Waves

?
  • Created by: emily.tx
  • Created on: 17-05-17 17:14
View mindmap
  • Waves
    • Caused by wind dragging on the surface of the water and the transfer of energy from the wind blowing over the sea surface
    • Fetch is the distance of water over which the wind has blown
      • Wind- the movement of air always moving from high to low pressure
    • Wave energy depends on the wind strength, length of time, fetch and distance of sea bed
    • Wave frequency- How many waves per minute
    • Wavelength- Crest to Crest or Trough to Trough
    • Wave height- Distance between crest to trough
    • Wave Types:
      • Constructive:
        • Lower wavelength
        • Lower wave height
        • Produces build up of beach material
        • Strong swash, less powerful backwash
        • Less frequent waves
        • Called Spill Breakers
        • 6-8 per minute
        • Beach Gain
        • Distant weather systems generate these in open ocean
        • Gentle beach profile- overtime will build the beach up to make it steeper
      • Destructive
        • Strong backwash scours material from bed
        • shorter wavelength
        • Taller wave height
        • Moves sediment away from beach
        • More frequent waves
        • Called Plunge Breakers
        • Steeper beach profile- overtime will flatten beach
        • Local storms are responsible for these
        • Beach loss
        • 10-14 per minute

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Geography resources:

See all Geography resources »See all Coastal environments resources »