Final answer:
Erosion by waves leads to the transportation of rock fragments from cliffs into the sea, reshaping the coastline and altering its geological features. The cliff does not extend out further into the sea, nor does it create a smooth slope, and while weathering can round the top, erosion by waves usually creates a more rugged cliff face.
Step-by-step explanation:
Erosion changes the shape of the land by wearing away rocks and soil and transporting the fragments to other locations. In the case of a cliff near the water that has been worn away, the action of erosion most likely means that rocks from the cliff have been moved toward the sea. This wearing away can happen due to the continual crashing of ocean waves against the cliff face, which fractures and breaks off pieces of rock over time. These pieces are then carried away by the waves, smoothing the overall structure of the cliff and carrying sediment and rock debris into the sea.
Wave erosion can lead to the collapse of parts of the cliff, creating a steeper and more irregular cliff face, not a smooth slope towards the beach. Weathering can cause the formation of rounded and smooth surfaces at the top of cliffs, but intense erosion by waves tends to lead to more jagged and rugged features, not smoother ones. The relentless action of waves can significantly alter coastlines, reshaping them and redistributing materials, which impacts the ecology and geography of the area
Over time, conditions like heavy rain, earthquakes, and volcanic activity can exacerbate the effects of erosion by weakening the structural integrity of the cliff, potentially causing larger collapses and further contributing to the transport of rock materials toward the sea.