Erosional Landforms

Question 1

Cliffs are a …between land and sea

Answer 1

Drop in height

Question 2

Cliff definition

Answer 2

Drop in height between land and sea

Question 3

Wave cut platforms are a…

Answer 3

Gently sloping platform at the foot of the cliff that are usually exposed at low tide

Question 4

Wave cut platforms are a….platform at the base of the cliff that are usually exposed at low tide

Answer 4

Gently sloping

Question 5

Wave cut platforms are a gently sloping platform at the…of the cliff and are usually exposed at…

Answer 5

Base
Low tide

Question 6

Process of wave cut platform formation

Answer 6

1) Sea attacks base of cliff between low and high tide mark
2) overtime it is eroded by hydraulic action and abrasion leading to a wave cut notch forming
3) The wave cut notch grows in size as the cliff continues to be undercut until eventually the unsupported cliff above it collapses due to gravity (mass movement)
4) The fallen debris from the collapsed cliff initially protects the foot of the cliff from further erosion until it’s broken down by attrition and abrasion and carried away
5) This whole process repeats overtime causing the cliff to retreat inland and a gently sloping platform of rock (wave cut platform) underneath where the wave cut notches would’ve been is left behind.
6) As the wave cut platform grows it causes the waves to break further out at sea which dissipates the wave energy and reduces the rate of erosion.
7) This limits the wave cut platform approximately 500m from the sea

Question 7

Why does the wave cut platform eventually stop growing in size (usually it grows to a maximum of 500m out to sea)

Answer 7

The wave cut platform causes the waves to break further out to sea which dissipates the wave energy and reduces the rate of erosion on the cliff

Question 8

The wave cut platform eventually stops growing in size because the waves are forced to break …(where) which ..the wave energy and reduces the rate of…on the cliff

Answer 8

Further out at sea
Dissipates
Erosion

Question 9

True or false, wave cut platforms keep growing forever

Answer 9

False
They usually grow to a maximum of 500m out to sea as the wave cut platform starts to force the waves to break further out at sea which dissipates the wave energy and reduces the rate of erosion on the cliff

Question 10

Wave cut platforms usually grow to a maximum of…m out to sea

Answer 10

500m
(As they start to force the waves to break further out at sea which dissipates the wave energy and reduces the rate of erosion on the cliff)

Question 11

For wave cut platforms, after the wave cut notch is formed and grows, eventually the unsupported cliff above it collapses due to gravity (mass movement)

Why does this mass movement initially reduce the rate of erosion and formation of another wave cut notch

Answer 11

The fallen debris from the collapsed cliff initially stays at the foot of the cliff and protects it- instead of the cliff being eroded it’s the fallen cliff debris in front that gets eroded
(Until it is broken down by attrition and abrasion and carried away)

Question 12

During the formation of caves/ arches/ stacks/ stumps, when 2 caves are aligned on either side of the headland, the destructive waves may cut through forming an…

Answer 12

Arch

Question 13

In order for an arch to form, 2 caves must be…on either side of the headland

Answer 13

Aligned
(So that the waves can cut through)

Question 14

In order for an arch to form, 2 … must be aligned on either side of the headland so that the waves can cut all the way through

Answer 14

Caves

Question 15

Cracks at the base of the headland develop into a…and then are further deepened into a cave

Answer 15

Wave cut notch

Question 16

A…is a narrow, steep inlet in the cliff/ headland where a crack or joint has been widened

Answer 16

Geo

Question 17

A geo is a…, …. inlet in the cliff/ headland where a crack has been widened

Answer 17

Narrow
Steep sided

Question 18

A geo is a….

Answer 18

Narrow, steep sided inlet in the cliff/ headland where a crack has been widened

Question 19

How are geos formed (narrow, steep sided inlets in the cliff/ headland where a crack has widened)

Answer 19

Geos are formed in headlands where weak points in the cliff face (e.g joints and faults) are eroded more quickly than the surrounding resistant rock e.g by hydraulic action/ abrasion.

Over time these weak points are gradually worn away until a narrow, steep sided inlet is formed in the cliff

Question 20

Describe formation of blowholes

Answer 20

Blowholes are formed in headlands where erosion (e.g hydraulic action and abrasion) occurs vertically upwards through a cave and vertical joints above the cave are weathered.
Overtime as more erosion and weathering occurs, the cave and widened vertical joints connect so that a clear ‘channel’ is formed where water can pass through the cliff up to the ‘pot hole’ at the top where it explodes out of during a storm and then retreats back down

Question 21

A…is a ‘pothole’ at the top of the cliff which has been formed by vertical erosion of a cave and weathering of vertical joints that overtime have joined together to create a channel which water can move up through and explode out of during a storm

Answer 21

Blowhole