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417 words used in the labs.

Find a term from the labs, understand the process behind it, and see how it appears in the landscape. Each entry connects an explanation with a real observation and a model you can explore.

Stack

An isolated pillar of coastal rock left by erosion and cliff retreat, sometimes after the collapse of a sea arch. Old Harry is chalk; Durdle Door is an arch in limestone.

What to look for

Hvítserkur, Iceland. This isolated coastal rock illustrates a stack, with openings cut through its base.

The isolated rock stack Hvítserkur rises from shallow coastal water in northwestern Iceland.
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Explore further with USGS water glossary · USGS volcano glossary · NPS glacial geology · NASA Earth facts. Photograph acknowledgements are collected on the Image credits page.