Geography GCSE
Longshore Drift
What Longshore Drift means in Geography GCSE, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Longshore Drift
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
The zig-zag movement of sediment along a coastline, driven by waves approaching the shore at an angle determined by the prevailing wind.
The zigzag movement of sediment along a coastline caused by waves approaching at an angle to the prevailing wind.
The zigzag movement of sediment along a coastline caused by waves approaching at an angle to the shore.
Topics that use Longshore Drift
- A variety of physical processes interact to shape coastal landscapes (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Coastal erosion and deposition create distinctive landforms within the coastal landscape (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Distinctive coastal landscapes are the outcome of the interaction between physical and human processes (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Human activities can lead to changes in coastal landscapes which affect people and the environment (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
- Discordant Coastline
- Hard Engineering
- Managed Retreat
- Terminal Groyne Syndrome
- Abrasion
- Hydraulic Action
- Soft Engineering
- Backwash
Using Longshore Drift in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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