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Coastal processes & landforms

Explore constructive and destructive waves, longshore drift, headlands, spits, atolls and coastal defences. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Coastal processes & landforms

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. When a sand spit grows all the way across a bay to connect two headlands, trapping a shallow freshwater or brackish lake behind it, what is the ridge called: a bar (bay bar) or a cave?
When a sand spit grows all… · Coastal processes & landfo…
2. Why does global sea-level rise increase coastal erosion and flooding on low-lying islands and coasts: higher water levels allow larger waves to break closer to shore and overtop natural ridges during high tides, or sea water becomes lighter?
Why does global sea-level … · Coastal processes & landfo…
3. Which coastal erosion process occurs when breaking waves trap and compress air inside cracks in a cliff face, shattering the rock: hydraulic action or solution?
Which coastal erosion proc… · Coastal processes & landfo…
4. Why do headlands and bays form along a discordant coastline: alternating bands of hard rock (which erodes slowly into headlands) and soft rock (which erodes rapidly into bays) meet the coast, or all rocks have identical hardness?
Why do headlands and bays … · Coastal processes & landfo…
5. As a cliff retreats inland through repeated undercutting and collapse, what gently sloping rocky ledge is left behind at low tide: a wave-cut platform or a lagoon?
As a cliff retreats inland… · Coastal processes & landfo…
6. Which coastal erosion process occurs when waves hurl pebbles and sand against a cliff base like sandpaper: abrasion (corrasion) or attrition?
Which coastal erosion proc… · Coastal processes & landfo…
7. What is the forward rush of foaming water up a beach after a wave breaks: swash or backwash?
What is the forward rush o… · Coastal processes & landfo…
8. What coastal deposition landform is a ridge of sand or shingle that links an offshore island to the mainland: a tombolo or a blowhole?
What coastal deposition la… · Coastal processes & landfo…
9. What is “beach nourishment” (beach replenishment) as a soft-engineering coastal defence: pumping or trucking sand onto an eroding beach to widen it naturally, or building a concrete tower?
“beach nourishment” · Coastal processes & landfo…
10. What narrow finger of sand or shingle is formed by longshore drift extending out from the coast where the shoreline changes direction at a river mouth: a spit or a sea stack?
What narrow finger of sand… · Coastal processes & landfo…
11. What is the return flow of water draining back down the beach toward the sea under gravity: backwash or swash?
What is the return flow of… · Coastal processes & landfo…
12. How do marram grass and coastal vegetation help stabilise coastal sand dunes: their deep, matted roots bind loose sand grains together and stems slow the wind so more sand is deposited, or they melt the sand?
How do marram grass and co… · Coastal processes & landfo…

12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Coastal processes & landforms

