Which statement best describes the process that creates barrier islands?(1 point)
Responses
Glaciers create barrier islands.
Frost wedging creates barrier islands.
Chemical weathering creates barrier islands.
Wind creates barrier islands.
Wind creates barrier islands.
Wind creates barrier islands.
The statement that best describes the process that creates barrier islands is "Wind creates barrier islands."
Barrier islands are long, narrow landforms that parallel the coastline. They typically form from sediments (such as sand and gravel) that are carried by wind, waves, and currents. Here's how wind helps create barrier islands:
1. Wave action: Wind-driven waves transport sediment along the coast. When waves approach the shoreline at an angle, they create a net transport of the sediment along the coast.
2. Longshore drift: The sediment is transported along the shoreline by a process called longshore drift. As waves approach the shore at an angle, they push the sediments in a zigzag pattern along the coast.
3. Deposition: When the wind and waves reach a specific point where the energy decreases, the sediments carried by the longshore drift settle and accumulate. These accumulating sediments form a barrier or a long sandbar, known as a barrier island.
4. Vegetation: Vegetation, such as dune grasses, also plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of barrier islands. The roots of the vegetation hold the sediment in place and prevent erosion by wind and waves.
So, the correct statement is that wind creates barrier islands, by transporting and depositing sediment along the coastline.