Wave-cut Platforms
Geography: Cambridge International GCSE (2027 Exams), topic 2.2.3
Wave-Cut Platforms
Over time, cliffs are eroded by destructive waves, resulting in the formation of wave-cut platforms. This process is described below:
Stage 1
- Destructive waves are responsible for most of the erosion at the base of cliffs.
- Hydraulic action and abrasion wear away the base of the cliff around the high tide mark.
- Eventually, this erosion causes a wave-cut notch to form.
Stage 2
- Continued erosion of the wave-cut notch causes the rock above it to become less and less stable until it collapses.
Stage 3
- Waves wash away the debris from the cliff collapse.
- The destructive waves begin to erode the cliff, causing a new wave-cut notch to form.
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Stage 4
- As stages 1-3 happen again and again, more debris falls into the ocean and the cliff retreats.
- What is left behind is called a wave-cut platform.
- A wave-cut platform is a flat, gently sloping ledge of rock that extends out into the sea from the base of the cliff.
Test yourself on Wave-cut Platforms
What is left behind after cliffs retreat due to erosion?
Formation of Wave-Cut Platforms