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Question from Derell |
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Ask a Teacher - Geography - Physical - A Question from Derell |
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| Student Name |
Derell |
| Question |
How does the sea erode away headlands?
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| Answer |
Like other agents of erosion, waves can erode soft rocks more quickly than they can erode hard rocks. Headlands receive the full fury of the waves and as the waves pound against all sides it erodes the weakest parts, usually places with cracks that the water can force its way in and by corrosion and hydraulic action makes the cracks wider. This continues to make a small cave which grows over time. The same is happening on both sides of the headland and the caves can join up to produce and arch. As the erosion continues the roof of the arch becomes unstable and collapses to form an isolated pillar of rock off the headland called a stack, which in time will collapse as the waves erode the base.
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