Physical Landscapes in the UK Flashcards
1
Q
define igneous rocks
A
-earths oldest rock
-formed from lavas and deep magmas
-once were molten, then cooled and crystalized
-most are resistant to erosion
2
Q
define metamorphic rocks
A
-heated and compressed during igneous activity
-this hardens them and make them resistant
-shale=slate
-limestone=marble
3
Q
define sedimentary rocks
A
-formed from sediments eroded and deposited by rivers, sea or the sea bed
-some are resistant (limestone) and some crumble easily (shale)
4
Q
where are the highland regions mainly located in the UK
A
north and west
5
Q
why is there mountain regions in the north of the UK
A
-it is mainly made of hard rocks like carboniferous limestone and schist
-it is difficult to erode
-also used to be by a plate boundary with active volcanoes
-making like the Grampian mountains
6
Q
Why is there mainly flatter land in east anglia and the south of the uk
A
-made up of softer rocks
-clays, sandstones
-dont drain water do more greenery
-easier to erode
7
Q
what is an example of a lowland area
A
east anglia
8
Q
where is mt snowdon
A
wales
9
Q
Why does the lake district have high relief and u shaped valleys
A
-the area was covered by an ice sheet during the last ice age
-the glaciers eroded away the soft rock
10
Q
Why does the holderness have low land
A
-made up of sedimentary rock (boulder clay)
-this was deposited when the ice sheet melted
-this is soft rock that is easy to erode
11
Q
why is the south downs a lowland area with dry valleys
A
-made up of chalk which froze during the last ice age
-creating rivers and valleys
-once the ice age ended the chalk absorbed the rivers leaving behind their valley
12
Q
how are u shaped valleys created
A
by glaciers eroding the land
13
Q
how is bolder clay created
A
by gaciers depositing material
14
Q
where can dry valleys be found
A
the south downs
15
Q
what created many of the mountain ranges in the uk
A
-by uplift from plate collision when the african plate collided into the eurasiian plate
16
Q
define weathering
A
the breaking down of material in situ
17
Q
define erosion
A
the wearing away and movement of material
18
Q
what are the 4 types of erosion
A
-attrition
-abrasion
-hydraulic action
-solution
19
Q
what is attrition
A
rocks hitting each other (smoother and rounder)
20
Q
what is abrasion
A
material in the water is used as ammunition
21
Q
what is hydraulic action
A
force of the wave forcing air into cracks
22
Q
what is solution
A
the chemical breakdown of rock
23
Q
what are the 3 types of weathering
A
-physical
-chemical
-biological
24
Q
what is physical weathering
2 examples
A
-freeze-thaw
-onion skin
25
what is chemical weathering
-chemical breakdown
-acid rain
26
what is biological weathering
-tree roots
-animals
27
what does a discordant coastline look like
- alternating layers of hard and soft rock running perpendicular to the shoreline
-formation of headlands and bays as the softer rock erodes faster than the harder rock.
28
what does a concordant coastline look like
- layers of rock that run parallel to the shoreline, often resulting in a more uniform coastline.
- However, if the outer layer of hard rock is breached, softer rock behind it can erode, forming features like coves.
29
how does a headland and bay form on a discordant coastline
-waves erode the less resistant rock faster so it retreats, forming bays.
-the hard rock is eroded slower leaving headlands
30
how does caves, arches, stacks, stumps form on a discordant coastline
-cracks in the coastline widen in the headland cuz of hydraulic action and abrasion
-waves continue to grind away at the crack it opens to form a cave
-the cave becomes larger and forms an arch
-the base of the arch becomes wider until its roof collapses into the sea leaving a stack
-the stack is then undercut at the base until it collapses forming a stump
31
how does a wave cut platform form
-the sea attacks base of cliff
-between high and low water mark
-wave-cut notch is formed due to erosion
-notch increases and cliff becomes unstable and collapses
-cliff face then retreats
-backwash carries away the eroded material
32
what is a wave cut notch
-a dent in the cliff formed at the level of high tide
33
define deposition
when sediment is dropped by water due to a lack of energy to carry it
34
define transportation
when sediment is carried by water from one place to another
35
what creates waves
wind blows over the sea causing friction
36
what 3 things decide the size and energy of a wave
-strength of wind
-how long the wind has been blowing
-distance the wind has blown (fetch)
37
which part of england has the largest fetch
south-west (cornwall)
38
which kind of wave deposits material on the shoreline
-constructive
39
which kind of wave removes material from the shoreline
-destructive
40
which kind of wave has a stronger swash?
constructive
41
which kind of wave has a weak backwash
constructive
42
which kind of wave has a gentle beach gradient
constructive
43
which kind of wave has a long (<10p/min) wavelength
constructive
44
which kind of wave has a low(<1m) wave height
constructive
45
which kind of wave has low energy
constructive
46
which kind of wave has a weak swash
destructive
47
which kind of wave has a strong backwash
destructive
48
which kind of wave has a steep beach gradient
destructive
49
which kind of wave has a short(>10p/min) wavelength
destructive
50
which kind of wave has a high(>1m) wave height
destructive
51
which kind of wave has high energy
destructive
52
when does longshore drift occur
-when prevailing wind approaches the beach at an angle
53
what is the longshore drift
-due to wind at an angle the swash goes up the beach at an angle
-backwash goes back to the beach in a straight line cuz gravity
-sediment is transported along the beach in this
54
what landforms can be created from longshore drift
-spits
-bars
-lagoons
-tombolos
55
how does a spit form
-longshore drift transports sand along coast
-coastline changes shape and waves lose energy
-sediment builds up through deposition at the proximal end and the spit grows out to sea
-spit is exposed to changes in wind and wave direction which cause the end to hook back towards the land
56
how does a spit become a bar
-it joins to another headland as the sediment keeps being deposited along the beach/coastline
57
how does a spit form a lagoon
-it forms a bar
-a lagoon is formed behind the bar due to prevailing wind
58
how does a spit become a tombolo
-it joins to an island as the sediment is still being transported
59
what are the 4 main human activities at the coast
-agriculture
-development
-industry
-coastal management
60
AGRICULTURE
what does changing the way farmland is being used lead to
-vegetation helps bind soil together and stabilise cliff tops.
