How waves shape a coastline
A coastline is never finished. Geology, wave energy and sediment movement continually redraw the boundary between land and sea.
Part of your national curriculum
- Human and physical geography: Understand how geographical processes interact to create distinctive human and physical landscapes that change over time
- Human and physical geography: Understand rivers, coasts and glaciation and the physical processes that give rise to landscapes, and how they change over time
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Understand rivers, coasts and glaciation and the physical processes that give rise to landscapes, and how they change over time
Key learning points
- • Why headlands and bays form
- • Cliffs, caves, arches and stacks
- • Moving sediment
- • Managing change
This lesson at a glance
- 30 minutes
- 19 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 19
Watch first
How waves shape a coastline
Watch waves exploit geology to shape headlands, bays, cliffs and arches.
In a nutshell
Understand rivers, coasts and glaciation and the physical processes that give rise to landscapes, and how they change over time
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 19
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Why headlands and bays form
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 19
Learn
Why headlands and bays form
On a discordant coast, alternating bands of hard and soft rock meet the sea. Softer rock erodes more quickly to form a bay, while harder rock remains as a headland. Wave refraction concentrates energy on headlands and spreads it through sheltered bays.
Reset break
Part 4 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 19
Learn
Cliffs, caves, arches and stacks
Hydraulic action and abrasion enlarge a weakness in a headland into a cave. Continued erosion can break through to form an arch. Weathering and gravity weaken the roof until it collapses, leaving a stack and eventually a low stump.
Quick check
Part 6 of 19
Quick check
Part 7 of 19
Reset break
Part 8 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 19
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Moving sediment
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 19
Learn
Moving sediment
When waves approach at an angle, swash carries sediment diagonally up the beach and backwash pulls it straight downslope. This longshore drift moves material along the coast. Where the coast changes direction, deposition can build a spit with a sheltered salt marsh behind it.
Explore the idea
Part 11 of 19
Learn
Managing change
Sea walls and rock armour protect particular places but are costly and can shift erosion along the coast. Beach nourishment and managed realignment work more closely with natural processes. A sound decision compares cost, lifespan, environmental effects and who benefits.
Reset break
Part 12 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 13 of 19
Challenge round
Part 14 of 19
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 15 of 19
Game · Fill the gaps
Finish the sentences
Choose the word that belongs in each gap.
Beach nourishment and managed realignment work more closely with natural ____.
Reset break
Part 16 of 19
Pause
That's sitting 4 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 17 of 19
Game · Recall cards
Abrasion is…
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 18 of 19
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: How waves shape a coastline
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Abrasion is…
2. Deposition happens when…
3. Attrition affects…
4. Managed retreat is…
Lesson round-up
Part 19 of 19
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
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Points this lesson
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Best run
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Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 19 · Watch & discover
How this is going
- Not looked at yet
Understand how geographical processes interact to create distinctive human and physical landscapes that change over time
- Not looked at yet
Understand rivers, coasts and glaciation and the physical processes that give rise to landscapes, and how they change over time