Coastal landforms made by deposition Cambridge IGCSE Geography (9–1) revision
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In plain words
Everything the sea erodes has to end up somewhere. Where waves lose their energy, they put their load down, and the coast grows outwards: beaches, long fingers of sand, and dunes built by the wind.
6 things to know
- A beach is a deposit of sand or shingle between high and low tide, built by constructive waves. Sandy beaches are wide and gently sloping. Shingle beaches are narrow and steep.
- A spit is a long, narrow ridge of sand or shingle joined to the land at one end. It forms where longshore drift carries material past a point where the coast changes direction, such as a river mouth.
- The end of a spit is often curved, where changes in wind and wave direction have bent it. A salt marsh forms in the sheltered water behind it.
- A bar is a ridge of sand that grows right across a bay, joining two headlands. The water trapped behind it is a lagoon.
- Sand dunes form behind a wide sandy beach. Wind blows dry sand inland, where it is trapped by an obstacle or by plants.
- Marram grass has long roots that bind the sand, so the dunes grow higher and become stable.
Worked example
Explain the formation of a spit.
- Longshore drift carries sand and shingle along the coast.
- Where the coastline changes direction, for example at a river mouth, the material carries on being deposited in the sea, in the same direction.
- It builds up into a ridge that stretches out from the land.
- Changes in wind direction curve the end, and a salt marsh forms in the calm water behind.
Tips and tricks
- A spit is joined to the land at one end. A bar is joined at both ends. That is the difference.
- Longshore drift is the starting point for both spits and bars. Mention it by name.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Coastal landforms made by deposition: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
What process supplies the material for a spit?
It carries sand and shingle along the coast.
What forms in the sheltered water behind a spit?
Fine mud settles in the calm water.
What is the lake trapped behind a bar called?
The bar cuts it off from the sea.
What moves sand to build sand dunes?
Dry sand is blown inland from the beach.
Why is marram grass important on sand dunes?
Without plants, the sand would keep blowing away.
Quiz
5 questions
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Worksheet
3 questions, 7 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Coastal landforms made by deposition
Cambridge IGCSE Geography (9–1) 0976 · 7 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
Describe the difference between a spit and a bar.[2]
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A spit is a ridge of sand or shingle joined to the land at one end only. A bar is joined to the land at both ends, across a bay.
Explain how sand dunes are formed.[3]
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Wind blows dry sand inland from a wide beach. The sand is trapped by obstacles or vegetation and piles up. Plants such as marram grass bind the sand and the dunes grow.
State two differences between sandy beaches and shingle beaches.[2]
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Sandy beaches are wider and have a gentler slope. Shingle beaches are narrower and steeper.
Answers: Coastal landforms made by deposition
- 1. A spit is a ridge of sand or shingle joined to the land at one end only. A bar is joined to the land at both ends, across a bay.
- 2. Wind blows dry sand inland from a wide beach. The sand is trapped by obstacles or vegetation and piles up. Plants such as marram grass bind the sand and the dunes grow.
- 3. Sandy beaches are wider and have a gentler slope. Shingle beaches are narrower and steeper.