Why are there bays and headlands

A bay is an inlet of the sea where the land curves inwards, usually with a beach. Hard rock such as chalk is more resistant to the processes of erosion. When the softer rock is eroded inwards, the hard rock sticks out into the sea, forming a headland.

Erosional features such as wave-cut platforms and cliffs can be found on headlands, since they are more open to the waves. Bays are more sheltered with constructive waves which deposit sediment to form a beach.

Cliffs are shaped through erosion and weathering. Soft rock erodes quickly and forms gentle sloping cliffs, whereas hard rock is more resistant and forms steep cliffs. A wave-cut platform is a wide gently-sloping surface found at the foot of a cliff. A wave-cut platform is formed when the following occurs:. Caves, arches, stacks and stumps are erosional features that are commonly found on a headland. On coastlines with alternating soft and hard rock, differential erosion occurs. This means that erosion occurs at different rates.

The soft rock is eroded more quickly than the hard rock. An example of hard rock is sandstone and an example of soft rock is limestone.

The process of the formation of bays and headlands can be seen along the coastline of the Cork and Kerry. Less resistant rock e. A discordant coastline before erosion occurs. The bands of soft rock, such as sand and clay, erode more quickly than those of more resistant rock, such as chalk.

This leaves a section of land jutting out into the sea called a headland. The areas where the soft rock has eroded away, next to the headland, are called bays.

Sandy beaches are often found the sheltered bays where waves lose energy, and their capacity to transport material decreases resulting in material being deposited.

A discordant coastline and the landforms created as the result of different rates of erosion. The image below shows Selwicks Bay at Flamborough. Where the geology alternates between strata bands of soft and hard rock are called discordant coastlines. A concordant coastline is where the same rock runs along the length of the coast. Concordant coastlines tend to have fewer bays and headlands. Along the coastline of Dorset, there are concordant and discordant coastlines. The concordant coastline runs from west to east along the south coast.

The discordant coastline runs from Studland Bay to Durlston Head as the geology changes from clay and sands, to chalk, to clay and sands again to limestone.