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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. 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…
3. What is the zigzag movement of sand and shingle along a coastline caused by waves approaching the beach at an oblique angle: longshore drift or continental drift?
What is the zigzag movemen… · Coastal processes & landfo…
4. What piles of large, heavy granite boulders placed at the foot of a cliff or sea wall break up incoming waves and absorb their energy: rock armour (riprap) or sand dunes?
What piles of large, heavy… · Coastal processes & landfo…
5. What sheltered, muddy coastal wetland forms in calm river estuaries behind spits where tidal water slows down and deposits fine silt and clay: a saltmarsh (or mudflat) or a sea arch?
What sheltered, muddy coas… · Coastal processes & landfo…
6. 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…
7. 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…
8. In coastal management, what wooden or rock barriers are built down a beach at right angles to the shore to trap sand moved by longshore drift: groynes or lighthouses?
In coastal management, wha… · Coastal processes & landfo…
9. 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…
10. Which type of steep, high-energy storm wave has a weak swash and a powerful backwash that erodes beaches: a destructive wave or a constructive wave?
Which type of steep, high-… · Coastal processes & landfo…
11. 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…
12. When waves erode the base of a cliff between high-tide and low-tide levels, what undercut indentation is carved into the foot of the cliff: a wave-cut notch or a sand spit?
When waves erode the base … · Coastal processes & landfo…

12 questions · Seed 104731 · 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. 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.
3. What is the zigzag movement of sand and shingle along a coastline caused by waves approaching the beach at an oblique angle: longshore drift or continental drift?
Longshore drift
Swash moves sediment up the beach at an angle and backwash pulls it straight down, transporting material along the shore.
4. What piles of large, heavy granite boulders placed at the foot of a cliff or sea wall break up incoming waves and absorb their energy: rock armour (riprap) or sand dunes?
Rock armour (riprap)
Gaps between the large boulders dissipate wave energy.
5. What sheltered, muddy coastal wetland forms in calm river estuaries behind spits where tidal water slows down and deposits fine silt and clay: a saltmarsh (or mudflat) or a sea arch?
Saltmarsh (or mudflat)
Salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) colonise tidal mudflats, trapping more silt to build a saltmarsh.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. In coastal management, what wooden or rock barriers are built down a beach at right angles to the shore to trap sand moved by longshore drift: groynes or lighthouses?
Groynes
Groynes interrupt longshore drift to keep a wide, protective beach in place.
9. 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.
10. Which type of steep, high-energy storm wave has a weak swash and a powerful backwash that erodes beaches: a destructive wave or a constructive wave?
Destructive wave
Destructive waves scour sediment off the beach and hurl water against cliffs.
11. 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.
12. When waves erode the base of a cliff between high-tide and low-tide levels, what undercut indentation is carved into the foot of the cliff: a wave-cut notch or a sand spit?
Wave-cut notch
Continued undercutting at the wave-cut notch causes the overhanging cliff above to collapse.

12 questions · Seed 104731 · 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. 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…
3. What is the zigzag movement of sand and shingle along a coastline caused by waves approaching the beach at an oblique angle: longshore drift or continental drift?
What is the zigzag movemen… · Coastal processes & landfo…
4. What piles of large, heavy granite boulders placed at the foot of a cliff or sea wall break up incoming waves and absorb their energy: rock armour (riprap) or sand dunes?
What piles of large, heavy… · Coastal processes & landfo…
5. What sheltered, muddy coastal wetland forms in calm river estuaries behind spits where tidal water slows down and deposits fine silt and clay: a saltmarsh (or mudflat) or a sea arch?
What sheltered, muddy coas… · Coastal processes & landfo…
6. 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…
7. 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…
8. In coastal management, what wooden or rock barriers are built down a beach at right angles to the shore to trap sand moved by longshore drift: groynes or lighthouses?
In coastal management, wha… · Coastal processes & landfo…
9. 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…
10. Which type of steep, high-energy storm wave has a weak swash and a powerful backwash that erodes beaches: a destructive wave or a constructive wave?
Which type of steep, high-… · Coastal processes & landfo…
11. 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…
12. When waves erode the base of a cliff between high-tide and low-tide levels, what undercut indentation is carved into the foot of the cliff: a wave-cut notch or a sand spit?
When waves erode the base … · Coastal processes & landfo…

12 questions · Seed 104731 · 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. 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.
3. What is the zigzag movement of sand and shingle along a coastline caused by waves approaching the beach at an oblique angle: longshore drift or continental drift?
Longshore drift
Swash moves sediment up the beach at an angle and backwash pulls it straight down, transporting material along the shore.
4. What piles of large, heavy granite boulders placed at the foot of a cliff or sea wall break up incoming waves and absorb their energy: rock armour (riprap) or sand dunes?
Rock armour (riprap)
Gaps between the large boulders dissipate wave energy.
5. What sheltered, muddy coastal wetland forms in calm river estuaries behind spits where tidal water slows down and deposits fine silt and clay: a saltmarsh (or mudflat) or a sea arch?
Saltmarsh (or mudflat)
Salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) colonise tidal mudflats, trapping more silt to build a saltmarsh.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. In coastal management, what wooden or rock barriers are built down a beach at right angles to the shore to trap sand moved by longshore drift: groynes or lighthouses?
Groynes
Groynes interrupt longshore drift to keep a wide, protective beach in place.
9. 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.
10. Which type of steep, high-energy storm wave has a weak swash and a powerful backwash that erodes beaches: a destructive wave or a constructive wave?
Destructive wave
Destructive waves scour sediment off the beach and hurl water against cliffs.
11. 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.
12. When waves erode the base of a cliff between high-tide and low-tide levels, what undercut indentation is carved into the foot of the cliff: a wave-cut notch or a sand spit?
Wave-cut notch
Continued undercutting at the wave-cut notch causes the overhanging cliff above to collapse.

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification