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physical envirmonent Flashcards

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1
Q

what are hotspots

A

Hotspots are stationary magma plumes deep in the Earth that create volcanoes on the surface

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2
Q

Earthquakes caused at plate margins can have ?

A

either a deep-focus or shallow-focus.

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3
Q

what happens at a constructive plates

A

At a constructive plate margin
the plates move apart from each other.

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4
Q

what happens at a destructive plates

A

-oceanic trench when two plates meet
-composite volacno on continental plate

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5
Q

what happens at a conservative plates

A

At a conservative plate margin the plates are moving past each other or move side by side at different speeds

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6
Q

what happens at collision plate boundaries

A

Collision zones form when two continental plates move towards each other and collide. The land between the plates is forced upwards to form fold mountains

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7
Q

what are earthquakes

A

Earthquakes are the unexpected uncontrollable shaking of the ground.

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8
Q

how are earthquakes caused

A
  • plates in the Earth’s crust are slowly moving on top of the mantle.
    -Sometimes, plates try to move but become stuck together due to friction.
    -Pressure builds up because the plates are still trying to move. When the pressure is released suddenly, huge amounts of energy are released causing earthquakes.
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9
Q

what are the two types of waved released by earthqaukes

A

-Primary or longitudinal waves move the ground up and down.
-Secondary or transverse waves cause side to side movement.

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10
Q

how are volcanoes formed

A

Volcanoes form when
magma, molten rock from the mantle, reaches the Earth’s surface. The magma erupts to form lava at the surface, either on land or under the sea.

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11
Q

composite volcanoes

A

-Composite volcanoes are made up of alternating layers of lava and ash.
-They are usually found at
destructive margins
-Eruptions are infrequent, but mostly violent and can include volcanic bombs
-They are steep-sided as the thick and heavy lava doesn’t flow very far before it cools.

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12
Q

shield volcanoes

A

-Shield volcanoes are usually found at constructive margins
or over a hotspot
-They have gently sloping sides because the lava is thin and runny so it moves far before it solidifies.
=Eruptions tend to be often or continuous and mostly gentle

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13
Q

what are the three Atmospheric circulation cells

A

-Hadley cells, 0-30° latitude
-Polar cells, 60-90° latitude
-Ferrel cells, 60-30° latitude

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14
Q

what is a tropical storm

A

A tropical storm is a very powerful low-pressure weather system. It has strong winds and heavy rainfall that can be disruptive and dangerous.

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15
Q

what are patterns of global temperature and rainfall causes by

A

-Latitude
-Altitude
-Global air circulation
-Prevailing winds
-Ocean currents

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16
Q

what is drought

A

A drought is a prolonged period when rainfall is below average

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17
Q

what is evidence of global warming

A

-Thermometer readings
-Glacial retreat
-Ice cores
-Early spring
-Rising sea levels

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18
Q

what are Human factors increasing global warming

A

-Burning fossil fuels,
-Deforestation
-Dumping waste in landfill
-Agriculture

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19
Q

what are Natural factors increasing global warming

A

-Orbital changes,caused by
Milankovitch cycles
or variations in the tilt and/or orbit of the Earth
-Volcanic activity
-Solar output

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20
Q

Impacts of climate change in the UK

A

-sea levels could rise, covering low lying areas
-droughts and floods become more likely as extreme weather increases
-increased demand for water in hotter summers puts pressure on water supplies

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21
Q

Impacts of climate change around the world

A

-sea level rise will affect 80 million people
-tropical storms will increase in magnitude (strength)
-species in affected areas (eg Arctic) may become extinct
-diseases such as malaria increase,

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22
Q

what are the types of weathering

A

-Freeze-thaw weathering
-Biological weathering
-chemical weatheing

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23
Q

what is freeze thaw weathering

A

-Water enters cracks in the rock.
-When temperatures drop, the water freezes and expands causing the crack to widen.
-The ice melts and water makes its way deeper into the cracks.
-The process repeats itself until the rock splits entirely.

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24
Q

what is Biological weathering

A

-Plant roots can get into small cracks in the rock.
-As the roots grow, the cracks become larger.
-This causes small pieces of rock to break away.

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25
Q

what is chemical weathering

A

Rainwater and seawater can be a weak acid. Over time a coastline made up of rocks such as limestone or chalk can become dissolved by the acid in the water.

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26
Q

what is mass movement

A

Mass movement is the downhill movement of sediment that moves because of gravity

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27
Q

what are the 4 types of mass movement

A

-Mudflow
-rockfall
-Landslide
-rotational slip

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28
Q

what is erosion

A

Erosion is the wearing away of rock along the coastline.

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29
Q

what are the types of erosion

A

-Hydraulic action
-Abrasion
-Attrition
-Solution

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30
Q

what is hydraulic action

A

-this is the sheer power of the waves as they smash against the cliff. Air becomes trapped and compressed into cracks in the rock with explosive force causing the rock to break apart.

