Erosion- Coastal Landforms

Question 1

Name 3 features that are caused by erosion

Answer 1

Headlands, bays, wave cut platforms

Question 2

How are headlands and bays formed?

Answer 2

Discordant coastline
Destructive waves attack coastline
Soft rock is eroded creating a bay
Hard rock is not eroded creating a headland
Area is sheltered - slows down waves - deposition - beaches formed
Repeats

Question 3

How are wave cut platforms formed?

Answer 3

Weathering weakens the cliff
Hydraulic action and abrasion create wave cut notch
Notch is eroded further, creating overhang
Overhang collapses due to gravity
Abrasion continues causing cliff to retreat
Fallen rock is exposed at low tide as a wave cut platform

Question 4

How is a coastal stack formed?
Cave, headland etc.

Answer 4

Hydraulic action widens cracks in the cliff
Abrasion forms a wave cut notch
Further abrasion widens notch to form cave
Caves from both sides of headland to form arch
Weather above/erosion below - arch collapses due to gravity
Further weathering/erosion leaves stump