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. When a sand spit grows all the way across a bay to connect two headlands, trapping a shallow freshwater or brackish lake behind it, what is the ridge called: a bar (bay bar) or a cave?
Bar (bay bar)
A bar seals off the entrance to a bay, enclosing a coastal lagoon behind it.
2. Why does global sea-level rise increase coastal erosion and flooding on low-lying islands and coasts: higher water levels allow larger waves to break closer to shore and overtop natural ridges during high tides, or sea water becomes lighter?
Higher water levels allow larger waves to break closer to shore and overtop natural ridges during high tides
Both thermal expansion of warming ocean water and melting land ice contribute to rising sea levels.
3. Which coastal erosion process occurs when breaking waves trap and compress air inside cracks in a cliff face, shattering the rock: hydraulic action or solution?
Hydraulic action
The sudden compression and explosive release of air in rock joints wedges fragments loose.
4. Why do headlands and bays form along a discordant coastline: alternating bands of hard rock (which erodes slowly into headlands) and soft rock (which erodes rapidly into bays) meet the coast, or all rocks have identical hardness?
Alternating bands of hard rock (which erodes slowly into headlands) and soft rock (which erodes rapidly into bays) meet the coast
Differential erosion leaves resistant rock jutting out as headlands while softer clay or sand is hollowed into sheltered bays.
5. As a cliff retreats inland through repeated undercutting and collapse, what gently sloping rocky ledge is left behind at low tide: a wave-cut platform or a lagoon?
Wave-cut platform
A wave-cut platform is the broad rock bench exposed at the base of a retreating cliff.
6. Which coastal erosion process occurs when waves hurl pebbles and sand against a cliff base like sandpaper: abrasion (corrasion) or attrition?
Abrasion (corrasion)
Rock fragments carried by waves grind and scrape away the cliff rock.
7. What is the forward rush of foaming water up a beach after a wave breaks: swash or backwash?
Swash
Swash carries sand and shingle up the beach slope in the direction of the breaking wave.
8. What coastal deposition landform is a ridge of sand or shingle that links an offshore island to the mainland: a tombolo or a blowhole?
Tombolo
Wave refraction around an nearshore island deposits a sand or shingle bridge called a tombolo.
9. What is “beach nourishment” (beach replenishment) as a soft-engineering coastal defence: pumping or trucking sand onto an eroding beach to widen it naturally, or building a concrete tower?
Pumping or trucking sand onto an eroding beach to widen it naturally
A wider beach absorbs wave energy before waves reach the backshore, while keeping a natural appearance.
10. What narrow finger of sand or shingle is formed by longshore drift extending out from the coast where the shoreline changes direction at a river mouth: a spit or a sea stack?
Spit
Longshore drift continues depositing sand across a bend in the coast, building a long spit often curved at the tip by wind and waves.
11. What is the return flow of water draining back down the beach toward the sea under gravity: backwash or swash?
Backwash
Backwash flows straight down the beach slope at right angles to the shoreline.
12. How do marram grass and coastal vegetation help stabilise coastal sand dunes: their deep, matted roots bind loose sand grains together and stems slow the wind so more sand is deposited, or they melt the sand?
Their deep, matted roots bind loose sand together and stems slow the wind so more sand is deposited
Planting marram grass and using boardwalks prevents wind erosion (blowouts) of protective sand dunes.

12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Coastal processes & landforms

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. When a sand spit grows all the way across a bay to connect two headlands, trapping a shallow freshwater or brackish lake behind it, what is the ridge called: a bar (bay bar) or a cave?
When a sand spit grows all… · Coastal processes & landfo…
2. Why does global sea-level rise increase coastal erosion and flooding on low-lying islands and coasts: higher water levels allow larger waves to break closer to shore and overtop natural ridges during high tides, or sea water becomes lighter?
Why does global sea-level … · Coastal processes & landfo…
3. Which coastal erosion process occurs when breaking waves trap and compress air inside cracks in a cliff face, shattering the rock: hydraulic action or solution?
Which coastal erosion proc… · Coastal processes & landfo…
4. Why do headlands and bays form along a discordant coastline: alternating bands of hard rock (which erodes slowly into headlands) and soft rock (which erodes rapidly into bays) meet the coast, or all rocks have identical hardness?
Why do headlands and bays … · Coastal processes & landfo…
5. As a cliff retreats inland through repeated undercutting and collapse, what gently sloping rocky ledge is left behind at low tide: a wave-cut platform or a lagoon?
As a cliff retreats inland… · Coastal processes & landfo…
6. Which coastal erosion process occurs when waves hurl pebbles and sand against a cliff base like sandpaper: abrasion (corrasion) or attrition?
Which coastal erosion proc… · Coastal processes & landfo…
7. What is the forward rush of foaming water up a beach after a wave breaks: swash or backwash?
What is the forward rush o… · Coastal processes & landfo…
8. What coastal deposition landform is a ridge of sand or shingle that links an offshore island to the mainland: a tombolo or a blowhole?
What coastal deposition la… · Coastal processes & landfo…
9. What is “beach nourishment” (beach replenishment) as a soft-engineering coastal defence: pumping or trucking sand onto an eroding beach to widen it naturally, or building a concrete tower?
“beach nourishment” · Coastal processes & landfo…
10. What narrow finger of sand or shingle is formed by longshore drift extending out from the coast where the shoreline changes direction at a river mouth: a spit or a sea stack?
What narrow finger of sand… · Coastal processes & landfo…
11. What is the return flow of water draining back down the beach toward the sea under gravity: backwash or swash?
What is the return flow of… · Coastal processes & landfo…
12. How do marram grass and coastal vegetation help stabilise coastal sand dunes: their deep, matted roots bind loose sand grains together and stems slow the wind so more sand is deposited, or they melt the sand?
How do marram grass and co… · Coastal processes & landfo…