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31
Q

what is abrasion

A

-this is when pebbles grind along a rock platform or cliff base much like sandpaper. Over time the rock becomes smooth.

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32
Q

what is attrition

A

this is when rocks that the sea is carrying knock against each other. They break apart to become smaller and more rounded.

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33
Q

what is solution

A

this is when sea water dissolves certain types of rocks. In the UK, chalk and limestone cliffs (soft rock) are prone to this type of erosion

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34
Q

what is deposition

A

When the sea loses energy, it drops the material it has been carrying

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35
Q

what factors lead to deposition

A

-waves starting to slow down and lose energy
-shallow water
-sheltered areas, eg bays
-little or no wind

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36
Q

how are bands formed

A

Bands of soft rock such as clay and sand are weaker so therefore they can be eroded quickly

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37
Q

how are headlands eroded

A

1.cracks
2.caves
3.arch
4.stack
5.slumps

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38
Q

how are cracks formed

A

Cracks are formed in the headland through the erosional processes of hydraulic action and abrasion

39
Q

how are caves formed

A

As the waves continue to grind away at the crack, it begins to open up to form a cave

40
Q

how are arches formed

A

The cave becomes larger and eventually breaks through the headland to form an arch

41
Q

how are stacks formed

A

The base of the arch continually becomes wider through further erosion, until its roof becomes too heavy and collapses into the sea. This leaves a stack

42
Q

how are slumps formed

A

The stack is undercut at the base until it collapses to form a stump.

43
Q

what are the depositional landforms

A

-Beaches
-Spits

44
Q

how are spits formed

A

1.Sediment is carried by longshore drift.
2.When there is a change in the shape of the coastline, deposition occurs. A long thin ridge of material is deposited. This is the spit.
3.A hooked end can form if there is a change in wind direction.
4.Waves cannot get past a spit, therefore the water behind a spit is very sheltered. Silts are deposited here to form salt marshes or mud flats.

45
Q

what are the hard engineering strategies at the coastline

A

-Sea walls
-Groynes
-rock armour
-gabions

46
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of sea walls

A

Advantages
-Effective at protecting the base of the cliff.
-sea walls usually have promenades so people can walk along them.

Disadvantages
-Waves are still powerful and can break down and erode the sea wall.
Expensive
-approximately £2,000 per metre.
-Do not look natural.

47
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of sea walls

A

Advantages
-Cheaper than a sea wall and easy to maintain.
-Can be used for fishing.

Disadvantages
-They look different to the local geology, as the rock has been imported from other areas.
-The rocks are expensive to transport.

48
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of gabions

A

Advantages
-Cheap - approximately £100 per metre.
-Absorb wave energy.

Disadvantages
-Not very strong.
-Look unnatural.

49
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of groynes

A

Advantages
-Builds a beach - which encourages tourism.
-They trap sediment being carried by longshore drift.

Disadvantages
-By trapping sediment it starves beaches further down the coastline, increasing rates of erosion elsewhere.
-They look unattractive.

50
Q

what are the soft engineering strategies at the coast

A

-Beach nourishment
-dune nourishment
-Reprofiling

51
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of beach nourishment

A

Advantages
-Blends in with the existing beach.
-Larger beaches appeal to tourists.

Disadvantages
-Needs to be constantly replaced.
-The sand has to be brought in from elsewhere.

52
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of reprofiling

A

Advantages
-Cheap and simple.
-Reduces the energy of the waves.

Disadvantages
-Only works when wave energy is low.
-Needs to be repeated continuously.

53
Q

what are advantages and disadvantages of dune nourishment

A

Advantages
-Relatively cheap.
-Maintains a natural-looking coastline.

Disadvantages
-Can be damaged by storm waves.
-Areas have to be zoned off from the public, which is unpopular.

54
Q

what is managed retreat

A

the controlled flooding of low-lying coastal areas. If an area is at high risk of erosion

55
Q

what are the advantages and disadvantages of managed retreat

A

Advantages
-This is a cheap option compared to paying for sea defences.
-Creates a salt marsh which can provide habitats for wildlife and a natural defence against erosion and flooding.
-Salt marshes are diverse ecosystems supporting many species.

Disadvantages
-Land is lost as it is reclaimed by the sea.
-Landowners need to be compensated - this can cost between £5,000 - £10,000 per hectare.

56
Q

what are the types of transportation in rivers

A

-Traction
-Saltation
-Suspension
-Solution

57
Q

what is traction

A

-large, heavy pebbles are rolled along the river bed.

