Why do headlands form

A wave-cut platform is a wide gently-sloping surface found at the foot of a cliff. A wave-cut platform is formed when the following occurs:. Caves, arches, stacks and stumps are erosional features that are commonly found on a headland.

Erosional landforms The process of erosion can create different landforms along the coastline. Headlands and bays Cliffs along the coastline do not erode at the same pace. Cliffs and wave-cut platforms Cliffs are shaped through erosion and weathering. A wave-cut platform is formed when the following occurs: The sea attacks the base of the cliff between the high and low water mark. The diagram below shows the sequence in the erosion of a headland.

Stage 1 Waves attack a weakness in the headland. Stage 2 A cave is formed. Stage 3 Eventually the cave erodes through the headland to form an arch. Stage 4 The roof of the arch collapses leaving a column of rock called a stack. Stage 5 The stack collapses leaving a stump. Bays and headlands Headlands form along coastlines in which bands of soft and hard rock outcrop at right angles to the coastline see image below. The process of erosion which occurs during this formation includes hydraulic action, attrition, and various types of weathering.

Continuous attacking of the materials and waves from the ocean on the cliff will cause soft rock erosion, thus leaving some parts of the land protruding. The bay forms in places where less resistant rocks or soft rocks like clay and sands have eroded leaving a band of more resistant rocks like granite, limestone, and chalk where headlands form. Wave refraction, which occurs on the headland, concentrates wave energy on the land, and this leads to the creation of stacks, natural arches, and caves.

During the formation of a sea cliff, wave erosion weakens the unique slopes of the coastline which then retreats towards the land. This tends to accelerate the shear stress on the cliff-forming materials while increasing mass movement.

The debris which collects at the bottom of the cliff during the landslides is removed by the water wave when there is a strong storm. The debris is deposited in a nearby bay by the longshore current to form the sediment. The joints on the headland are usually eroded back to create a cave, which can erode further to create arches. Caves are formed by erosion and weathering of the band of hard rocks on the already formed headland.

The caves form when the waves go through the cracks on the cliff face. The water contains various soft rocks and sand which will grind at the rocks until the initial crack turns into a cave. If a cave is formed on the headland, it might break through to the other side thus creating an arch. Where erosion excavates enough material along joint or bedding plane , a steep-sided inlet may be formed called a geo. The video below shows a geo at North Landing, Flamborough. View the coasts menu.

Landforms of erosion There is a range of landforms of erosion found along the coast. Headlands and bays Headlands and bays most commonly form along discordant coastlines. A cave at Selwicks Bay, Flamborough. A sea arch at Selwicks Bay, Flamborough. Stack at Selwicks Bay Flamborough. A geo at Flamborough A geo formed behind an arch at Flamborough.

Search for:. Drainage Basin Hydrological System. Coastal Landforms of Deposition. Landforms of Erosion. Sub-Aerial Processes.