🔍 Key Concepts

• Difference between coastal current and longshore current • Where each current flows relative to the surf zone • What primarily generates each type of current (waves vs other forces)

💭 Think About

• Think about what the word longshore suggests about the direction and location of that current along the beach. • Ask yourself whether a coastal current is mainly caused by waves breaking on the beach, or by larger-scale forces like wind and tides along the coastline. • Consider whether coastal currents usually move in a simple direction along the coast or in a tight circular pattern right near the beach.

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify whether longshore current and coastal current are defined as the same thing in your study materials. • Check which side of the surf zone a coastal current is typically found on (inside with the breaking waves, or outside in deeper water). • Confirm whether coastal currents are primarily wave-generated or driven by wind and tidal flows along the coast.