Question 1: Describe the process of erosion that occurs when waves repeatedly hit the base of a cliff, leading to the formation of a wave-cut platform.

Answer: Wave erosion gradually wears away the base of the cliff through hydraulic action and abrasion, causing parts of the cliff to collapse. Over time, this creates a flat, rocky area called a wave-cut platform at the foot of the cliff.

Question 2: Explain the difference between a headland and a bay, including how each is formed.

Answer: A headland is a point of high land that projects into the sea, formed from resistant rock that erodes less quickly. A bay is a coastal inlet with less resistant rock, which erodes more rapidly, creating a sheltered area between headlands.

Question 3: Identify and describe two types of coastal erosion that can create distinctive landforms.

Answer: Hydraulic action, where the force of waves compresses air into cracks in the rock causing it to break apart, and abrasion, where rocks and sediment are thrown against the coast, wearing it away and forming features like cliffs and caves.

Question 4: Describe what a spit is and how it forms along a coastline.

Answer: A spit is a narrow strip of land that extends from the coast into the sea, formed by longshore drift carrying sediments along the coast, which then accumulate when the current slows down.

Question 5: Explain the role of longshore drift in shaping coastal features.

Answer: Longshore drift is the movement of sediment along the coast caused by waves hitting the shoreline at an angle. It transports material along the coast, contributing to the formation of features like spits and beaches.

Question 6: Draw a diagram of a wave approaching the shore, showing the different parts of the wave (e.g., crest, trough) and how the wave changes as it reaches shallow water.

Answer: A correct diagram would show a wave with a high crest and low trough in deep water, becoming steeper and higher as it approaches shallow water, eventually breaking at the shoreline.

Question 7: Sketch a cross-section of a coastal area featuring a headland, a bay, and a stack. Label each feature and indicate which parts are formed by erosion or deposition.

Answer: A detailed cross-section should show resistant rock protruding into the sea as a headland, softer rock eroded to form a bay, and a stack as a pillar of resistant rock isolated from the coast. Labels should identify each feature and note erosion or deposition processes.

Question 8: Describe the process that leads to the formation of a cave, arch, and stack on a coastline.

Answer: Sea caves form when waves erode weaknesses in headlands through hydraulic action and abrasion. Continued erosion can create an arch when a cave erodes completely through a headland. The arch's roof may eventually collapse, leaving a stack—an isolated pillar of resistant rock.

Question 9: Identify three human activities that can impact coastal erosion and explain their effects.

Answer: Construction of sea defenses can prevent erosion but may cause increased erosion elsewhere. Dredging can disturb sediment patterns, reducing natural protection. Building on coastlines can increase vulnerability to erosion by removing natural buffers like dunes.

Question 10: Explain how the process of deposition contributes to the formation of beaches.

Answer: Deposition occurs when waves lose energy and drop the sediments they are carrying, which accumulates along the shoreline to form beaches.