The document defines various coastal landforms and processes. It describes features such as alluvium, arches, atolls, bays, beaches, berms, blowholes, caves, cliffs, and reefs. It also explains coastal erosion processes like attrition and the formation of sand. Coastal defenses like armour blocks and beach nourishment are also defined.

1. alluvium
Any material (usually silt, gravel and
sand) deposited by a river or the sea.

2. arch
A curved 'bridge' of rock created by the
continued erosion of a cave, eventually
breaking through the headland.
Durdle Door
Dorset

3. armour blocks
Large boulders which are piled on
a beach to reduce erosion.

4. atol
Low islands found in tropical oceans, usually
formed from the remnants of subsided extinct
volcanoes and covered with coral growth.

5. attrition
A type of erosion caused by rock particles rubbing
together as they are pushed around by the sea.
Particles of rock become smaller and smaller until
sand is produced and deposited on the beach.

6. backwash
Seawater moving down the beach,
to return to the sea.
backwash

7. backwash
Seawater moving down the beach,
to return to the sea.
backwash

8. barrier beach
A beach created by a spit reaching across
a shallow bay, e.g. Chesil Bank, Dorset.

9. barrier
reef
An extended area of
coral reefs formed in
shallow tropical seas
where the water
temperature remains
above 18ºC. Great Barrier Reef

10. bay
A wide recess in the line of the
coast between headlands.

11. beach
An area of mud, sand, shingle or
pebbles along the coastline.

12. beach nourishment
Replacing the beach material,
lost through erosion.

13. berm
Ridges of sand or shingle on the beach,
formed by successive wave action. The
highest result from storm waves.
berm

14. blow hole
A hole in a cliff through which air escapes.
It is created by strong air pressure pushing
against a weak cave roof.

15. boulder
A large stone or rock usually
detached from its origin.

16. break
The falling of the crest of a wave.

17. breaker
A large mass of turbulent water causing
erosion of the shore, resulting from the
breaking of large waves.

18. cave
A large hollow cavity at the foot of
a cliff, caused by water erosion.
Fingal's Cave in Staffa.

19. chalk
A soft, white, fine-grained limestone
which is prone to coastal features such as
caves, arches, blowholes and stacks.

20. clay
A fine-textured sedimentary rock
formed from tiny particles.

21. cliff
A steep rock face caused by the
eroding effect of waves.

22. coast
The narrow area where the
land meets the sea.