A beach is a landform that stretches along the edge of a body of water such as the ocean, lake, or wide river. It consists of loose particles like sand, gravel, pebbles, cobbles, and shells. These particles can accumulate on the beach during periods of accretion or they may be carried away by the waves during periods of erosion. The beach is never stationary for long and it has a complex structure that is shaped by the forces of erosion, deposition, and weathering.
Beaches are most often found in the vicinity of seas, but they can also exist at the edges of lakes and rivers, and even some large ponds. They are usually composed of sand, but they can be made up of any granular material that the moving water can access and carry (such as soil, silt, shingle, sandbar, or even boulders). Beaches have a wide range of sizes, shapes, and compositions. Some are narrow and rocky, some have a high shell content, and others are broad and sandy.
Most beaches form as a result of the combined action of erosion, deposition, and weathering over a long period of time. The erosion process begins when rocks are worn down by the constant action of waves against a rocky cliff. This wear can eventually reduce huge boulders down to the size of sand grains. The sand grains are then washed down the cliff by the wave action and deposited on the beach. This process can continue over a very long period of time and the beach can grow quite dramatically.
The accretion of sand is usually much slower than the erosion. This is because the waves have less energy when they reach the shore and deposit their sediments more slowly. However, the waves have more energy when they leave the beach and are carrying their sand and other materials back into the ocean. This process is called eustatic.
As the beach is constantly changing in shape and composition, it is very important to preserve its natural resources, including plants and animals. Sadly, these resources are under threat by human activities and pollution. Nevertheless, beach conservation is becoming more and more important as people realize the importance of these coastal landscapes.
If you enjoy visiting the beach, make sure to learn as much as you can about its formation and history before you go! You can do this by exploring our exciting wiki, which will teach you everything that you need to know about beaches. This wiki also includes some great summer resources, such as our fun How Many of These Items Can You Find on a Beach? picture activity, which will challenge your kids to discover as many things as they can on the beach! This is a great way to get kids excited about the beach this summer and it can be used as both a digital resource or as a hard copy worksheet. Enjoy!