What process involves the wearing away and breaking up of rock along the coast?

The process that involves the wearing away and breaking up of rock along the coast is primarily identified as coastal erosion. This process is driven by various forces, including waves, currents, and wind, which continuously act on coastal rock formations. These forces can lead to the disintegration of rocks, transportation of sediments, and overall alteration of the coastal landscape.

Coastal erosion is significant because it shapes the coastline over time, leading to features such as cliffs, beaches, and coastal landforms. The action of the waves contributes to this erosion by exerting pressure on the rocks and, over time, removing material from the coast.

In contrast, deposition refers to the accumulation of sediment, often as a result of the processes that may follow erosion, while salt weathering is a specific type of weathering relating to the formation of salt crystals in rock, which breaks it down. Mass wasting involves the movement of soil and rock materials down a slope, but it does not specifically pertain to the coastal environment. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify why coastal erosion is the correct answer to the question.