Beaches, spits, and bars are landforms created by coastal depositional processes. Beaches form along shorelines through the deposition of sediment by wave action. As sediment is transported along the shoreline by longshore drift, it can build up into narrow peninsulas called spits. Spits often form at the mouths of estuaries, where the changing direction of the coastline causes sediment to deposit. Bars may develop offshore or near the mouths of rivers, made of sediment that has been deposited and built up over time.

1. Landforms created by
coastal deposition

2. Specification Detail
1.1d How are beaches, spits and bars
formed?

3. Learning Objectives
● Explain the impact on the coastline in
terms of landforms and related issues, e.g.
deposition in estuaries.
● Describe the named landforms and explain
their formation in terms of sequence and
the processes involved.

4. BBC Bitesize Video
● Deposition Landforms : Here

6. Hurst Castle – Satellite Shot.
Can you explain what is happening here?

7. Landforms of deposition - Spits
estuary
headland
direction of longshore drift
1) Larger shingle is deposited at a change of direction in the
coastline due to less energy in the lee of a headland.
2) Sediment rises above water level. Larger material is thrown to
the back in times of storm increasing the stability of the
feature.
3) Smaller sand and shingle is moved along the new feature by
longshore drift. The landform extends outwards but is
vulnerable to wave attack.
4) Secondary wave action or refraction cause a hooked end. A
series of these develop as the spit extends.
5) The spit is prevented from extending further by the river flash animation
current preventing further deposition (in a bay it may continue
forming a bar). A final curved end is formed but the spit Click Here
constantly changes shape through erosion and deposition.

8. Beaches, Spits, Bars
● Interactive labeling : Here
● Helpful summaries : Here