Spit Formation

Question	Answer
Image: prevailing_winds (image/png)	PREVAILING WINDS & MAXIMUM FETCH- show direction material is carried along coast by longshore drift
Image: change_in_direction (image/jpg)	CHANGE IN DIRECTION- direction of coastline changes e.g. headland
Image: storms (image/jpg)	STORMS- at point where coast changes, storms build up more material above the high-water mark
Image: permanence (image/jpg)	PERMANENCE- this gives a greater degree of permanence to the structure
Image: fine_sand_particles (image/jpeg)	FINER MATERIAL- carried further along the feature extending into deeper water
Image: refraction (image/jpg)	WAVE REFRACTION- spit begins to curve round increasingly due to wave refraction, carrying water into more sheltered water
Image: recurved_ends (image/jpg)	RECURVED ENDS- contributed to by second most dominant wind direction & fetch, pushing spit material back towards the mainland (several may develop as winds vary)
Image: deeper_water (image/jpg)	DEEPER WATER- in the middle of an estuary means the spit can't extend all the way across (also stopped by current)
Image: sand_dunes (image/jpg)	SAND DUNES- form where dried out sand blown to back of spit
Image: salt_marsh (image/jpg)	SALT MARSH- form as low-energy gentle waves enter the area behind the spit
Image: bar (image/jpg)	BAR= spit joined at both sides if over a bay, a lagoon forms behind
Image: tombolo (image/jpg)	TOMBOLO= a spit joining to an island

Resource summary

	Created by beth2384 over 10 years ago