Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments

HKDSE New Interactive Geography

Unit 6 Landform features found at the

coasts
In this unit, we are going to learn…
A. Main concepts
Sea cliff and wave-cut platform
Concept 1
Sea cave
Coastal erosion
Sea arch
Stack
Landform
features at
the coast Beach
Offshore bar
Coastal deposition Spit
Concept 2 Bay-bar
Tombolo

Concept 1:
Landform features
of coastal erosion Definition Formation
(upper course)
1. What are the major landform features of coastal erosion?
Refer to p. 83-86 in your textbook
− Coastal erosion features are usually formed in an environment with strong wave energy.
a. Sea cliff and wave-cut platform
Definition Sea cliff: Wave-cut platform:
A high steep rock face found on the coast A gently sloping rock surface extending from
the base of the sea cliff
Formation

Destructive waves erode Continuous undercutting Waves carry the debris

a notch above the low-tide causes the notch roof to away. A steep sea cliff is
mark via abrasion and collapse and retreat. formed with a platform
hydraulic action. beneath it.
© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 43 Unit 6
 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography
− The coast is a dynamic area that erosional features can be evolved from one to another over a long
period of time:
− The following shows three common examples:
Landform feature /
Formation
Definition
b. Sea cave: A Waves attack the foot of a sea cliff or
passage or tunnel headland.
Headland
extending landwards
formed by waves on a Line of weakness Points of weakness such as joints and
coast cracks are first eroded.

Erosion

The sea cliff or headland is opened

up. Prolonged wave erosion widens the
cracks, forming sea caves.

c. Sea arch: A Prolonged wave erosion causes a sea

wave-eroded passage cave to cut through the headland along
through a headland the line of weakness. A tunnel is
formed.

The tunnel is further eroded by

waves and reduced to only a rock bridge
above it. A sea arch is formed.

d. Stack: An isolated The roof of the arch collapses

rock (part of headland) eventually as its foot is being eroded
that is separated from continuously by waves.
the mainland and is
left in the sea Part of the headland is separated
from the mainland, forming a stack.

© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 44 Unit 6

 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography
1. Identify the landform features caused by coastal erosion below.

? A: Wave-cut platform ? Sea arch ? Stack ? Sea cave

? B: Sea cliff

2. Fill in A to D in the flow chart below to show the evolution of coastal erosional landform features.

Concept 2: Landform features

of coastal deposition Definition Formation

1. What are the major features created by coastal deposition?

Refer to p. 87-91 in your textbook
− Deposition occurs when wave energy decreases, forming different landforms along the coasts:
a. Beach
Definition A strip of land bordering the sea between the high tide and low tide marks, normally
consists of boulders, pebbles or sand
Formation

? Favourable
factors for the
formation:
Constructive
waves
A sheltered Swash brings sediments to the beach
location Less powerful backwash can only return (finer / coarser) grains to the sea
Sorting of sediments takes place: The (finer /coarser) the sediments, the landward
side of the beach they are deposited
© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 45 Unit 6
 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography
b. Offshore bar

Definition A long narrow ridge of deposited sediments lying away from and parallel to a coast

Formation At gently sloping beach, waves

may break at some distance from the
? Favourable coast due to increased friction at
factor for the shallow depth. Deposition occurs.
formation:
Presence of a Backwash drags sediments from
gently slope the beach. A low sand ridge is built
beach up underwater.
Continuous deposition of
sediments causes the sand ridge to
emerge. An offshore bar is formed.

The bar may partially or

completely cut off the coastal water
from the open sea, forming a lagoon.

c. Spit
Definition A long, narrow accumulation of sand with one end linked to the mainland and the
other projected into the sea or across an estuary.
Formation Beach materials are transported along the coast
by longshore drift.
? Favourable
Deposition takes place as wave energy
factors for the
decreases where the coastline changes direction.
formation:
Strong and Longshore drift continues and the accumulation
persistent of sediment extends the spit further into the sea.
longshore drift A spit is formed.
Changes in wind
direction
A bending of A hooked end will develop when the wind
coastline changes direction. A recurved spit is formed.

© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 46 Unit 6

 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography
d. Bay-bar
Definition A long ridge of sand or pebbles running parallel to the coastline across a bay.

Formation

? Favourable
factors for the
formation:
A bay location
A longshore
drift that changes A spit extends from each headland, due to a shift in longshore drift.
direction from Two spits will join over a long period of time, forming a bay-bar.
time to time The bay-bar traps water in a lagoon on the landward side.

e. Tombolo
Definition A narrow piece of land formed when a spit of bar is extended between an offshore
island and the mainland, or between two islands.

Formation

? Favourable
factors for the
formation:
Longshore drift
from different
directions Longshore drifts from A spit develops from The two spits extend
Presence of different directions bring each island gradually. and join together to form
islands sediments to both islands a tombolo at last.

Identify the depositional landform features at the coasts shown in the photos below.

? Spit ? Tombolo ? Offshore bar

© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 47 Unit 6

 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography

Extension How do coastal features in Holderness, England change over space?

Study the information below carefully and answer the questions.

i. Location: ii. Location:

iii. Location: iv. Location:

A. The Holderness Coast in B. Coastal landform features along the Holderness Coast
England

1. a. Identify landforms (i) to (iv) in Fig.B.

(i) Sea cave (ii) Spit (iii) Sea arch (iv) Beach

b. Match the landforms (i) to (iv) in Fig.B with locations to in map A.

c. Draw a series of annotated diagrams to describe the formation of landform feature (iii).
Waves erode the headland along the
lines of weakness via hydraulic action
and abrasion.
The surface is opened up, forming a
sea cave.
The sea cave is widened and
deepened by continuous erosion. It
cuts through the headland along the
→ →
lines of weakness to form a sea arch.

2. Discuss the factors that favour the formation of respective landforms at location .
− The cliffs are made of horizontally-bedded chalk. They are easily eroded by hydraulic action and
abrasion of sea waves
− Calcium carbonate of rocks are easily eroded by solution
− The coast is exposed to the North Sea and subject to intense erosion caused by extensive fetch
© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 48 Unit 6
 Worksheets: C2 Managing river and coastal environments
HKDSE New Interactive Geography

Extension Landform features of coastal deposition

Study the photo below carefully and answer the questions.

A. Landform feature X at the coast

1. a. Name landform feature X.
A spit

b. What is the coastal process that causes its formation?

Coastal deposition

c. List TWO main factors that favour its formation.

Change in coastline direction / Change in wind direction / Persistent longshore drift provides a
continuous supply of sediment

2. Draw an annotated diagram to describe the formation of X.

Longshore drift transports sediments
along the coast. The sediments deposited in
the area where the coastline changes
direction and wave energy decreases. A
curved sand spit is formed.
Longshore drift continues along the
seaward side of the spit, extending it further
into the sea.
When the wind changes direction, a
hooked end (recurved spit) may develop.

3. What landform feature may be developed from X over a long period of time? A bay-bar or a lagoon?
Explain your answer.
− A (bay-bar / lagoon) will be developed from X as the two spits may extend towards each other
and join together.
− A (bay-bar / lagoon) is less likely to be formed because of the absence of headland and bay to
promote its formation.

© Aristo Educational Press LTD. 2014 49 Unit 6