Competence (geology)

In geology, competence refers to the degree of resistance of rocks to deformation or flow.

Competent rocks are more commonly exposed at outcrops as they tend to form upland areas and high cliffs, or headlands where present on a coastline.

Incompetent rocks tend to form lowlands and are often poorly exposed at the surface.

Incompetent beds tend to deform more plastically, although it is the competence contrast between different rocks that is most important in determining the types of structure that are formed.

Crystal plasticity becomes more important as the temperature increases, and the relative deformability of individual minerals controls the competence of particular rock units.