Granite Landscapes (Dartmoor)

Question 1

What is the Tees-Exe line?

Answer 1

The Tees-Exe line is an invisible line that separates the rock types in the UK. Stronger rocks such as granite and limestone are found to the north and west of the line and the weaker rocks such as clay and chalk are found to the south and east of the line

Question 2

Where is Dartmoor?

Answer 2

Dartmoor is located in Devon, south west UK

Question 3

How is granite formed?

Answer 3

Granite is an igneous rock, therefore it is formed by the cooling of magma

Question 4

Why do granite landscapes (Dartmoor) have bogs and reservoirs?

Answer 4

Granite landscapes have bogs and reservoirs because it is an impermeable rock, this means it doesn’t allow water to pass through it

Question 5

What is a tor?

Answer 5

A tor is a landform made of granite. They are huge blocks of granite stacked on top of each other. They are found on top of flat topped moorland plateaus, they are 5-10m high and are surrounded by weathered material known as scree

Question 6

How is a tor formed?

Answer 6

A tor is formed due to mechanical weathering. High rainfall gets into cracks in the granite and freezes, this expands the cracks by 8-10%. However the actual process of the erosion takes a lot longer so the process is repeated over and over. After a while only a stack of granite blocks is left standing surrounded by scree. This is a tor. An exale of a tor is Haytor, Devon

Question 7

List 3 characteristics of a tor

Answer 7

Possible answers:
Combined by joints and bedding planes
Made of granite
Found on top of flat topped moorland plateaus
5-10metres high
Surrounded by scree/a blockfield

Question 8

List 5 land and economic uses of a granite landscape (Dartmoor)

Answer 8

Possible answers:
Good building material (used a lot in Aberdeen and Edinburgh in Scotland)
Decomposed granite is used to create fine china
Granite landscapes offer training ground for the army since they are “bleak”
Granite is impermeable - perfect for reservoirs
Soil is infertile (acidic) - perfect for sheep grazing
Creates scenery (national parks) and encourages tourism
Farmers diversify their businesses (open B&B’s)
Dartmoor prison is located in a granite landscape