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Geography 🌎 > P1 SC UK Physical Landscapes > Flashcards

P1 SC UK Physical Landscapes Flashcards

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1
Q

What is relief?

A

Relief describes the physical features of the landscape. Includes:
Height above sea level
Steepness of slopes
Shape of landforms

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2
Q

To the north and west are the ___ of England, Wales and Scotland
More ___ rocks such as ___ are found here

A

Uplands
Resistant
Granite and slate

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3
Q

South and east are the ___ of central and southern England
___ rocks such as ___ form low-lying ___ and rolling landscapes

A

Lowlands
Weaker
Clay and limestone
Plains

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4
Q

Landscapes result from…

A

The interaction between natural and physical factors

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5
Q

Most rivers have their source in…

A

Mountains or hills

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6
Q

The River Severn has its source in ___, is joined by the River ___ and flows into ___

A

The Cambrian Mountains, Wales
Avon
The Bristol Channel

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7
Q

How do waves form?

A

Wind blowing over the sea
Friction w surface of water causes ripples that develop into waves

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8
Q

What is the fetch?

A

Distance that wave-generating winds blow across the water

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9
Q

The longer the fetch…

A

The bigger the wave

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10
Q

What happens when waves reach the coast?

A

Circular orbit in open water
Friction with seabed distorts circular motion
Increasingly elliptical orbit as water is shallower, crest of wave moves faster
Wave breaks and collapses onto beach

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11
Q

Water returning to the sea is called…

A

Backwash

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12
Q

Water rushing up the beach is called…

A

Swash

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13
Q

What are the two types of wave

A

Constructive
Destructive

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14
Q

Constructive waves are formed by…

A

Storms hundreds of km away

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15
Q

Constructive waves are common at what time of year?

A

Summer

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16
Q

What are characteristics of constructive waves?

A

Low waves, crests far apart
Gently sloping wave front
Gently sloping beach
Waves push sand and pebbles up beach - “constructing” it

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17
Q

Destructive waves are formed by…

A

Local storms close to the coast

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18
Q

Destructive waves are common at what time of year?

A

Winter

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19
Q

What are characteristics of destructive waves?

A

Waves close together
Waves high + steep, plunge onto beach
Steep beach
Little forward swash, strong backwash erodes beach

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20
Q

What is weathering?

A

The weakening or decay of rock due to the action of weather, plants + animals

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21
Q

What are the three types of weathering?

A

Physical / mechanical
Chemical
Biological

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22
Q

What is physical / mechanical weathering?

A

The disintegration of rock - often results in scree at foot of cliff

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23
Q

What is chemical weathering

A

Caused by chemical changes - rainwater is slightly acidic + slowly dissolved certain rocks / minerals

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24
Q

What is biological weathering

A

Due to actions of flora / fauna - eg plant roots grow in cracks, animals burrow

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25
Q

What is an example of physical / mechanical weathering?

A

Freeze-thaw
Water enters fault in rock, freezes overnight and expands, widening fault

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26
Q

What is an example of chemical weathering?

A

Rainwater absorbs CO2 from air, becomes slightly acidic. Contact with alkaline rocks eg limestone / chalk creates chemical reactions, slowly dissolve

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27
Q

What is an example of biological weathering?

A

Tree roots - as vegetation roots grow they exploit weakness in cliff, widens faults and weakens structure of cliff

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28
Q

What is mass movement?

A

The downward movement of rocks and loose material under the influence of gravity

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29
Q

What are the four types of mass movement?

A

Rockfall
Landslide
Mudflow
Rotational slip

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30
Q

What is rockfall?

A

Fragments of rock break away from cliff face - often due to freeze-thaw

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31
Q

What is landslide?

A

Blocks of rock slide downhill

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32
Q

What is mudflow?

A

Saturated soil and weak rock flows down a slope

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33
Q

What is rotational slip?

