lithology

• Clay:

  • Made up of very fine particles of decomposed rock that stick together
  • The bonds between clay particles can be broken easily, leading to weak bonding
  • When it rains on top of a clay cliff, the cliff gets heavy and collapses entirely
• Basalt:

  • Made of densely interlocking crystals
  • Has a strong lithology, making it a highly resistant rock type
  • Basalt columns can be seen at Reynisfjara beach in Iceland
• Lithology refers to the general physical and chemical characteristics of a rock or the rocks in a particular area

  • It includes the rock type and small scale features seen under a microscope or in a rock specimen
  • Weak lithology in rocks leads to little resistance to erosion, weathering, and mass movement
• Characteristics of limestone and chalk:

  • Fairly strong lithology
  • Made up of calcium carbonate (alkali)
• Cliffs made of limestone and chalk are chemically soluble in weak acids such as rainwater, which attacks the rock through the weathering process of carbonation
• An example of a feature created by the weathering process of carbonation on limestone and chalk cliffs is a wave-cut notch, like Bat's Head in Dorset