Sand on the beach moves in a zig-zag pattern when swash waves strike the beach:
A)head on
B)parallel to the shore face
C)at an angle
D)only during flood tide
E)only during ebb tide

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When swash waves strike the beach at an angle, they produce a zig-zag pattern of sand movement known as the swash drift. This occurs because the water rushes up the beach at an angle, and then flows back down the slope of the beach in a perpendicular direction, carrying the sand grains with it. The swash drift can also cause longshore currents to develop, which move sediment along the coast in a parallel direction.

Sand on the Beach Moves in a Zig-Zag Pattern When