A

Slump of saturated soil and weak rock along a curved surface

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34
Q

What is coastal erosion

A

The removal of material and the shaping of landforms

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35
Q

What are the processes of coastal erosion

A

Solution
Corrasion
Abrasion
Attrition
Hydraulic power

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36
Q

What is solution

A

Dissolving of soluble chemicals in rocks eg limestone

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37
Q

What is corrasion

A

Fragments of rock picked up by sea and thrown at cliff
They scrape and wear away the rock

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38
Q

What is abrasion

A

“Sandpapering” effect of pebbles grinding over a rocky platform - makes it smoother

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39
Q

What is attrition

A

Rick fragments carried by sea knock against each other - become smaller + more rounded

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40
Q

What is hydraulic power

A

Power of waves as they hit the cliff
Trapped air forced into cracks eventually causing rock to break up

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41
Q

Deposition happens when…

A

Water slows down and waves lose their energy

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42
Q

What are the four ways sediment is transported?

A
  1. Solution - dissolved chemicals in water, often derived from limestone or chalk
  2. Suspension - particles suspended within the water
  3. Traction - large pebbles roll along seabed
  4. Saltation - hopping / bouncing motion of particles too heavy to be suspended
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43
Q

How does hydraulic action/power erode cliffs?

A

Waves break against a cliff
Trapped air is forced into cracks in rock
Rock eventually breaks apart

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44
Q

The explosive force of trapped air in a crack is called…

A

Cavitation

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45
Q

Compare the two processes of sliding and slumping

A

Sliding is where rocks and loose material slide down a slope at quick speed
Slumping is a slower process where soil slides on a curved slip surface

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46
Q

What is longshore drift?

A

Where waves approach at an angle and sediment moves along the beach in a zigzag pattern

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47
Q

Movement of sediment on the beach depends on…

A

The direction that the waves approach the coast, as a result of the prevailing wind direction

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48
Q

If the waves approach “head on” then the sediment will move…

A

Up and down

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49
Q

Explain how longshore drift works

A

Waves approach at 45 degree angle
Sediment moves along beach in zigzag pattern
Swash carries sediment diagonally up the beach, backwash carries it back down

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50
Q

Deposition happens when…

A

Water slows down and waves lose their energy

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51
Q

How do arches, stacks and stumps form?

A
  1. Faults / weaknesses in resistant rocks are vulnerable to erosion
  2. Abrasion + hydraulic action widen fault, forming a cave
  3. Erosion causes two back to back caves to break through headland - arch
  4. Arch enlarged by erosion, roof eventually collapses
  5. Leaves isolated stack
  6. Stack is eroded - stump
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52
Q

How do hard and soft rocks affect landforms?

A

Hard rocks eg limestone, granite and chalk are more resistant to erosion than soft rocks eg clay
Harder rocks form cliffs and headlands, soft rocks form bays or low lying coastline

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53
Q

Geological structure includes the way…

A

Layers of rocks are folded / tilted

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54
Q

How does geological structure affect landforms?

A

Includes way layers of rock are folded
Faults are cracks in rocks - tectonic pressures can cause rocks to snap rather than fold
Movement / displacement happens either side of fault

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55
Q

What is a concordant coastline?

A

Rocks are parallel to wave front therefore rates of erosion are similar along the coastline

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56
Q

What is a discordant coastline?

A

Differential erosion may occur, where bands of hard and soft rock are at right angles to sea

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57
Q

How do bays form?

A

Weaker bands erode more easily - form bays. As bays are sheltered Deposition takes place forming a beach

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58
Q

How do headlands form?

A

More resistant rocks are eroded more slowly - stick out into sea to form headlands
No beaches - erosion dominates in these environments - most erosion along landforms found at headlands

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59
Q

How is a wave-cut platform created?

A

Waves break against cliff - erosion forms a wave-cut notch
Over time it deepens + undercuts cliff
Eventually cliff collapses
Through this process the cliff gradually retreats leaving a gently sloping rocky platform (wave-cut platform)

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60
Q

Why is a wave-cut platform typically quite smooth?

A

Due to abrasion

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61
Q

What are the four coastal deposition landforms?

A

Beaches
Sand dunes
Spits
Bars

62
Q

What are beaches?

