Marine transportation: traction, suspension (longshore/littoral drift) and deposition
Waves and currents move loose sediment along the coast in three ways. The direction and distance of that movement determines where material builds up and where it disappears.
Real World
Spurn Head, a narrow spit extending 5.5 km into the Humber Estuary, has been built almost entirely by longshore drift moving sediment southward from eroding Holderness cliffs — demonstrating how erosion in one cell section directly feeds deposition in another.
Exam Focus
Always describe the swash–backwash angle mechanism when explaining longshore drift — stating direction alone will not gain full marks.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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