Coastal landforms

Question 1

The process of _______ can create different landforms along the coastline.

Answer 1

Erosion

Question 2

Cliffs along the coastline do not erode at the same pace.
When a stretch of coastline is formed from different types of rock, __________ and _____ can form.

Answer 2

Headlands, bays.

Question 3

Bands of ____ rock such as clay and sand are _______ and therefore they can be eroded quickly.

Answer 3

Soft, weaker.

Question 4

How are bays formed.

Answer 4

When soft rock such as clay and sand erodes quicker

Question 5

What is a bay.

Answer 5

A bay is an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward, usually with a beach.

Question 6

How are headlands formed?

Answer 6

Hard rock such as slate is more resistant to the processes of erosion. When the softer rock is eroded inwards, the hard rock sticks out into the sea, forming a headland.

Question 7

What erosional features can be found on headlands?

Answer 7

Wave-cut platforms and cliffs.

Question 8

Bays are more sheltered with ___________ waves which deposit sediment to form a beach.

Answer 8

Constructive

Question 9

How are cliffs formed?

Answer 9

Cliffs are shaped through erosion and weathering. Soft rock erodes quickly and forms gentle sloping cliffs. Hard rock is more resistant and forms steep cliffs.

Question 10

What is a wave-cut platform?

Answer 10

A wave-cut platform is a wide gently-sloping rocky surface found at the foot of a cliff.

Question 11

How is a wave cut platform formed?

Answer 11

The sea attack the base of the cliff between the high / low water mark.
A wave-cut notch is formed by erosional processes such as abrasion and hydraulic action, (a dent in the cliff usually at the level of high tide).
As the notch increases in size, the cliff becomes unstable and collapses, leading to the retreat of the cliff face.
The backwash carries away the eroded material, leaving a wave-cut platform.
The process repeats. The cliff continues to retreat.

Question 12

Caves, arches, stacks and stumps are erosional features that are commonly found on a __________

Answer 12

Headland

Question 13

What is the order of the formation of cracks, caves, arches, stacks and stumps?

Answer 13

1 Crack
2 Cave
3 Arch
4 Stack
5 Stump

Question 14

How are cracks formed?

Answer 14

Cracks are formed in the headland through the erosional processes of hydraulic action and abrasion.

Question 15

How are caves formed?

Answer 15

As the waves continue to grind away at the crack, it begins to open up to form a cave.

Question 16

How are arches formed?

Answer 16

The cave becomes larger and eventually breaks through the headland to form an arch.

Question 17

What and how is a stack made?

Answer 17

The base of the arch continually becomes wider through further erosion, until its roof becomes too heavy and collapses into the sea, leaving a stack (an isolated column of rock)

Question 18

How are stumps made?

Answer 18

The stack is undercut at the base until it collapses to form a stump.

Question 19

How is a beach formed

Answer 19

Formed when material that has been transported and deposited builds up along the coastline

Question 20

What is transportation

Answer 20

The movement of sand, sediment, and pebbles along the coast. This can be by wave action or the wind

Question 21

What is a spit

Answer 21

A long narrow ridge of sand or shingle, one end is attached to the land whilst the other extends to sea

Question 22

What is deposition

Answer 22

When sediment is dropped somewhere else on the coastline

Question 23

What is a bar?

Answer 23

A ridge of sand or shingle across the entrance of a bay or river mouth. Freshwater is trapped behind it to form a lagoon

Question 24

What is longshire drift

Answer 24

Longshire drift is the process where material is transported along the coast. It involves the direction of wind, creating waves which approach the coastline at right angles. Due to gravity, sediment is picked up by the backswash and is then transported, in the direction of the wind, and deposited again with the swash, somewhere elsewhere on the coastline. This happens in a zig zag movement.