9.1.9

Spits, Bars & Sand Dunes

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Bars, Spits and Sand Dunes

In addition to beaches, the deposition of sediment can create bars, spits, and sand dunes.

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Spits

  • Spits are piles of sand that create sheltered zones on the coast.
  • When the coast changes direction at an estuary (where a river meets the sea), longshore drift continues to move sediment across the inlet.
  • The river doesn't let the longshore drift completely join to the coast on the other side because the river has the energy to move the sediment.
  • Spits are the long fingers of sand sticking out from one side on a coastline. They often have marshland forming in the sheltered zone.
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Bars

  • A bar is created when a spit grows across a bay.
  • Lagoons (saltwater pool separated from the ocean) are often created behind a bar.
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Sand dunes

  • Sand dunes are hills of sand created at the back of a beach.
  • The wind blows deposited sand up the beach. Objects like wood, driftwood or human rubbish can block the wind, leading to hills of sand.
  • The hills of sand can allow plants and vegetation to grow.
  • This leads to more sand building up.
  • Older sand dunes (hills) are called mature dunes.
  • Newer sand dunes are called embryo dunes.

Jump to other topics

1Geography Skills

2Geology of the UK

3Geography of the World

4Development

5Weather & Climate

6The World of Work

7Natural Resources

8Rivers

9Coasts

10Glaciers

11Tectonics

12Climate Change

13Global Population & Inequality

14Urbanisation

15Ecosystems

16Life in an Emerging Country

17Analysis of Africa

18Analysis of India

19Analysis of the Middle East

20Analysis of Bangladesh

21Analysis of Russia

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