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GCSE Geography · key term
A wave with stronger swash than backwash, which tends to deposit sediment and build up a beach.
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Specification 3.1.3.2 · Paper 1
A wave whose swash is stronger than its backwash, tending to deposit sediment and build up a beach.
Revise: Wave Types and Coastal ProcessesConstructive waves carry sediment up the beach, and their weaker backwash leaves more of it behind. Destructive waves have a stronger backwash that carries more material back towards the sea. A beach can therefore change as wave conditions change.
Paper 2
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Constructive waves tend to build beaches because their swash is stronger than their backwash. The swash carries sediment up the beach, while the weaker backwash removes less material. Repeated waves therefore leave a net gain of sediment.
Specification 3.2a · Paper 1, Paper 3
A wave with strong swash and weaker backwash that adds more sediment to a beach than it removes.
Revise: Coastal Landforms: Erosional and Depositional FeaturesConstructive waves have strong swash and weaker backwash: they carry sediment up the beach but remove relatively little as the water returns. Repeated waves therefore build up the beach.