Which of the following landforms are produced on coastal area by wave erosion?

The correct answer is Sea cliff, Bay, Sea caves, Sea stacks.

Key Points

• Landforms produced in the coastal areas by wave erosion
• Cliffs: Cliffs are common on the high rocky coasts
  • At the foot of such cliffs, there may be a flat or gently sloping platform covered by rock debris derived from the sea cliff behind
• Terrace: Platforms occurring at an elevation above the average height of waves is called wave-cut terrace
• Sea-cave: When the upper part of a coastal rock is hard and the lower part is soft, the erosion will not be uniform.
  • The lower part erodes easily which results in the formation of a hollow part
  • This hollow part, by frequent wave action, gradually develops into a sea cave
• Sea arches: Sea arches are also formed in the same manner
• Sea stacks: Sea stacks are nothing but the isolated standing rocks in the sea which were once a part of the cliff
• Stumps: Small underwater stacks are known as stumps

Additional Information

• Depositional Landforms produced in the coastal areas by wave 
• Beaches: Beaches are characteristics of shorelines that are dominated by deposition.
  • Beaches are temporary features that are made up of sand-sized materials.
• Sand dunes: Sand dunes are formed just behind the beaches as long ridges parallel to the coastline.
• Bars: Bars are deposits of sand and gravel laid down by waves and currents which separate the shoreline from the sea.
  • They act as a barrier between the mainland and the sea.
• Spit: When one end of such bar is attached to the coast and the other extends into the sea, it is called a spit.
• Tombolo: Tombolo is a deposition landform in which an island is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of lands such as a spit or bar.
• Lagoon: Sometimes due to the deposition of waves and currents, both ends of the bar join to enclose a part of seawater between the coast and the bar. This enclosed part of the sea forms a lake of saline water called a Lagoon.
  • A lagoon is generally connected with the sea through a narrow passage.
  • Chilika and Pulicat lakes are examples of Lagoon Lake.