Coasts (AQA Geography A Level) questions and answers

Fetch - ANSWER-Distance over which the wind blew. Wave break ratio - ANSWER-The ratio of the wave height to the wave length cannot be more than 1:7 as this is when a wave breaks. Swash - ANSWER-When a wave breaks, water is washed up the beach and can deposit sediment. Backwash - ANSWER-Water runs back down the beach and is capable of removing sediment from a beach. Constructive Waves - ANSWER-Add sediment to the shallow gradient beach and have high swash and low backwash. Longer wavelength, lower height, low wave frequency, and elliptical orbit. Destructive Waves - ANSWER-Take sediment from the steep beach and have high backwash and low swash. Shorter wavelength, higher height, more frequent wave frequency, and circular orbit. Sediment Cell - ANSWER-A length of coastline, which is relatively self-contained as far as the movement of sand or shingle is concerned, and where interruption to such movement should not have a significant effect on adjacent ones. Tides - ANSWER-Regular rising and falling movements of the surface of the sea and caused by the effects of the gravitational pull of the moon and sun on the oceans. Spring Tides - ANSWER-Sun, moon and earth all in one straight line -- highest high tides and lowest low tides = largest tidal range. Neap Tides - ANSWER-Sun and moon 90 degrees out of phase -- highest low tides and lowest low tides =