Book 6, Question 14
Why Do Some Beaches Have Pebbles?
Not every shore has the time or the waves to grind rock all the way to powder. Strong waves can carry fine sand away and leave the heavier stones behind. Nearby cliffs keep feeding in new chunks.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Pebble beaches often form where waves are wearing away nearby cliffs.
- They also form where rivers carry big loads of rock down to the coast.
- Beaches covered in pebbles are also called shingle beaches.
- Sandy beaches usually form in bays, where the water is shallow and the waves have less energy.
- Sometimes you can tell which way the waves come from by the sizes of the pebbles along the beach.
- Most sand is tan because iron oxide tints the mineral quartz a light brown.
Sources: BBC, Scientific American, NOAA Ocean Service
Questions kids ask
What is a shingle beach?
A beach covered with pebbles instead of sand.