Sea arches and sea stacks provide evidence of weathering and erosion. In three to five sentences, explain the roles weathering and erosion play in creating these landforms. Please Help
1 answer
Weathering refers to the process of breaking down rocks and minerals into smaller pieces through various processes such as physical weathering (e.g., freeze-thaw cycles) or chemical weathering (e.g., dissolution or oxidation). Erosion, on the other hand, involves the transportation of these weathered materials by agents like water, wind, or ice. In the case of sea arches, weathering weakens and wears away the rock at the base of a headland, creating a hole. Erosion then acts by removing the loose debris, leaving behind an arch. As for sea stacks, weathering and erosion work together to shape a sea arch over time, and eventually, additional weathering and erosion processes cause the collapse of the arch, leaving a freestanding pillar or stack.