Which coastal process involves material being worn away through collisions with other rock particles?

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The process where material is worn away through collisions with other rock particles is known as attrition. This occurs in a coastal environment where wave action causes rocks and sediments to collide with each other. Over time, these collisions break down the larger particles into smaller, more rounded fragments. As a result, the overall size of the sediments decreases, and the shapes become smoother due to this continuous abrasive action.

In contrast, hydraulic action refers to the force of moving water against rocks, which can create pressure and ultimately lead to erosion, but it does not involve direct collisions between particles. Corrosion, in the context of coastal processes, primarily involves the chemical dissolution of minerals in rocks due to seawater, rather than physical wear from collisions. Hydrolysis is a specific type of chemical weathering that involves the reaction of minerals with water, leading to the alteration of certain rock types, but it is not an abrasion process involving physical collisions.

Thus, the correct identification of attrition as the process involving wear from collisions among rock particles highlights its distinct role in shaping coastal landscapes.

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