The UK's Evolving Physical Landscape

Question 1

How are igneous rocks formed

Answer 1

When molten rock (magma) from the mantle cools down and hardens.

Question 2

Are igneous rocks soft or hard

Answer 2

Hard

Question 3

Give examples of igneous rock

Answer 3

Granite

Question 4

How are sedimentary rocks formed

Answer 4

When layers of sediment are compacted together until they become solid rock

Question 5

What are the two main types of sedimentary rock in the UK

Answer 5

Carboniferous limestone and chalk from tiny shells and skeletons of dead sea creatures.
Clays and shales are made from mud and clay minerals

Question 6

Give 2 examples of sedimentary rock

Answer 6

Limestone
Sandstone
Chalk
Clay

Question 7

How are metamorphic rocks formed

Answer 7

When other rocks (igneous, sedimentary or older metamorphic rocks) are changed by heat and pressure. The new rocks become harder and more compact

Question 8

Are sedimentary rocks hard or soft

Answer 8

Both

Question 9

Are metamorphic rocks hard or soft

Answer 9

Hard

Question 10

What is weathering

Answer 10

The breakdown of rock into smaller pieces. It can be mechanical, chemical or biological

Question 11

What is erosion

Answer 11

The process that wears away rock. During the last glacial period, ice eroded the landscape

Question 12

What are post-glacial river processes

Answer 12

Melting ice at the end of glacial periods made rivers much bigger than normal with more power to erode the landscape. The ice also left distinctive landforms when it meltedb

Question 13

What is hydraulic action

Answer 13

Waves crash against the rock and compress the air in the cracks. This puts pressure on the rock. Repeated compression widens the cracks and makes bits of the rock break off

Question 14

What is abrasion

Answer 14

Eroded particles in the water scrape and rub against the rock, removing small pieces

Question 15

What is attrition

Answer 15

Eroded particles in the water smash into each other and break into smaller fragments. Their edges also get rounded off when they rub together

Question 16

What is chemical weathering

Answer 16

The breakdown of rock by changing its chemical composition

Question 17

What kind of rocks are more resistant to erosion

Answer 17

Hard rocks so it takes longer for them to be eroded

Question 18

What kind of rocks are less resistant to erosion

Answer 18

Soft rocks so they are eroded faster

Question 19

What is a concordant coastline

Answer 19

When the alternating bands of hard and soft rock are parallel to the coast

Question 20

What are discordant coastlines

Answer 20

When the alternating bands of hard and soft rock are at right angles to the coast

Question 21

What are destructive waves

Answer 21

Waves that carry out erosional processes

Question 22

What are destructive waves like

Answer 22

Weak swash
strong backwash
Very frequent

Question 23

What is a wave cut platform

Answer 23

Waves cause most erosion at the foot of a cliff, forming a wafe cut notch which is enlarged as erosion continues. The rock above the notch becomes unstable and eventually collapses. The material is washed away and a new wave cut notch starts to form. Repeated collapsing results in cliff retreating. A wave cut platform is the platform left behind as the cliff retreats

Question 24

What are headlands and bays

Answer 24

Where there are alternating bands of resistant and less resistant rock along a coast. The less resistant rock is eroded quickly and this forms a bay - bays have a gentle slope. The resistant rock is eroded more slowly and its left jutting out, forming a headland - headlands have steep sides

Question 25

How are caves, arches and stacks formed

Answer 25

Waves crash into headlands and enlarge the cracks - mainly by hydraulic action and abrasion. Repeated erosion and enlargement of the cracks causes a cave to form. Continued erosion deepens the cave until it breaks through the headland - forming an arch. Erosion continues to wear away the rock supporting the arch, until it collapses. This forms a stack

Question 26

What is longshore drift

Answer 26

Waves follow the direction of the prevailing wind. They usually hit the coast at an oblique angle. The swash carries material up the beach, in the same direction as the waves. The backwash then carries material down the beach at right angles back towards the sea. Material zigzags along the coast

Question 27

What is deposition

Answer 27

When material is being carried by the seawater is dropped on the coast.

Question 28

What are constructive waves

Answer 28

Waves that deposit more material than they erode

Question 29

What are constructive waves

Answer 29

Strong swash Weak backwash Low frequency

Question 30

Where do spits forms

Answer 30

At sharp bends in the coastline

Question 31

How do spits form

Answer 31

LSD transports sediment past the bend on the coastline and deposits in the sea. Strong winds and waves can curve the end of the spit forming a recurved end.

Question 32

How are bars formed

Answer 32

When a spit joins two headlands together. The bar cuts off the bay between the headlands from the sea. Meaning a lagoon can form behind the bar

Question 33

What is hard engineering

Answer 33

Man-made structures built to control the flow of the sea and rude flooding and erosion

Question 34

What is soft engineering

Answer 34

Schemes set up using knowledge of the sea and its processes to reduce the effects of flooding and erosion

Question 35

What is a sea wall

Answer 35

A wall made out of a hard material like concrete that reflects waves back to sea

Question 36

What are the benefits of a sea wall

Answer 36

It prevents erosion of the coast. It also acts as a barrier to prevent flooding

Question 37

Costs of sea walls

Answer 37

It creates a strong backwash, which erodes under the wall. Sea walls are very expensive to build and maintain

Question 38

What are groynes

Answer 38

Wooden or stone fences that are built at right angles to the coast. They trap material transported by longshore drift.

Question 39

What are the benefits of groynes

Answer 39

They create wider beaches which slow the waves. This gives greater protection from flooding and erosion. They’re a fairly cheap defence

Question 40

Costs of groynes

Answer 40

They starve beaches further down the coast of sand, making them narrower. Narrower beaches dont protect the coast as well, leading to greater erosion and floods