What is the difference between a beach and a coast?
There are definite differences between a beach and a coast so that there is a right and wrong way to use these words. The definition of coast is that it is a place where the land meets with water. The definition of a beach is the shoreline that runs along the edge of a lake, a sea or an ocean.
A beach contains a lot of pebbles, shells, rocks, sand and other particles. On the other hand, a coast is much larger than a beach. It refers to a geographical region, such as the West Coast or the East Coast. There are two types of coasts – sheltered coasts and pelagic coasts. An example of a sheltered coast is the coast along a gulf, but an example of a pelagic coast is one that is on the edge of the ocean.
There are also different types of beaches. A wild beach is one where there are no resorts or hotels and is often called an undeveloped beach. A developed beach is one that has resorts and beaches. There are not mainly wild beaches in the world, but there are some to be found in such countries as Thailand and Indonesia.
There are more types of wildlife to be found on a coast than on a beach. The same thing applies to a wide range of plants that you will find on a coast.
A beach is caused by the action of waves. However it takes a combination of waves, tides and currents to form a coastline. Along with these actions of the water, erosion and deposition also contribute to the formation of a coast. All of these actions make up what is called lithology.
It is the constructive waves that move the material up the beach and the destructive waves that move the material down the beach.
Summary
- A coast is the place where the land meets the sea.
- A beach is the land along the shoreline of a body of water.