Geography Coursework- Coasts

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Geography Coursework- Coasts

There are many group of features shaped by erosion are headlands and bays. Headlands are formed when the sea attacks a section of coast consisting of alternating bands of hard and soft rock.  

Headland and bay: Myrtos Bay, Kefalonia

The bands of soft rock, such as sand and clay, erode more quickly than those of more resistant hard rock, such as chalk. This leaves a section of land jutting out into the sea; this is called a headland. The areas where the soft rock has eroded away, next to the headland, are called bays.  

Coasts where the  alternates between strata (or bands) of hard rocks and soft rocks is called a discordant coastline. Discordant coastlines will have alternating headlands and bays. Concordant coastline is where the rock remains the same along the coastline. Concordant coastlines tend to have less bays and headlands.

Wave cut platform at Southerndown, South Wales

The formation of a wave cut platform

A wave-cut platform, marine terrace, or shore platform is the narrow flat area often seen at the base of a sea cliff caused by the action of the waves. It forms after destructive waves hit against the cliff face, causing undercutting between the high and low water marks, mainly as a result of corrasion and hydraulic power, creating a wave-cut notch. This notch then enlarges into a cave. The waves undermine this portion until the roof of the cave cannot hold due to the pressure and freeze-thaw weathering acting on it, and collapses, resulting in the cliff retreating landward. The base of the cave forms the wave-cut platform as attrition causes the collapsed material to be broken down into smaller pieces, while some cliff material may be washed into the sea. This may be deposited at the end of the platform, forming an off-shore terrace. Where the coastline itself is changing due to seismic action, there may be a series of platforms showing earlier sea levels and indicating the amount of uplift caused by various earthquakes.

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 can create caves, arches and stacks along a headland. Weathering can also help to create these landforms.  

  • Caves occur when the waves force their way into cracks in the cliff face. The water contains sand and other materials that help to grind away at the rock until the cracks become a cave.
  • If the cave is formed in a headland, it may eventually break through forming an arch.
  • The arch will gradually become bigger and bigger until it can no longer support the top of the ...

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