A

Deposits of sand and shingle

63
Q

Sandy beaches are mainly found…
The waves are…

A

In sheltered bays
Constructive

64
Q

Along ___ energy coasts sand is ___ leaving a ___ beach

A

High
Washed away
Pebble

65
Q

How are sand dunes formed?

A

Embryo dunes form around deposited obstacles eg wood or rocks
Dunes develop and are stabilised by vegetation to form fore dunes and tall yellow dunes
Rotting vegetation makes sand more fertile and plants grow on them
Ponds can form in depressions (dune slacks)

66
Q

How is marram grass adapted to grow on dunes?

A

Adapted to windy, exposed conditions
Long roots to find water
These roots help bind sand together and stabilise dunes

67
Q

What is a spit?

A

A long, narrow finger of sand or shingle jutting out into sea from land

68
Q

How do spits form?

A

Longshore drift transports sand along coast, if coastline bends sharply sediment is then deposited at sea
It builds up and the end can become curved by winds or tidal currents (recurved end)
Salt marshes can form behind the spit as deposits of mud build up

69
Q

What is a bar?

A

When longshore drift causes spits to grow across a bay

70
Q

How do bars form?

A

A spit grows right across a bay due to longshore drift
It traps a freshwater lake (lagoon) behind it

71
Q

How do offshore bars form?

A

Forms further out to sea
Waves approaching a gently sloping coast deposit sediment due to friction with seabed
Buildup of sediment offshore means waves break some distance from coast

72
Q

In the UK some offshore bars have been driven onshore. Why does this happen and what is it called?

A

Rising sea levels
Called a barrier beach

73
Q

What is the named example for coastal landforms?

A

Swanage

74
Q

Where is Swanage?

A

South coast of England
Dorset
Different rock types reach the coast
Jurassic coast

75
Q

What coastal features can you name at Swanage?

A

Old Harry Rocks - chalk headland, Old Harry is a stack
Ballard Point - chalk headland with caves, cracks and arches
Durlston Head - limestone headlands no arches yet because it’s very wide
Swanage Bay - bay with sand beach
Studland Beach - bay with sand beach, has embryo dunes and marram grass

76
Q

What is hard engineering in coastal management?

A

Use of artificial structures to control natural processes

77
Q

What are the hard engineering strategies for managing coasts?

A

Sea walls
Groynes
Rock armour
Gabions

78
Q

What is a sea wall?

A

Concrete / rock barrier against sea (curved to reflect waves)

79
Q

Advantages of sea wall?

A

Sense of security
Doesn’t impede sediment movement
Effective
Often creates a walkway

80
Q

Disadvantages of sea wall?

A

Costs £5000-10,000 per metre
Visual impact
May destroy habitats

81
Q

What are groynes?

A

Timber / rock structures out to sea (slow longshore drift by trapping sediment - allows beach to build up)

82
Q

Advantages of groynes?

A

Larger beach - tourism, act as windbreak

83
Q

Disadvantages of groynes?

A

Expensive, unattractive, starve other beaches of sediment

84
Q

What is rock armour?

A

Large boulders at base of cliff - absorb energy of breaking waves to protect cliffs

85
Q

Advantages of rock armour?

A

Relatively cheap compared to sea walls
Easy to maintain

86
Q

Disadvantages of rock armour?

A

Imported rocks - cost + rocks don’t blend with local geology
Regular maintenance needed

87
Q

What are gabions?

A

Wire cages of rocks at cliff base - absorb wave energy, support cliff

88
Q

Advantages of gabions?

A

Can be visually appealing if vegetated + well maintained
Can improve cliff drainage

89
Q

Disadvantages of gabions?

A

Easily damaged - rust within 5-10 years
Unattractive
Expensive

90
Q

What are the soft engineering strategies for managing coasts?

A

Beach nourishment + re-profiling
Dune regeneration / stabilisation
Dune fencing

91
Q

What is beach nourishment and re-profiling?

A

Adding sediment to beach to make it wider and higher

92
Q

Advantages of beach nourishment and re-profiling?

A

Sediment is obtained offshore locally so blends in
Wider beach attracts tourists

93
Q

Disadvantages of beach nourishment and re-profiling?

