Lesson Y8-U02-L01

Waves: The Energy of the Sea Quiz: KS3 Geography, Unit 8

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson Y8-U02-L01, Waves: The Energy of the Sea: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Geography (National Curriculum), Unit 8: Year 8: Coasts: A Changing Landscape, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What transfers energy to the sea to create waves?

    • Tides
    • Wind
    • Salinity
    • Sunlight

  2. What term describes the distance of open water over which wind blows?

    • Swash
    • Trough
    • Fetch
    • Backwash

  3. What is the movement of water up a beach after a wave breaks called?

    • Backwash
    • Tide
    • Swash
    • Fetch

  4. What is the water draining back down a beach called?

    • Upwelling
    • Backwash
    • Swash
    • Fetch

  5. Which type of wave builds up a beach by depositing material?

    • Rip current
    • Tidal wave
    • Constructive wave
    • Destructive wave

  6. Which type of wave removes material and erodes a beach?

    • Seismic wave
    • Capillary wave
    • Destructive wave
    • Constructive wave

  7. What is the effect of a very long fetch on wave energy?

    • Stops formation
    • Decreases power
    • Increases power
    • Reverses direction

  8. Which ocean do the biggest waves hitting Cornwall cross before they arrive?

    • The Indian Ocean
    • The Atlantic Ocean
    • The Arctic Ocean
    • The Pacific Ocean

  9. How does stronger wind affect the energy transferred to ocean water?

    • Decreases energy
    • Increases energy
    • Stops energy transfer
    • Neutralises energy

  10. Why are waves on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall typically very powerful?

    • Weak winds
    • Long fetch
    • Short fetch
    • High salinity

  11. On a beach, a foamy wave slides up the sand and carries pebbles with it. Which process is this?

    • Fetch
    • Backwash
    • Tidal range
    • Swash

  12. What happens to a beach when wave swash is stronger than backwash?

    • Wears away
    • Floods completely
    • Builds up
    • Stays unchanged

  13. Which wave type is most common during calm summer weather?

    • Constructive waves
    • Destructive waves
    • Tsunami waves
    • Seismic waves

  14. What happens to a beach during winter storms with powerful destructive waves?

    • Stays identical
    • Grows wider
    • Rises higher
    • Shrinks

  15. Which wave type features a strong swash and weak backwash?

    • Tsunami
    • Destructive
    • Tidal
    • Constructive

  16. Does a short fetch produce the largest and most powerful waves?

    • Yes
    • No
    • Sometimes
    • Always

  17. What two main factors make storm waves carry significantly more energy?

    • Sun and moon
    • Wind and fetch
    • Depth and salt
    • Tides and gravity

  18. Why do the biggest UK waves often hit the south-west coast?

    • Long fetch
    • Short fetch
    • Low wind speed
    • Sheltered bay

  19. Which wave characteristic is primarily responsible for building up a beach?

    • Strong backwash
    • Strong swash
    • High frequency
    • Deep trough

  20. Why might a beach grow in summer but shrink in winter?

    • Constant wave energy
    • Destructive summer waves
    • Constructive summer waves
    • Tectonic activity

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