Briefly discuss the movement of sand on a beach environment. Include those factors, both natural and human-induced, that affect sand movement

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Energy from breaking waves often causes large quantities of sand to move along the beach face and in the surf zone roughly parallel to the shore. Wave energy also causes sand to move perpendicular to the shore in a zig zag pattern that follows the longshore current. Sand movement is determined by natural wave energy and can be affected by human-induced stabilization factors such as construction of breakwaters, seawalls, and groins.