Name one feature formed by coastal erosion and with the aid of a labelled diagram, explain how it was formed. - Junior Cycle Geography - Question ii - 2008

A labelled diagram can illustrate the formation of a cliff, showing the coastline, the cliff face, and the action of waves at the base causing erosion.

Cliffs form through a combination of processes, primarily hydraulic action, abrasion, and attrition.

1. Hydraulic Action: When waves crash against the base of the cliff, the force of the water compresses air in the rock cracks, eventually causing the rocks to shatter and break apart.

2. Abrasion: Eroded materials picked up by the waves scrape and wear down the cliff face, contributing further to its erosion over time.

3. Attrition: As the material moves, smaller fragments collide with each other, breaking away into smaller pieces that are more easily carried off by the waves.

These processes work together to gradually undermine the cliff, leading to its eventual collapse, and creating the well-defined coastal feature we observe.