HOME | Coastal systems and landscapes (Autumn 1) | Sediment cells, sources and budgets
Sediment cells, sources and budgets
Online Lesson | 08 Sep 2026 | Start: 16:00 | DURATION: 2 HOURS Specification content 3.1.3.1 Coasts as natural systems
Systems in physical geography: systems concepts and their application to the development of
coastal landscapes - inputs, outputs, energy, stores/components, flows/transfers, positive/negative feedback, dynamic equilibrium.
3.1.3.2 Systems and processes
Sources of energy in coastal environments: winds, waves (constructive and destructive), currents and tides. Low energy and high energy coasts. Sediment sources, cells and budgets.
Learning outcomes
This lesson will help students to understand:
- How sediment cells (littoral cells) operate at the coastline and impact coastal systems.
- Where sources of sediment originate and contribute to the coastal system.
- What a sediment budget is and how it can be used to predict the changing shape of a coastline over time.
Suggested timing
2 hours
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Course Module: Coastal systems and landscapes (Autumn 1) | Lesson Sediment cells, sources and budgets:
Online Lesson | 08 Sep 2026 | Start: 16:00 | DURATION: 2 HOURS Specification content
3.1.3.1 Coasts as natural systems
Systems in physical geography: systems concepts and their application to the development of
coastal landscapes - inputs, outputs, energy, stores/components, flows/transfers, positive/negative feedback, dynamic equilibrium.
3.1.3.2 Systems and processes
Sources of energy in coastal environments: winds, waves (constructive and destructive), currents and tides. Low energy and high energy coasts. Sediment sources, cells and budgets.
Learning outcomes
This lesson will help students to understand:
- How sediment cells (littoral cells) operate at the coastline and impact coastal systems.
- Where sources of sediment originate and contribute to the coastal system.
- What a sediment budget is and how it can be used to predict the changing shape of a coastline over time.
Suggested timing
2 hours
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