distinctive landscapes Flashcards
to learn any key facts
What are the 3 types of weathering
mechanical,chemical and biological
What is mechanical weathering?
the chemical composition of rocks while breaking them down physically
How does chemical weathering occur?
a change in the chemical composition of rocks
What is biological weathering?
when living organisms break down rocks
What causes mass movements?
a combination of weathering, erosion, and gravity.
What is a rockfall?
the abrupt crumbling and falling of materials from a cliff face.
What is a slide in terms of mass movements?
when materials move down a slope in a straight line, often due to gravitational forces.
describe a slump in mass movements?
when materials move down a slope in a curved manner
What is erosion, and what natural forces contribute to it?
gradual wearing away of rock by natural forces such as waves or wind
What are the types of erosion that affect coastlines?
hydraulic action, solution, abrasion, and attrition.
What is hydraulic action in erosion?
when the force of waves crashes against a cliff face, causing pieces of rock to break off due to the impact.
How does solution contribute to erosion?
when weak acids in seawater dissolve soluble rocks like chalk and limestone, gradually wearing them away.
What is abrasion in the context of erosion?
waves pick up pieces of material and forcefully scrape or hit them against the sea bed or the side of a cliff.
What is attrition, and how does it contribute to erosion?
different pieces of material carried by waves collide with each other.
What are the main ways water transports sediment according to the Processes of Transportation?
through solution, suspension, saltation, and traction.
What is solution transportation in terms of sediment?
when water dissolves soluble rocks like limestone or chalk, carrying them within the water.
Describe suspension transportation of sediment.
silt, sand, or other materials being held in water without dissolving.
What is saltation in terms of sediment transportation?
small sand and gravel particles bounce along the riverbed or seabed in the direction of the water flow.
Explain traction as a mode of sediment transportation.
when large rocks or particles are dragged along the riverbed or seabed by the current.
What is coastal deposition and why does it occur?
when sediment carried by the sea is deposited on the coastline, typically due to constructive waves breaking on the shore.
How does erosion contribute to coastal deposition?
High erosion levels along the coast result in more rock and sand falling into the ocean, leading to increased deposition on nearby beaches.
Why does river deposition occur?
when sediment carried by a river is deposited, particularly in the middle and lower courses under lower energy conditions
What is soft rock, and what are headlands made of?
rock with numerous cracks and joints, while headlands are composed of resistant rocks with few weaknesses.
How are caves formed in coastal erosion processes?
when cracks, joints, and weaknesses in rocks widen due to processes like hydraulic action, abrasion, or attrition, eventually creating large enough openings within the rock.
Describe the formation of arches along coastlines.
Arches are formed when erosion from one side of a rock progresses through to the other, resulting in the creation of an opening that extends through the rock, forming an arch.
What are stacks, and how are they formed?
Stacks are columns of rock left behind when the top of an arch collapses due to gravity after erosion.
What is coastal deposition, and why does it occur?
when the sea deposits sediment carried by water at the coastline
What factors contribute to increased deposition on coastlines?
Increased erosion on nearby coasts leads to more rock and sand falling into the ocean, thereby increasing deposition on nearby beaches
Why do some beaches have sand while others have shingle?
Sandy beaches have smaller particles than shingle so they create wide beaches whereas shingle are larger particle so harder to transport
