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Types of Wave

Constructive and destructive waves are the two main types of wave. The characteristics of these waves are described below:

What are constructive waves?

What are constructive waves?

  • Constructive waves are not very tall.
  • When the sea's waves are constructive, we say that the sea is calm.
  • Constructive waves have a longer wavelength than destructive waves which means individual waves are spread quite far apart.
  • Constructive waves have a low frequency (about 7-10 waves arrive at the beach each minute).
  • Constructive waves deposit material onto coastlines because they have strong swash and weak backwash. This means that more material is deposited onto the beach than the weak backwash can drag material away.
What are destructive waves?

What are destructive waves?

  • Destructive waves are taller and more frequent than constructive waves.
  • Destructive waves have a high frequency. They have around 10-15 waves per minute.
  • Destructive waves cause most of the erosion of coastlines.
  • Destructive waves have a stronger backwash than swash, meaning they drag more material away from the coastline than is deposited on the shore.
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1

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1.1

Natural Hazards

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Tectonic Hazards

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Weather Hazards

1.4

Climate Change

2

The Living World

2.1

Ecosystems

2.2

Tropical Rainforests

2.3

Hot Deserts

2.4

Tundra & Polar Environments

3

Physical Landscapes in the UK

3.1

The UK Physical Landscape

3.2

Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.3

River Landscapes in the UK

3.4

Glacial Landscapes in the UK

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Urban Issues & Challenges

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The Changing Economic World

5.1

The Changing Economic World

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Economic Development in the UK

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The Challenge of Resource Management

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Resource Management

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Food

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Water

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Energy

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