Page 28 - Curriculum Visions Dynamic Book. To close the book, close the tab.

Moving sand
Waves rarely break straight onto a beach, but are usually at an angle. This is what causes sand to move along the beach – and even build new beaches.
When you stand in the surf, you notice the way the water moves up and down. But look again and you will see that most waves do not go straight up the beach, but instead move up at an angle (picture ).
You can see this most easily if you drop something that floats on the surf. After a few breakers have run up the beach, you will see that the float has not been washed up onto the beach, nor been washed out to sea, but has drifted sideways along the shore (picture 2).
Marker starts here
and is pushed A inshore at an angle.
Backwash carries sand
down the steepest B part of the beach.
Wave brings surf onshore at an angle.
Marker moves down beach slope.
G  This is the way sand moves along a beach. Experience it for yourself when you are next at the seaside, but remember it is only safe to do so when waves are small.
Path of a sand grain.
General movement of sand (called longshore drift).
Beach features produced by moving sand, such as spits and bars.
F 2 Each time a wave breaks it pushes sand
and water up the beach in the direction of its approach
– usually at an angle to the beach. The water in the spent breaker then rushes directly back down the steepest
slope of the beach. As a result, sand is carried in sawtooth fashion along the beach. This is known as longshore drift.
Direction that waves approach.
28