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The character of a coastline is fundamentally determined by its geology — the type, structure and arrangement of rocks. Lithology and geological structure control rock resistance, permeability, jointing patterns and slope stability, which in turn determine how the coast responds to erosional and depositional processes. This lesson examines how geology shapes coastal landscapes at multiple scales.
Key Definition: Lithology refers to the physical and chemical characteristics of a rock, including its mineral composition, grain size, texture, colour and, crucially for coastal geomorphology, its resistance to erosion and permeability.
Different rock types exhibit vastly different resistance to coastal erosion:
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