Living in the UK Today - LOUK

Question 1

What are the Characteristics of lowland landscapes?

Answer 1

• Lowland areas are not very high above sea level.
• They are flat
• They tend to be formed of sedimentary rocks like sandstones and clays
• They experience milder temperatures and less rainfall.

Question 2

What are the characteristics of upland landscapes?

Answer 2

• Upland areas are high above sea level.
• They are often (but not always) mountainous.
• They usually consist of igneous rocks, and experience lower temperatures, high rainfall, and are windy.

Question 3

What are the characteristics of glaciated landscapes?

Answer 3

• U-Shaped valleys
• cirques
• drumlin fields

Question 4

How as the UK climate in the past affected how our landscapes look today?

Answer 4

• In England there is sandstone which is present in some lowland areas and is only deposited if the area has had a hot desert climate. This tells us that in the past England had a hot desrt climate
• In the UK granite is found in upland areas. Granite is formed within the Earth and then it is exposed because of erosion which tells us that the UK was once an active volacanic area

Question 5

How are waterfalls formed?

Answer 5

• A waterfall is a sudden drop along the river course. It forms when there are horizontal bands of resistant rock (hard rock) positioned over exposed, less resistant rock (soft rock).
• The soft rock is eroded quicker than the hard rock and this creates a step.
• As erosion continues, the hard rock is undercut forming an overhang.
• Abrasion and hydraulic action erode to create a plunge pool.
• Over time this gets bigger, increasing the size of the overhang until the hard rock is no longer supported and it collapses.
• This process continues and the waterfall retreats upstream.
• A steep-sided valley is left where the waterfall once was. This is called a gorge.

Question 6

How are V-shaped valleys formed?

Answer 6

When a river is near its source, it often develops a V-shaped valley as the river erodes down (vertical erosion).

Question 7

How are floodplains formed?

Answer 7

• A floodplain is an area of land which is covered in water when a river bursts its banks.
• Floodplains form due to both erosion and deposition.
• Erosion removes any interlocking spurs, creating a wide, flat area on either side of the river.
• During a flood, material being carried by the river is deposited as the river loses its speed and energy to transport material.
• Over time, the height of the floodplain increases as material is deposited on either side of the river.

Question 8

How are levees formed?

Answer 8

Levees are formed by the repeated flooding of the river. When the river floods, the biggest, most coarse material will be deposited close to the river banks. This will continue to build up the levee over time.

Question 9

How are meanders and oxbow lakes formed?

Answer 9

• As the river erodes laterally, to the right side then the left side, it forms large bends, and then horseshoe-like loops called meanders.
• The force of the water erodes and undercuts the river bank on the outside of the bend where water flow has most energy due to decreased friction.
• On the inside of the bend, where the river flow is slower, material is deposited, as there is more friction.
• Over time the horseshoe become tighter, until the ends become very close together. As the river breaks through, and the ends join, the loop is cut-off from the main channel. The cut-off loop is called an oxbow lake.