58
Q

what is saltation

A

pebbles are bounced along the river bed

59
Q

what is suspension

A

-lighter sediment is suspended (carried) within the water

60
Q

what is solution

A

the transport of dissolved chemicals

61
Q

how are waterfalls formed

A

-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

62
Q

how are v shaped valleys formed

A

In the upper course there is more vertical erosion.The river cuts down into the valley to form a narrow, steep-sided V-shaped valley

63
Q

how are meanders formed

A

-As the river makes its way to the
middle course,it gains more water and therefore more energy.
-Lateral erosion starts to widen the river. When the river flows over flatter land it can develop large bends

64
Q

how are oxbow lakes formed

A

-Due to erosion on the outside of a bend and deposition on the inside, the shape of a meander will change over a period of time
-neck of land in between narrows
-when there is a very high discharge the river is able to cut across the neck

65
Q

what are the different types of depositional landform in rivers

A

-floodplains
-levees

66
Q

what is a floodplain

A

-A floodplain is an area of land which is covered in water when the river bursts its banks.

67
Q

what are levees

A

Levees are elevated banks of deposited material at the sides of the river that stand above the level of the floodplain

68
Q

what are the causes of flooding

A

-Prolonged rainfall
-Heavy rainfall
-Relief
-Vegetation(deforestation)
-Urban land use

69
Q

what does a hydrograph tell us

A

A hydrograph shows how a river responds to a period of rainfall.

70
Q

what are Flood management strategies

A

-Dams and reservoirs
-River straightening and dredging
-Embankments
-Flood relief channels

71
Q

advantages and disadvantages to dams and reservoirs

A

Advantages
-Can be used to produce electricity by passing the water through a turbine within the dam.
-Reservoirs provide a water supply for nearby towns and cities.
-Reservoirs can attract tourists.

Disadvantages
-Very expensive.
-Spoil the look of the natural environment.
-Dams trap sediment which means the reservoir can hold less water.

72
Q

what are the advantages and disadvantages of river straightening and dredging(making river deeper)

A

Advantages
-More water can be held in the channel.
-It can be used to reduce flood risk in built-up areas.

Disadvantages
-Dredging needs to be done frequently.
-Speeding up the river increases flood risk downstream.

73
Q

what are the advantages and disadvantages of embankment

A

Advantages
-Cheap with a one-off cost.
-Allow for flood water to be -contained within the river.

Disadvantages
-Look unnatural.
-Water speeds up and can increase flood risk downstream.

74
Q

what are soft engineering strategies of flood prevention

A

-Flood warnings and preparation
-Floodplain zoning
-Afforestation
-Ecological flooding

75
Q

how is The shape of the landscape is largely determined

A

-glaciation
-rivers
-the power of the sea

76
Q

how has the uk’s landforms been influenced by glaciation

A

During the last ice age, ice covered a large part of the UK. This ice eroded the land producing some of the mountainous landscapes which exist today.

77
Q

what are the two main erosion types during glaciation

A

-Abrasion
-plucking

78
Q

what are the economic activities that take place at glaciated areas

A

-Farming
-Water management
-Forestry
-Tourism

79
Q

what is an ecosystem

A

An ecosystem is a natural environment and includes the flora (plants) and fauna (animals) that live and interact within that environment

80
Q

what abiotic factors are ecosystems dependent on

A

-climate
-soil
-water

81
Q

how does energy flow through an ecosystem

A

-pants,producers make food by photosynthesis and are the are eaten by herbivores(first consumers)which are then eaten by carnivores(second consumers)

82
Q

what is the nutrient cycle

A

-movement of valuable minerals through an ecosystem

83
Q

what is a decomposer

A

An organism which eats dead organisms, fallen leaves, animal droppings, etc, and breaks them down into simpler materials.

84
Q

how can an ecosystem be changed by natural factors

A

-drought
-flood
-fire
-disease

85
Q

how can human management effect an ecosystem

A

-introducing more fish (fish stocking)
-altering the drainage of the land which may influence the amount of water
-changing the pH level of the water
-altering the nutrient levels of the water if fertilisers are
leached

86
Q

how is The distribution of large-scale ecosystems effect place

A

climate. Latitude, air pressure and winds

87
Q

what are polar biomes

A

Polar - found near the north and south poles. Only specialised plants and animals survive here.

88
Q

what are temperate deciduous forests

A

Temperate deciduous forest - found across Europe and in the USA. These trees lose their leaves every year and thrive in mild and wet conditions known as a temperate maritime climate.

89
Q

what is temperate grasslands

A

found in Hungary, South Africa, Argentina and the USA. Consists of grass and trees that thrive in a temperate continental climate of moderate rainfall and mild conditions.

90
Q

what are deserts

A

found near the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Conditions here are very hot and dry. Plants and animals are specially adapted to survive in the harsh conditions.

91
Q

what are tropical rainforests

A

found near the Equator. The climate is hot and humid and many different species can be found here

92
Q

what are savanna grasslands

A

found mainly in central Africa, southern India, northern Australia and central South America. Long grasses and a few scattered trees are found in these hot and dry conditions.

93
Q

what are coral reefs

A

found in a zone extending from 30° north to 30° south of the equator. They form some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth.

Geography (24 decks)

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