COASTAL EROSION - Waves as Agents of Erosion
Coastlines are locations where land and sea meet. Similar to river channels, the interaction between rock, sediment, and moving water actively shape the landscape. The primary agent of this erosion is SURF - the break of waves onto the shore. The energy involved in this weathering process comes from the wind, which in turn is energized by the sun (wind results from the uneven heating of the earth by the sun). Similar to river channels, shorelines may also be classified as YOUTHFUL, MATURE, OLD-AGE, or REJUVENATED based on the relative amounts of erosion and deposition and the visible features that result from these processes.