Question 1 Report
Fig. 1 shows a field sketch made during a study of a rapidly eroding cliff at Murlough Bay. The cliff is formed from weak shale beneath a harder sandstone cap. Table 1 gives measurements taken from the same section of coast in 2018 and 2025. The class used the figure and table to decide which process was most important.
| Measurement | 2018 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from path to cliff edge | 18 m | 11 m |
| Height of wave-cut notch | 0.4 m | 1.2 m |
| Width of shore platform | 14 m | 17 m |
(a) Which coastal erosion process is most likely to widen cracks in the shale when waves carry sand and pebbles? [1]
(b) Outline how a wave-cut notch can lead to cliff collapse. [2]
(c) Draw a labelled cross-section showing the sea, a wave-cut platform and the sandstone cap above the shale. [2]
(a) Abrasion / corrasion [1] (b) Waves erode a notch at the cliff foot [1]; unsupported rock above becomes unstable and falls by mass movement [1] (c) Award [1] for a recognisable sea and near-horizontal wave-cut platform; [1] for cliff with hard cap over weaker lower rock, labelled appropriately.
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