12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Coastal processes & landforms

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. When a sand spit grows all the way across a bay to connect two headlands, trapping a shallow freshwater or brackish lake behind it, what is the ridge called: a bar (bay bar) or a cave?
Bar (bay bar)
A bar seals off the entrance to a bay, enclosing a coastal lagoon behind it.
2. Why does global sea-level rise increase coastal erosion and flooding on low-lying islands and coasts: higher water levels allow larger waves to break closer to shore and overtop natural ridges during high tides, or sea water becomes lighter?
Higher water levels allow larger waves to break closer to shore and overtop natural ridges during high tides
Both thermal expansion of warming ocean water and melting land ice contribute to rising sea levels.
3. Which coastal erosion process occurs when breaking waves trap and compress air inside cracks in a cliff face, shattering the rock: hydraulic action or solution?
Hydraulic action
The sudden compression and explosive release of air in rock joints wedges fragments loose.
4. Why do headlands and bays form along a discordant coastline: alternating bands of hard rock (which erodes slowly into headlands) and soft rock (which erodes rapidly into bays) meet the coast, or all rocks have identical hardness?
Alternating bands of hard rock (which erodes slowly into headlands) and soft rock (which erodes rapidly into bays) meet the coast
Differential erosion leaves resistant rock jutting out as headlands while softer clay or sand is hollowed into sheltered bays.
5. As a cliff retreats inland through repeated undercutting and collapse, what gently sloping rocky ledge is left behind at low tide: a wave-cut platform or a lagoon?
Wave-cut platform
A wave-cut platform is the broad rock bench exposed at the base of a retreating cliff.
6. Which coastal erosion process occurs when waves hurl pebbles and sand against a cliff base like sandpaper: abrasion (corrasion) or attrition?
Abrasion (corrasion)
Rock fragments carried by waves grind and scrape away the cliff rock.
7. What is the forward rush of foaming water up a beach after a wave breaks: swash or backwash?
Swash
Swash carries sand and shingle up the beach slope in the direction of the breaking wave.
8. What coastal deposition landform is a ridge of sand or shingle that links an offshore island to the mainland: a tombolo or a blowhole?
Tombolo
Wave refraction around an nearshore island deposits a sand or shingle bridge called a tombolo.
9. What is “beach nourishment” (beach replenishment) as a soft-engineering coastal defence: pumping or trucking sand onto an eroding beach to widen it naturally, or building a concrete tower?
Pumping or trucking sand onto an eroding beach to widen it naturally
A wider beach absorbs wave energy before waves reach the backshore, while keeping a natural appearance.
10. What narrow finger of sand or shingle is formed by longshore drift extending out from the coast where the shoreline changes direction at a river mouth: a spit or a sea stack?
Spit
Longshore drift continues depositing sand across a bend in the coast, building a long spit often curved at the tip by wind and waves.
11. What is the return flow of water draining back down the beach toward the sea under gravity: backwash or swash?
Backwash
Backwash flows straight down the beach slope at right angles to the shoreline.
12. How do marram grass and coastal vegetation help stabilise coastal sand dunes: their deep, matted roots bind loose sand grains together and stems slow the wind so more sand is deposited, or they melt the sand?
Their deep, matted roots bind loose sand together and stems slow the wind so more sand is deposited
Planting marram grass and using boardwalks prevents wind erosion (blowouts) of protective sand dunes.

12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification