Wave-cut Platform
A near-horizontal rock surface formed at the cliff base through concentrated mechanical and chemical erosion. The platform widens as the cliff recedes, creating a gentle slope extending into shallow water.
Real World
The wave-cut platform at Southerndown in South Wales extends over 300 metres at low tide, exposing Jurassic limestone beds smoothed flat by centuries of abrasion from wave-driven pebbles.
Exam Focus
For 'explain the formation' questions, always include the notch-collapse cycle and state that the platform widens as the cliff retreats landward.
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