headlands and bays

• headlands and bays are an example of erosion
• headland

  a headland is a cliff that juts out into the sea and is surrounded by water on 3 sides
• bay

  a bay is a crescent shaped indent in the coastline found between 2 headlines
• example of headland and bays

  formed on a discordant coastline eg swanage bay lies between the foreland and peveril point (headlands) on the dorset coast
• headland characteristics:

  • composed of hard rock such as granite, chalk or limestone, which are difficult to erode
  • near vertical cliff face jutting out to sea
  • high energy area with destructive waves
  • caves, arches and stacks usually form here
• bay characteristics:

  • softer rock such as sand and clay
  • forms a crescent-shaped beach
  • low energy area with constructive waves
  • 2 headlands mark the edge of the bay
• stage 1

  geology is a discordant coastline with alternating bands of hard and soft rock at right angles to the coast
• step 2

  softer rock is eroded faster than hard rock, creating bays
• stage 3

  headlands are left jutting out as they are eroded slowe
• stage 4

  the bays become sheltered by the headland with less energy, more constructive waves, building up the beach
• stage 5

  the headland is left more vulnerable to erosion due to wave refraction and destructive waves, eroding it faster
• what coastal landform is this?

  headlands and bays

  
• label the diagram

  here

  A) hard rock

  B) soft rock

  C) wave attack

  D) bay

  E) headland