O-LevelGeographyThe natural environment2217/12 · May/June 2016 · Q325 Marks

(a) Study Photograph A (Insert), which shows a beach where coastal deposition is taking place.

(a)(i)What is meant by coastal deposition?[1]
(a)(ii)The waves shown on Photograph A are constructive waves. Describe two characteristics of constructive waves.[2]
(a)(iii)Use the labelling on Photograph A to explain how longshore drift occurs.[3]
(a)(iv)Spits are formed by longshore drift. Describe the main features of a spit.[4]
(b)Study Photograph B (Insert), which shows an area where coastal erosion is taking place.
(b)(i)Give three pieces of evidence that coastal erosion has occurred in the area shown by Photograph B.[3]
(b)(ii)Explain why coastal erosion is much more rapid on some coasts than others.[5]
(c)For a named area of coast you have studied, explain what is being done to manage coastal erosion. Name of area[7]

This question uses a diagram from the original paper, which isn't shown here. Open the full paper from the past papers archive to see it.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2016). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] A process involving the load/materials being dropped/dumped/left behind by the waves/the build-up of materials on a beach or by the sea. 1 mark (1)
[2] Ideas such as they: are not powerful/they are gentle; have a swash that is stronger than the backwash/strong swash/weak backwash; have a long wavelength; are low in height; reach the shore between 6 and 9 times each minute/low frequency; roll onto the beach/do not crash onto it/spilling; build up beach/deposit material/do not erode. 2 @ 1 mark (2)
[3] Ideas such as: prevailing winds cause waves to approach at an angle to the shore; swash carries loose material up the beach at an angle/in same direction as prevailing wind; backwash takes material back out at 90 degrees/straight back/perpendicular; zigzag motion moves materials along the beach/in the same direction/along the coast. 3 @ 1 mark (3)
[4] Features such as: long and thin/elongated; curved/hooked end; attached to land at one end only; stretches partly across estuary/bay/river mouth; made of sand shingle/may be covered by sand dunes/deposited material; low in height/just above sea level; (salt) marsh develops behind spit, etc. NB: Award appropriate ideas on a diagram as long as they are labelled. 4 @ 1 mark (4)
[3] Evidence such as: cliff; undercut/uneven profile/notches/jagged; cave; bay/uneven coastline/headland; areas of (fallen) rock at base of cliff/big bounders at base of cliff or near the cliff/rocks broken off the cliff. 3 @ 1 mark (3)
[5] Ideas such as: rock type; consolidated or unconsolidated rock; hard/strong or soft/weak rock; presence of lines of weakness/joints/bedding planes; whether rocks will be eroded by corrosion or not; wave power/wave type/amount of swash and backwash; presence or absence of coastal defences; distance of fetch; stabilised by vegetation; width of/presence of beach or whether shallow or deep water; shelter; wind strength; wave refraction; impact of other processes, e.g. sub-aerial processes, etc. 5 @ 1 mark or development (5)
[7] Levels marking Level 1 [1-3 marks] Statements including limited detail which describe or explain what is being done to manage the impacts of coastal erosion. Level 2 [4-6 marks] Uses named example. More developed statements which describe or explain what is being done to manage the impacts of coastal erosion. (NB Max 5 if no named or inappropriate example) Level 3 [7 marks] Uses named example. Comprehensive and accurate statements including some place-specific reference. Content guide: Answers are likely to refer to: hard engineering – sea walls/groynes/gabions/revetments, etc. soft engineering – beach nourishment, etc. types of rocks Place specific-reference is likely to consist of: locational details details of named parts of the area reference to specific schemes/costs, etc. NB: Accept any type of erosion including human. The amount of money spent on a scheme is not a suitable development for L2 but would be fine for place-specific detail.