

Answer 6

Local storms are responsible for these waves

Question 7

What is the wave form of destructive waves?

Answer 7

High, plunging waves with a short wavelength

Question 8

What is the wave break of destructive waves?

Answer 8

Weak swash
Strong backwash

Question 9

What is the beach gain/loss of a destructive wave?

Answer 9

Beach loss

Question 10

What is the beach profile of a destructive wave?

Answer 10

Usually associated with a steeper beach profile although, over time, they will flatten the beach

Question 11

What factors affect wave energy?

Answer 11

• Strength of the wind
• Duration of the wind
• The fetch

Question 12

How are waves created?

Answer 12

As air moves across water, frictional drag disturbs the surface and forms ripples or waves.
In the open sea, there is horizontal movement of water.
Instead, there is an orbital movement of the water particles.
Close to the coast, horizontal movement of water does occur as waves are driven onshore to break on the beach.

Question 13

How are beaches and waves a negative feedback loop?

Answer 13

• Constructive waves = gentle
• Over time as more beach material is deposited, the profile steepens
• Because it’s steeper, the waves become more destructive over time, removing sediment from the beach
• This then reduces the gradient of the beach
• However, the beach is never at dynamic equilibrium due to things like weather and wind strength

Question 14

What is a neap tide?

Answer 14

• Moon at right angles to the sun when in first quarter or last quarter
• Gravitational pulls act against each other to create lower high tides and higher low tides

Question 15

What is a spring tide?

Answer 15

• Sun and moon in line at full moon or new moon
• Gravitational pulls act together to create higher high tides and lower low tides

Question 16

What are tides?

Answer 16

Changes in the water level of seas and oceans caused by the gravitational pull of the moon

Question 17

How do spring and neap tides link to transporting sediments and the formation of land forms?

Answer 17

• Constant changes in spring and neap tides due to moon cycle
• Spring tides = large tidal range = large area of erosion = slower rate
• Neap rides = small tidal range = small area/concentrated area of erosion = faster rate