-removing vegetation for grazing animals affects stability
61
AGRICULTURE
what does marshlands drained to reclaim land for agriculture lead to
-reduces the natural flood barrier marshlands provide
62
DEVELOPMENT
what does coasts with lots of settlements have more sea defences lead to
-the land is more protected from erosion
63
how long is the Holderness coasline
61km
63
DEVELOPMENT
what does building on coastal lowlands lead to
-can restrict sediment to beaches making them more narrow
63
INDUSTRY
what does creating coastal quarries lead to
-exposes large areas of rock making them vulnerable to erosion and weathering
64
INDUSTRY
what does extracting gravel from beaches lead to
-removes material from the beach making it more prone to erosion
64
COASTAL MANAGEMENT
what does building coastal protection lead to
-alters sediment movement, increasing erosion down the coast
65
In what direction is the material moving in the Holderness coastline
South-east
65
where does the Holderness coastline stretch to and from
-Flamborough head (headland) to spurn head (spit)
66
how does the holderness location make it vulnerable to erosion
-mostly made from boulder clay
-faces the direction of prevailing wind
-brings waves from north east from the norwegian sea
-waves increase in power over the distance so coast is battered by highly erosive waves
66
Why is the Holderness coastline being protected?
-towns and villages like hornsea and mappleton where people live
-important infrastructure(B1242 road, links many towns and businesses to the coast)
-gas terminal at Easington supplies 25% of UKs gas and is right on the edge of the cliff
67
how many metres of land is lost to the sea (erosion) every year at the Holderness coastline
1.8m
68
What has been built in the Holderness coast to protect it and where?
-over 11km is protected by hard engineering strategies
-coastal defences called groynes have been built in Mappleton
-groynes and sea wall at Hornsea and at Withersea
68
what 3 natural factors make Holderness prone to erosion
-made of boulder clay
-beaches are narrow, so dont provide enough protection
-eroded material is moved south along the coast instead of staying in the same place
69
What are 5 ways to protect the coastline from the waves
-Sea wall
-Groynes
-Beach replenishment
-Slope stabilisation
-Strategic realignment
70
What is a sea wall
it is a wall made out of a hard material like concrete that reflects the waves back to sea
71
What are the benefits of a sea wall
It prevents erosion of the coast. It also acts as a barrier to prevent flooding
72
What are some of the costs with sea walls
It creates a strong backwash, which erodes under the wall. Sea walls are very expensive to build and to maintain
73
What are groynes
Wooden or stone fences that are built at right angles to the coast. They trap material transported by longshore drift
74
What are some benefits of groynes
They create wider beaches which slow the waves. This gives greater protection from flooding and erosion. They're a fairly cheap defence.
75
What are some costs of groynes
They starve beaches further down the coast of sand, making them narrower. Narrower beaches don't protect the coast as well leading to greater erosion and floods.
76
What is beach replenishment?
Sand and shingle from elsewhere or from lower down the beach are added to the upper part of beaches.
77
What are some benefits of beach replenishment?
It creates wider beaches which slow the waves. This gives greater protection from flooding and erosion
78
What are some costs of beach replenishment?
Taking material from the seabed can kill organisms like sponges and corals. It's very expensive and it has to be repeated
79
What is slope stabilisation?
Slopes are reinforces by inserting concrete nails into the ground and covering the slope with metal netting
80
What are some benefits to slope stabilisation?
It prevents mass movement by increasing the strength of the slope
81
What are some costs to slope stabilisation?
Very expensive and sometimes very difficult to install
82
What is strategic realignment?
Removing an existing defence and allowing the land behind to flood
83
What are some benefits to strategic realignment?
over time the land will become marshland- creating new habitats. Flooding and erosion are reduced behind the marshland.
84
What are some costs to strategic realignment?
People may disagree over what land is allowed to flood.
85
What threats does erosion have on people?
-cliffs eroded can destroy homes
-permanent flooding can make other areas inhabitable
-people are forced to move
-infrastructure such as roads, railways can become damaged
-Companies lose money as people can't use the transport
-Industries can be destroyed or shut down
-Tourism may decline in coastal areas
86
What threats does erosion have on the environment?
-salty sea water from flooding can damage ecosystems through salinization
-Surging flood water can drown plants/trees
-some conservation areas are threatened
87
What is the Integrated Coastal zone Management?
a holistic management approach which means sections of the coast are managed as a whole rather than individual sections
88
What does the Integrated Coastal zone Management take into account?
-needs of different people
-economic costs and benefits of different strategies
-a long term view of what is best for the coastline
89
What are the 4 options the Integrated Coastal zone Management can take?
-Do nothing
-Hold the line
-Advance the line
-Management retreat/strategic realignment
90
What is the Do nothing approach?
This lets nature take its course
91
What is the hold the line approach
keep the coastline where it is by using hard engineering
92
What is the advance the line approach?
Build coastal defences out to sea to reclaim land
93
What is the Management retreat/strategic realignment approach?
halfway house between holding the line and doing nothing
94
define hard engineering?
man-made structures built to control the flow of the sea and reduce flooding and erosion
95
define soft engineering
schemes set up by using knowledge of the sea and its processes to reduce the effects of flooding as erosion. Uses natural materials, sound
