1. Wave Formation and Types
Coasts
Wave Formation and Types

2. By the end of the lesson I will
Lesson Objective:
To be able to understand what the term coastal system means
To be able to list the 3 different factors affecting the size of a wave
To be able to identify the 2 different types of wave and their characteristics
Learning outcomes
By the end of the lesson I will
Have completed a coastal system diagram
Have identified the characteristics of the two different types of waves
I am learning this because
The coastal system is important to understand as it affects human activity at the coast
I will need to be able to explain the different wave characteristics in my assessments
I will know if I am successful I can
Explain the coastal system by comparing it to baking a cake
List the 3 factors affecting the size of a wave
Compare the characteristics of constructive and destructive waves

3. What is the coastal system?
INPUTS
Waves
Wind
Tides
PROCESSES
Erosion
Transportation
Deposition
OUTPUTS
Headlands
Bays
Cliffs
Caves
Arches
Stacks
Beaches
Dunes
Salt marshes

4. Are all water waves the same?

5. Wave formation
Is due to the wind blowing across the top of the water, causing friction, making the water move and forming waves.
When a wave approaches shore the friction at its base will slow it down, but as the top is still travelling at the same speed, it will topple over.

6. Big Waves
Wave height and energy are affected by; wind speed, wind duration and fetch.

8. What do you notice about the biggest waves?

9. Wave movement
When waves move across the sea they follow a circular orbit. When they reach the coast line, friction on the sea bed causes the wave bottom to slow down, and the wave top to break.

10. As the water travels up the beach it is called the swash and as it returns to the sea it is called the backwash

11. Two types of breaking waves
Breaking waves can be constructive or destructive.
Constructive waves are only a meter high and have low energy. They are common in summer or during calm weather. The gently push sand onshore and form steep beaches.

12. Two types of breaking waves
Destructive waves are very powerful storm waves, which can be 5 or 6 meters high. They remove sand from the shore and create flat beaches. They can also erode the toughest cliff rocks!