Spit, bar or tombolo

Landforms of coastal deposition

1) Beaches

2) Spits

3) Tombolos and Bars

Beaches form in sheltered environments, such as bays. When the swash is stronger than the backwash, deposition occurs.

How are spits formed?

Write 1 – 7 underneath your diagram and write the correct label next to the number.Fastest flow of river Salt marshFetchRiver estuary Original coastlineDirection of longshore drift

Short term changes in wind and wave direction causing the spit to curve.

How are spits formed?

If a spit joins one part of the mainland to another it is called a bar.

For example, there is a bar at Miami Beach.

What is a bar?

On your diagram label the following things:

• Old Bay• Direction of Longshore Drift• Prevailing Wind• A BAR is formed as a spit grows across a bay, joining up two headlands.• Lagoon – the area of water dammed by the bar will eventually be filled by deposition.

Now write an explanation of how the bar has formed.

Label the following things onto your tombolo diagram:

• Direction of Longshore Drift• Prevailing wind• Old Island now joined to the mainland by a spit.• Change in shape of headland resulting in a spit.• Spit grown out from the mainland and joining an island, creating a TOMBOLO.• Tombolo.

Now write a description to explain how tombolos are formed.

Spit, bar or tombolo?















Environment

Spit, bar or tombolo