A

Cost (although less than hard engineering)
Needs constant maintenance

94
Q

What is dune regeneration / stabilisation?

A

Sand dunes are effective coastal defenders but are easily damaged
Marram grass planted to stabilise dunes
Fences to prevent people walking on them

95
Q

Advantages of dune regeneration / stabilisation?

A

Cheap
Natural
Maintains habitats

96
Q

Disadvantages of dune regeneration / stabilisation?

A

Time consuming
People may continue to damage dunes

97
Q

What is dune fencing?

A

Fences constructed to encourage dune formation

98
Q

Advantages of dune fencing?

A

Minimal environmental impact
Protect existing dunes / habitats

99
Q

Disadvantages of dune fencing?

A

Can be ugly especially if broken
Need regular maintenance

100
Q

What is managed retreat?

A

The deliberate policy of allowing the sea to flood or erode an area (this area is often of low value)

101
Q

What are the advantages of managed retreat?

A

Allows natural processes to take place - less intrusive than hard engineering
Long term, sustainable
Generally less expensive

102
Q

What is the named example of a managed retreat?

A

Medmerry

103
Q

What is the coast at Medmerry mostly used for?

A

Farming and caravan parks

104
Q

Where is Medmerry?

A

Near Chichester, in southern England

105
Q

Why did Medmerry need a new coastal defence scheme?

A

Previously protected by a low sea wall
Was in need of repair - would cost too much

106
Q

What happened in 2013 at Medmerry?

A

The sea was allowed to breach the sea wall and flood some farmland

107
Q

How much did the Medmerry scheme cost?

A

£28 million

108
Q

How have farmland, roads and settlements been protected in the Medmerry scheme?

A

Embankments built inland

109
Q

How is the Medmerry scheme sustainable / helping the future?

A

Creates large natural salt marsh - natural buffer against sea
Protects surrounding farmland and caravan parks from flooding
Encourages tourism
Establishes valuable wildlife habitat

110
Q

Where is Lyme Regis?

A

Coastal town in Dorset, on England’s south coast - popular for tourists

111
Q

What are the issues at Lyme Regis?

A

Much of town built on unstable cliffs
Coastline is eroding more rapidly than any in Europe - powerful waves from SW
Many properties destroyed / damaged and sea walls breached many times

112
Q

When did Phase 1 of the Lyme Regis scheme take place and what did it involve?

A

1990s
New sea wall and promenades
Winter of 2003-4 emergency project to stabilise cliffs - nails to hold rocks together, improved drainage, reprofiling of beach

113
Q

When did Phase 2 of the Lyme Regis scheme take place and what did it involve?

A

2005-2007
New sea walls and promenades
Creation of wide sand + shingle beach to absorb wave energy
Extension of rock armour to absorb wave energy and retain beach

114
Q

When did Phase 4 of the Lyme Regis scheme take place and what did it involve?

A

2013-2015
Cost £20 million
New sea wall for extra protection
Nailing, piling and drainage to stabilise cliffs - to protect homes

115
Q

Why didn’t the planned Phase 3 go ahead at Lyme Regis?

A

Costs outweighed benefits

116
Q

How much did the Lyme Regis scheme cost overall?

A

Over £43 million

117
Q

What have been the positive outcomes of the Lyme Regis scheme?

A

New beaches = increased tourism + seafront businesses thrive
New defences have withstood storms
Harbour more protected - benefits fishermen and boat owners

118
Q

What have been the negative outcomes of the Lyme Regis scheme?

A

Increased visitors - conflict w locals (traffic and litter)
Some think new defences have spoilt landscape

119
Q

What is a drainage basin?

A

Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

120
Q

What is a tributary?

A

A small stream joining a larger river

121
Q

What is a watershed?

A

The edge of a river basin

122
Q

What is the mouth of a river?

