Beach vs Coast
The difference between beach and coast is in the region that we are referring to with regard to a body of water. So, beach and coast are two words that have to be used carefully with the knowledge as to how to use them. This is because of the fact that there are some notable differences between a coast and a beach. A coast is a place where land meets the sea. A beach, on the other hand, is the land area along the shoreline of an ocean or a sea. This is the big difference between coast and beach. Let us see what more we can find out about beach and coast.
What is a Coast?
Coast is a place where the land meets the sea. This does not mean that only the place where the sea and land meets is the coast. In fact, the whole area near the sea is known as the coast. For example, think of an island. An island is a geographical area that is completely surrounded by an ocean or any type of water body. Around the island, the whole area that is closest to the water body is known as the coast. A coast often refers to the geographical areas such as West Coast, East Coast of the United States. Thus, you can still be in the coast without being very near the water.
There are two main types of coasts; namely, sheltered coast and pelagic coast. The sheltered coast is normally seen in a gulf or in a bay whereas pelagic coast is seen at the front of the ocean. You can find more animals and plants living across the coastlines than across the beaches. When it comes to the formation of a coast, there is an interesting fact. Waves, tides, and currents jointly cause the formation of a coast. They cause the coast by mean of erosion and deposition. Thus, it can be said that the formation of coasts is mainly powered by lithology.
What is a Beach?
A beach, on the other hand, is the land area along the shoreline of an ocean or a sea. So, this means that the beach is an area where the ocean water comes and washes the ground. As a result, the beach is a storehouse of various kinds of particles such as pebbles, shells, rocks, gravel, and sand.
It is important to know the way a beach is formed. A beach is said to be the result of wave action. Material is moved up the beach by means of constructive waves whereas, material is moved down the beach by means of destructive waves.
One of the main types of beach is the wild beach. It is the beach that does not have resorts and hotels nearby. That is why they are sometimes called undeveloped beaches. Developed beaches have resorts and hotels around them. It is interesting to note that wild beaches are mostly seen in places like Thailand and Indonesia.
Some other interesting types of beaches are volcanic beaches and coral beaches. Volcanic beaches are found in areas that have volcanoes. Usually, volcanic beaches, as they are made of the lava that made its way into the ocean from the volcano, are jet-black. However, some volcanic beaches are green because of the mineral composition. Coral beaches are those beautiful white and powdery beaches that are very common in Caribbean islands. These beaches are so white because they are made of the exoskeletons of very small animals known as the corals.
What is the difference between Beach and Coast?
Definitions of Beach and Coast:
Coast: Coast is the place where land meets the sea.
Beach: Beach is the land area along the shoreline of an ocean or a sea.
Characteristics of Beach and Coast:
Formation:
Coast: Waves, tides, and currents jointly cause the formation of a coast.
Beach: A beach is said to be the result of wave action.
Types:
Coast: There are two types of coast as sheltered coast and pelagic coast.
Beach: There are several types of beaches such as wild beach, volcanic beach, and coral beach.
As you can see, both beach and coast are not one and the same. However, they are both very beautiful places that we need to protect.
Images Courtesy:
- The coast nearby Marina di Camerota by CC BY 3.0)
- Hyams Beach at Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia by CC BY-SA 3.0)
