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COASTAL EROSION
Here we look at the different features of coastal erosion. These being those that form together on headlands, for example, caves, arches, stacks and stumps. We also look at the formation of bays and how they relate to headlands. We look at the processes involved in coastal erosion and then have diagrams which help explain the formation of the features involved.
Headlands and bays
Formation of headlands and bays
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Waves attack a discordant coastline*.
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The soft rock is eroded more quickly than the hard rock.
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The eroded material piles up in the bay forming a beach.
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The headlands remain protruding out further than the bay.
*Discordant coastline - A discordant coastline occurs where bands of different rock type run perpendicular to thecoast. The differing resistance to erosion leads to the formation of headlands and bays.
Caves, arches, stacks and stumps
What coastal processes shape the coasts?
Hydraulic action –
Corrosion –
Attrition –
Abrasion -
the weight of a wave crashing on a cliff face, pushing the air in cracks and caves, under pressure, to force open the crack/cave
chemicals in the sea water dissolve the rocks
small rocks are smashed against each other making smaller rocks.
little rocks getting picked up by the waves and being smashed on to the cliffs
Tides –
Waves –
Sea level change –
Currents –
Longshore drift –
the rising and falling of the sea caused twice a day by the moon’s gravity
long bodies of water, created by the wind, crashing on the shore
higher sea levels lead to greater erosion shaping the coasts.
water moving in a certain direction, like wind in the air, currents in the sea carries sand down the beach
Are these coastal features formed by erosion? or deposition?
Here is a list of features that can be found at coasts.
Group them into two groups:
1 Formed by erosion
2 Formed by deposition.
bay
cape
cove
gulf
headland peninsula
cave
stack
stump
beach
dunes
cliff
spit
lagoon
salt marsh
fjord
arch
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