Waves

Question 1

What creates waves

Answer 1

Waves form as a result of the water’s motion, gravitational forces, and winds. The most common waves we see are created by wind. However other waves include those created by gravitational forces (e.g. tidal waves) and those created by underwater disturbances, such as earthquakes (e.g. tsunamis).

Question 2

what factors influence wave energy

Answer 2

The amount of energy in a wave depends on its height and wavelength as well as the distance over which it breaks.

Question 3

Characteristics of constructive waves

Answer 3

Constructive waves are low energy and have stronger swashes than backwashes. This means that any material being carried by the sea is washed up and begins to build up along the coastline. The material that is deposited by constructive waves can most often be seen by the creation of beaches.

Question 4

Characteristics of destructive waves

Answer 4

The characteristics of a destructive wave are: a weak swash and strong backwash. occurs in stormy conditions, with strong winds. the strong backwash removes sediment from the beach.

Question 5

What are the 4 erosional processes

Answer 5

The four main types of river erosion are abrasion, attrition, hydraulic action and solution.

Question 6

What is abrasion

Answer 6

Abrasion is the process of sediments wearing down the bedrock and the banks.

Question 7

What is attrition

Answer 7

Attrition is an erosional process. Rocks and pebbles are carried in the flow of a river. They repeatedly knock into each other, which causes the rocks to erode or to break. As the rocks continue to collide, they erode more and more, getting smaller and smaller until they are only sediment.

Question 8

What is hydraulic action

Answer 8

Hydraulic action refers to the physical weathering and mechanical response of earth materials to flowing water in rivers and streams or breaking waves and storm surge along shorelines.

Question 9

What is solution

Answer 9

this is when sea water dissolves certain types of rocks. In the UK, chalk and limestone cliffs are prone to this type of erosion.

Question 10

What is swash

Answer 10

Swash, or forewash in geography, is a turbulent layer of water that washes up on the beach after an incoming wave has broken. The swash action can move beach materials up and down the beach, which results in the cross-shore sediment exchange.

Question 11

What is wavelength

Answer 11

The distance between two crests or two troughs.