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The nature of the beach is a response to the type of waves and beach material.

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Introduction

Analysis Two "The nature of the beach is a response to the type of waves and beach material." The coast is constantly changing due to the motion of the waves and sea. There are two types of waves, destructive and constructive. The shape of a beach depends on the waves acting upon it and the size of the beach particles. Destructive waves have a weak swash and therefore cause very little beach building. These waves have a strong backwash that scours the beach dragging material down the beach. These waves are high and very powerful. They generally break on the shore over ten times in a minute. Constructive waves are the opposite. ...read more.

Middle

The wave-cut platform that extends out from the beach into the sea is a factor on the profile. The waves break on the platform, and the friction caused here means a lot of the wave energy is lost thus reducing the power of the wave's backwash. It is therefore possible that destructive waves are acting upon the coast at Selwicks bay but because of the wave-cut platform, measuring 90 metres in length, the waves lose there power and appear to have a somewhat constructive effect on the beach profile. The wave count taken at Selwicks bay showed a high frequency of waves breaking on the shore at an average of 14.2 per minute. ...read more.

Conclusion

There were less than ten a minute (an average of 7.4 per minute exactly) which is one of the characteristics of such waves. The profile of the beach also correlates with the constructive wave theory. The beach has a gentle slope rarely exceeding a +5? angle. The beach material decreases in size as it gets closer to the promenade, further from the sea implying that it has been easily transported up the beach by the strong swash. The seawater is stored in the pores and spaces between the sand grains and leaves little water to form a strong backwash. Thus the water returns down the beach with little friction, as a small and weak backwash, and so pulls very little material away. Aforementioned Evidence: Transects, Pages 15 and 16 Beach Profiles, Pages 17 and 18 Wave Frequency Charts, Pages 19 and 20 ...read more.

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