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11: Landforms carved by waves

  • Page ID
    42712
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    Overview

    The oceans have a significant impact on the Earth system. Ocean water serves as a reservoir of heat, the source of energy to fuel hurricanes, and constantly sculpts the edges of the continents. Coasts are an interface between the lithosphere and hydrosphere. The erosional and depositional work of ocean water creates spectacular landscapes and habitats for flora and fauna. In this chapter you will investigate the physical properties of oceans and their impact on the physical geography of Earth. 

    Learning Objectives

    Describe the characteristic of water waves and how they travel.

    • Explain how tides form.
    • Identify characteristic coastal landforms created by erosion and deposition.
    • Describe the characteristics of and explain how various coasts are formed.
    • Compare and contrast the various types of reefs.

     

    Thumbnail: Chimney Rock, Point Reyes, CA (Source: Michael Ritter)


    This page titled 11: Landforms carved by waves was last modified on Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:42:43 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Michael E. Ritter (The Physical Environment) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.