Explain how longshore drift transports material along the coast.

The command is “explain”, so your answer should provide a reasoned account of how longshore drift transports material along the coast.

Longshore (littoral) drift is the movement of material along the coast by wave action. It happens when waves approach the beach at an angle based on the direction of the prevailing wind. The swash (waves moving up the beach) carries material up and along the beach. The backwash (waves moving back down the beach) carries material back down the beach at right angles under gravity.