A

End of a river, usually where it joins the sea

123
Q

Describe the cross profile of the upper course of a river valley

A

Lots of vertical erosion
Valley: steep sided, V-shaped
River: narrow, shallow, turbulent

124
Q

Describe the cross profile of the middle course of a river valley

A

Lateral erosion
Valley: wider, flat floor
River: wider and deeper
Floodplain

125
Q

Describe the cross profile of the lower course of a river valley

A

Lateral erosion
Valley: very wide and flat
River: wide, deep, with large sediment load
Floodplain and levees

126
Q

How does a river’s long profile change?

A

Steep gradient in upland areas
Gentle gradient in lowland areas

127
Q

Material transported by a river is called its…

A

Load

128
Q

Where are erosion and deposition landforms most common in the course of a river?

A

Upper: mostly erosion (eg waterfalls)
Middle: erosion + deposition (eg meanders)
Lower: mostly deposition (eg levees)

129
Q

When does deposition happen in rivers?

A

When the river’s velocity decreases and it no longer has the energy to transport its load

130
Q

Larger rocks are deposited in the ___ course of a river
They are mostly transported by ___ for ___ distances during periods of ___ flow

A

Upper
Traction
Short
High

131
Q

Finer sediment is carried further ___ mostly in ___
It is deposited on the ___ and ___ where velocity slows due to ___

A

Downstream
Suspension
Bed
Banks
Friction

132
Q

Lots of deposition occurs at a river’s ___ where velocity reduces because of interaction with ___ and the ___ gradient

A

Mouth
Tides
Gentle

133
Q

How is a waterfall formed?

A

River flows over variety of rock types
More resistant rocks form steps which form waterfalls
Water flowing over resistant rock forms a plunge pool where hydraulic action + abrasion undercut rock
Eventually overhang collapses, waterfall retreats upstream

134
Q

What is the other way for waterfalls to form?

A

When sea level drops causing a river to cut down into its bed
This creates a step called a knick point

135
Q

What is a gorge?

A

A narrow steep sided valley found downstream of a waterfall

136
Q

How is a gorge formed?

A

By the gradual retreat of a waterfall over hundreds / thousands of years

137
Q

What are the other two ways gorges can form?

A

At end of last glacial period, water from melting glaciers poured off upland areas forming gorges (eg Cheddar)
Some form on limestone as result of collapse of underground caverns

138
Q

What are interlocking spurs?

A

Projections of high land that alternate from either side of a V shaped valley

139
Q

How are interlocking spurs formed?

A

By fluvial erosion
Found in upper course where rocks are resistant - river not powerful enough to cut through them, so flows around them

140
Q

What is hydraulic action in rivers?

A

Force of water hitting river bed and banks
Most effective at high volume + velocity of water

141
Q

What is abrasion in rivers?

A

Load carried by river hits bed or banks, dislodging particles

142
Q

What is attrition in rivers?

A

Stones carried by river knock against each other, becoming smaller and more rounded

143
Q

What is solution in rivers?

A

Alkali rocks eg limestone are dissolved by slightly acidic river water

144
Q

What are solution, suspension, traction and saltation in rivers?

A

Solution - dissolved load
Suspension - small sediment held in river
Traction - large particles rolled on riverbed
Saltation - bouncing of particles too heavy to be suspended

145
Q

What is fluvial erosion?

A

The process by which the flow of a river wears away the land around it, including the river bed and banks

146
Q

What is a meander?

A

A bend in a river - found mainly in lowland areas, common in middle course of river

147
Q

In the early stages of meander formation, water flows slowly over shallow areas (___) and faster through deeper sections (___)

A

Riffles
Pools

148
Q

What is helicoidal flow?

A

A motion that corkscrews across from one bank to another

149
Q

What is the thalweg?

A

The line of fastest current - swings from side to side causing erosion on outside bend and deposition on inside

150
Q

Fast flowing water causes ___ erosion which undercuts the bank and forms a ___

A

Lateral
River cliff

151
Q

Vertical erosion on the ___ bend which deepens the river bed, resulting in an ___ cross profile
Sand and pebbles are deposited on the ___ bend where the current is ___ forming a ___

A

Outside
Asymmetrical
Inside
Slower
Slip off slope

Geography 🌎 (9 decks)

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