Cliffs
Coastal cliffs are steep slopes or vertical rock faces formed by wave erosion and weathering. They represent areas where marine erosion is active and outpaces sediment deposition.
Real World
The chalk cliffs at Beachy Head, East Sussex, rise 162 metres and retreat rapidly because chalk's vertical joint pattern allows hydraulic action and abrasion to undercut the base quickly, triggering mass failure.
Exam Focus
Link cliff profile shape to rock type when 'explain variations in cliff form' is asked — examiners expect geology, not just wave energy, as a factor.
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