Revising Coastal Landforms
You need to know about these coastal landforms;
Erosion Landforms
1. Bays and Headlands
2. Caves arches, stacks and stumps
3. Wave cut platforms
Depositional Landforms
1. Beaches
2. Spits and bars
Most commonly in the exam you will get a 4 mark question on how
one of these features is formed such as “explain the formation of
Headlands and Bays.” (2011)
The mark scheme for this question was:
Level 1 Basic (1-2 marks)
Simple points – will have partial explanation.
Sequence is partial.
There
are headlands that stick out. These are eroded slower than the bays that are
set back from the rest of the coastline.
Level 2 Clear (3-4 marks)
Points are developed and linked.
Geographical terminology used.
Complete
sequence and reference to process as explanation is to the fore.
The coast is
composed of two different rock types. Bands of alternating hard and soft
rock are found at right angles to the coast. The hard rock is more resistant to
erosion and so sticks out from the line of the coast to form headlands. In
contrast, the softer rock is more easily eroded by hydraulic action – the sheer
force of the water and abrasion – where pebbles are thrown at the coast.
These areas form bays that are set back from the coast.
So the way to get better and full marks is to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Have the sequence (order) correct
Explain as well as describe the way the landform is made
Use key words
Try to give an example (even if you aren’t asked for one)
To help you gain top marks in such questions we have designed these
revision aids for each of the landforms you need to know about.
Simply arrange these statements into the correct order. When you go
in to the exam you should be confident that you know how to explain
how any of these has been formed.
Bays and Headlands
1/ More resistant rock (e.g.
chalk) erodes more slowly
2/ There are alternating bands of
more and less resistant rock
facing the coast
3/ Some rocks are more resistant 4/ Less resistant rock (e.g. clay)
to erosion than others
is eroded more quickly
5/ This is then left sticking out to
see to form a headland
6/ This forms a bay
7/ The eroded material from the 8/ (mention a type of erosion and
headland and can get transported transportation at the correct
in here and form a beach
places)
Example: Swanage bay and Old Harry’s rocks
Caves, arches, stacks and stumps
1/ Waves crash into the
headlands and expand the cracks
2/ Continued erosion deepens
the cave until it forms and arch.
3/ The arch also get eroded till it
collapses forming a stack
4/ Headlands are made of more
resistant rocks, but still have
cracks and weaknesses in them
6/ Waves undercut the arch until
it collapses to leave a stump
5/ Repeated expansion of the
cracks causes a cave to form.
7/ What part of this process is
similar to wave cut platform
formation?
8/ mention hydraulic action and
abrasion at the right place)
An example of an Arch is ‘Durdle Door’, a stack is ‘Bats head’ and a
stump is called ‘the blind cow’ (all from Lulworth trip)
Wave Cut Platforms
1/ Once it is unprotected again
the sea erodes and another wave
cut notch is created.
3/ This undercuts the rock above
which becomes unstable and
collapses
5/ Repeated collapses causes cliff
retreat
7/ This causes a wave cut notch
to appear
2/ A wave cut platform is created.
This is normally only visible at
low tide
4/ Waves cause most erosion
between high tide and low tide
marks at the foot of the cliff
6/ The collapsed material
temporarily protects the cliff but
is transported away
8/ When might abrasion most
likely occur? What other types or
erosion might take place?
Beaches
1/ Because the constructive wave
runs out of energy after their
swash. Material therefore gets
deposited on the beach
3/ Constructive waves have a
strong swash but a weak
backwash
5/ Sandy beaches are flatter as
sand is light and can be
transported back down the beach
7/
2/ That means material is
transported up the beach but not
back down
4/ Shingle beaches are steeper as
shingle is heavier and cannot be
transported back down the beach
6/
8/ (mention types of
transportation)
Spits
(spits are just beaches that stick out into the sea)
1/ The spit protects the area
behind from waves
2/ Long shore drift transports
material along the beach
3/ Prevailing wind creates Long
shore drift.
4/ Less wind means less energy
in the waves and so material
continues to be deposited
6/ This deposited material builds
out to sea forming a spit.
5/ A change in direction of the
coastline can create an area
sheltered from the wind
7/ Where there are no waves lots 8/ This protected area can
more material collects and plants eventually become a mud flat or
can grow
salt marsh
9/ (mention types of
transportation and reasons for
deposition)
An example is Hurst Spit in Hampshire or Spurn Head on the
Holderness Coast
Bars
A bar is when a spit grows long enough to join up two headlands
1/ A lagoon is created behind the 2/ It grows across the whole bay
bar
3/ The spit develops