Geomophic Processes / Landscape

Question 1

Geomorphic

Answer 1

Relating to the form of landscape and other natural features

Question 2

Three areas that have important impacts on Geomorphic processes

Answer 2

• climate
• geology
• human activity

Question 3

What is weathering?

Answer 3

The breaking down of rocks in situ (in one place)

this affects the surrounding area which in turn affects the process.

Question 4

Mechanical (Physical) weathering

Answer 4

Freeze thaw weathering (Frost shattering)
- prominent in the UK
Exfoliation (onion skin weathering)
- from the heat so found more in desert areas.

Question 5

Chemical weathering

Answer 5

Geology will affect it as some rocks are more susceptible and will be affected more.
Acid rain is often a cause for chemical weathering.

Question 6

Biological weathering

Answer 6

This is, perhaps, less significant. Plant roots grow in rocks and break them up. Sometime burrowing animals can have an affect.

Question 7

Solution/Corrosion

Answer 7

Acid water eroding coastlines

Question 8

Hydraulic Action

Answer 8

Water forces into crack, gets pushed in, crack expands etc.

Can happen if air is forced in too.

Question 9

Attrition

Answer 9

More for the sediment and load as they hit each other and this makes the peddles smooth.

Question 10

Corrasion/Abrasion

Answer 10

Load and sediment in the water erodes the bed like sand paper.

Question 11

Glacial erosion

Answer 11

Abrasion

Plucking (freeze thaw weathing weakens the rock then the glacier plucks it away.

Question 12

Solution (Transportation)

Answer 12

Minerals are dissolved in the water and carried along.

Question 13

Suspension

Answer 13

Fine material carried along in the water.

Question 14

Saltation

Answer 14

Small pebbles and stones bounce along the river bed.

Question 15

Traction

Answer 15

Large boulders and rocks are rolled along the river bed.

Question 16

Constructive waves

Answer 16

Strong swash and weak backwash.
Low frequency.
Wave energy dissipates over a wide area.

Question 17

Destructive waves

Answer 17

Big, strong waves when the wind is powerful and has been blowing for a long time.
Energy is high and the wave has travelled over a long fetch.
Stronger backwash than swash.

Question 18

Longshore drift

Answer 18

Due to the wind the waves come in sideways, then go out straight. This causes the beach material to be pushed up the beach.
Demonstration of transportation. But leaves the coastal areas open to erosion.

Question 19

Supraglacial

Answer 19

Glacial transportation on top of the glacier.

Question 20

Englacial

Answer 20

Transportation inside the glacier.

Question 21

Subglacial

Answer 21

Transportation under the glacier.

Question 22

Deposition

Answer 22

Material that was being transported is dropped.

Question 23

Headlands and Bays

Answer 23

Formed based on rock types.
Hard rock is not eroded as easily as soft rock, which means they stick out into the sea causing cliff, whereas, soft rock is eroded faster and forms bays.

Question 24

Glacial landforms

Answer 24

Tend to form together.
Corries, Aretes and Pyramidal peaks.
Glaciers form and carve out the side (corries) leaving a jaged sticking up summit with little material around it (pyramidal peak).
Arete = sharp mountian ridge.

Question 25

Meanders

Answer 25

Happens in a lateral erosion period, with both erosion and deposition.
Rivers try to take the fastest route but if they hit an obstacle like hard rock, they will start to bend around it.
The outside bend will have the fastest flow so erode and the inside bend will be slower, leading to deposition.

Question 26

Jurassic Coast, Dorset examples

Answer 26

Old harrys rock

• Headland of chalk
• Cave - arch (less vulnerable to erosion but more vulnerable to weathering)
• stack (old harry - vulnerable to sea on all sides)
• stump (old harrys wife)

Lulworth cove
- Coastal and fluvial erosion

Durdle door

Chesil beach

• Tombolo
• Constructive waves
• Deposited by size = sediment sorting process

Question 27

River Derwent, Cumbria examples

Answer 27

Meanders at cockermouth

Taylor gill force 
- Waterfall 
- Hard rock over soft rock 
- Erodes soft rock rapidly 
= overhang and plunge pool 
= overhang eventually drops off + causes more erosion 

Floodplains, Workington
- Usually fertile + flat