Attrition
A process of sediment breakdown where particles collide during wave transport, fracturing and progressively reducing in size as they move along the coast.
Real World
Pebbles on Chesil Beach range from pea-sized gravel at the north-west end to large cobbles near Portland — a direct result of attrition reducing particle size over the 18-mile transport distance.
Exam Focus
Attrition acts on sediment, not bedrock — a common exam error; clarify this distinction explicitly when 'compare erosion processes' is the command word.
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