COASTAL LANDFORMS

 Wave-cut Platform
 Caves
 Arches
 LESSON OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson, a student should be able
to:
Describe and explain the formation of the following
erosional coastal landforms:
Wave-cut platforms
Caves
Arches
Below is the diagram showing a headland
with other erosional features.
Landforms created by waves erosion at the
Coast
 WAVE-CUT PLATFORMS
• A wave-cut platform is an eroded foreshore
lying between the coastal cliff and the sea.
• It has a concave slope and contains
sediments.
• It slopes gently seaward and normally
exposed during low tides.
 
AN IMAGE OF A WAVE-CUT
PLATFORM
WAVE CUT PLATFORM
 FORMATION OF A WAVE-CUT PLATFORM

The waves carve wave-cut notches into cliffs at

a headland .

The notches get deeper and deeper due to

continuous erosion by waves .

At last the overhanging rock breaks-off or

collapses and the debris are carried away .
 FORMATION OF A WAVE-CUT PLATFORM

The process continues and the cliff retreats

leaving a wave-cut platform.

Hydraulic action and abrasion are the main

coastal processes that carve the platform.
 
 COASTAL CAVES
• A cave is a natural cylindrical hollow at the
base of a sea cliff or headland.

• It decreases in width inland .

• It may also contain sea water with occasional

high tides .

• An example is the Flanborough Headcave in

England.
AN IMAGE OF A COASTAL CAVE
 FORMATION OF A COASTAL CAVE
• A cave is formed when the face of a cliff or a
headland is subjected to wave erosion
• through pounding by the sea waves.

• As the waves pound on the cliff surfaces,

compressed air removes the weakened rock
from cliff surfaces to form a notch.
 FORMATION OF A COASTAL CAVE

• Successive wave action hollows out

depressions in a cliff wall and enlarges the
notch to form a cave.
 COASTAL ARCHES
• An arch is natural tunnel through a headland
along an erosional coast .
• It has steep sides.
• It has a curved roof
• It has an entrance and an exit.
• Examples are the Durdle Door at Dorset in
England and Needle Eye near Weak in
Scotland.
AN IMAGE OF AN ARCH
 FORMATION OF AN ARCH
An arch is formed when a headland is
subjected to constant pounding in joints and
fissures by the action of waves along its sides.

The wave action then creates a small hole or a

notch at both sides of the headland.

The notches enlarge into caves.

 FORMATION OF AN ARCH
Caves dug from both sides of the headland
by wave action merge in the mid-point
(portion) to produce tunnel .

Further erosion may widen the tunnel and

eventually leave behind an overlying rock
bridge called a sea arch.
 CLASS ASSIGNMENT 28/09/2022
(1) Describe a Wave-Cut Platform. [3]

(2) Describe a coastal Arch. [3]

(3) Explain how Coastal Aches are formed. [4]