Which description matches a spilling breaker?

• A. Very steep slope, wave surges up beach
• B. Steep slope, crest curls, strong impact
• C. Gentle slope, wave spills down front
• D. Weak return flow beneath breaking waves

Answer: (C)

Spilling breakers happen on a beach with a gentle slope, where the wave crest becomes unstable and spills forward down the face as whitewater. The defining image is the crest spilling down the front of the wave rather than curling over or surging violently. So the description that fits a spilling breaker is a gentle slope with the wave spilling down the front. The other options describe a plunging breaker (steep slope, crest curls and breaks with a strong impact) or a surging breaker (very steep slope with little true breaking and a backwash surge), which are different breaking patterns.