The UK’s Evolving Physical Landscape - Topic 4

Question 1

Define Igneous Rock

Answer 1

Igneous rocks are formed by magma from the molten interior of the Earth. When magma erupts it cools to form volcanic landforms. Igneous rocks are formed on the Earth’s surface and underground. They are very resistant rocks.

Question 2

Define Metamorphic Rock

Answer 2

Metamorphic rocks begin as igneous or sedimentary rocks but they are later altered by heat or pressure which causes them to change into another type of rock. They are very resistant rocks.

Question 3

Define Sedimentary Rocks

Answer 3

Sedimentary rocks are formed from sediments that have settled at the bottom of the sea and they have been compressed over millions of years. Small particles of rock transported by water, ice and wind. These rocks are generally resistant.

Question 4

Define Weathering

Answer 4

The physical, chemical, biological breakdown of solid rock by the action of the weather or plants.

Question 5

Define Physical Weathering

Answer 5

Rain gets into cracks and freezes. The force is strong enough to break the rock (freeze thaw).
The Sun causes rocks to warm up and expand (onion skin).

Question 6

Define Chemical Weathering

Answer 6

There are chemicals in the air and causes rain to become acidic. Acid rain goes into cracks in the rocks like limestone which causes the cracks to become bigger and wears away the weak rock.

Question 7

Define Biological Weathering

Answer 7

Burrowing animals and plants attacking rocks and weakening their structures. Plant roots can grow in cracks making them bigger. Eventually, pieces of rock fall away.

Question 8

Formation of Scree

Answer 8

The exposed surface is affected by freeze thaw weathering because water enters the cracks and it freezes and expands. As the water expands, the cracks expand as well. This process is repeated and material and pieces of rock fall and start to form scree. This is very unstable and it may lead to a landslide.

Question 9

Landscape formed by chemical weathering limestone pavement (Yorkshire Dales)

Answer 9

Limestone pavement is a gentle sloping expanse of bare limestone. It consists of large blocks of limestone that are separated by deep eroded grykes (large cracks).
Acidic rain falls onto the limestone and reacts with the limestone caus8ng cracks to form. The chemical weathering makes the cracks widen and deepen. This leaves blocks of limestone which are called clints. These grykes can then expand causing/creating caves.

Question 10

Define Erosion

Answer 10

Erosion is the wearing away of the land and transportation away of material.

Question 11

Define Headland

Answer 11

A piece of land jutting out into the sea.

Question 12

Define Stack

Answer 12

A geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, formed by wave erosion. They are formed by the sea attacking the weak rock in a headland and cracks start to form. The cracks in the rock that start to grow and form a cave. Two caves form either side of the rock due to erosion from the sea/waves and an arch is formed (eg. Durdle Door). As nothing is able to support the arch, it collapses leaving a stack.

Question 13

Define Stump

Answer 13

Overtime, a stack gets eroded and becomes smaller and it has then become a stump.

Question 14

Define Bay

Answer 14

A broad coastal inlet often with a beach.

Question 14

Define Discordant Coastline

Answer 14

Hard and soft rock that are perpendicular to the sea.

Question 15

Define Concordant Coastline

Answer 15

Rocks are parallel to the sea. (Lulworth Cove)

Question 16

Define Hydraulic Action

Answer 16

The power of the waves putting pressure on the cracks in the cliff.

Question 17

Define Abrasion

Answer 17

Rocks in the sea scrape along a cliff like sand paper or smash into the cliff.

Question 19

Define Solution

Answer 19

Where there is a chemical reaction between the water and rock. The rock dissolves.

Question 20

Define Attrition

Answer 20

Rocks hit each other in the sea and get smaller.

Question 21

Define Fetch

Answer 21

The distance over which the wind has blown.

Question 22

Define Wave Cut Platform

Answer 22

The narrow flat area often found at the base of a sea cliff or along the shoreline of a lake, bay or sea that was created by the erosion of waves.

Question 23

Define Prevailing Wind

Answer 23

The main direction that the wind comes from.

Question 24

Define Permeable

Answer 24

Allows water to drain through the rock.

Question 25

Define Impermeable

Answer 25

Doesn’t allow water to drain through the rock.

Question 26

Define Hard Engineering

Answer 26

Building physical structures to deal with the natural hazards such as sea walls to stop waves.

Question 27

Define Soft Engineering

Answer 27

Involves adapting to natural hazards and working with nature to limit damage.

Question 28

Define Longshore Drift

Answer 28

Waves transport material along the coastline.

Question 29

Define Deposition

Answer 29

The dropping of material.

Question 30

Define Spit

Answer 30

A spit is an extended stretch of beach material that projects out to sea and it joined to the mainland at one end. It is caused by waves depositing material.

Question 31

Define Bar

Answer 31

A bar is similar to a spit. It is a ridge of sand or shingle which form across the mouth of a river or the entrance to a bay or harbour.

Question 32

Define Destructive Waves

Answer 32

Waves that are steeply breaking and are mainly responsible for coastal erosion. Their backwash is much stronger than their swash.

Question 33

Define Constructive Waves

Answer 33

These waves are gently breaking with a much stronger swash than backwash. They are mainly responsible for coastal deposition.

Question 34

Rivers and Drainage Basins

Answer 34

Sub topic

Question 35

Define Source

Answer 35

The start of a river.

Question 36

Define Tributary

Answer 36

When a smaller river joins the main river channel.

Question 37

Define Drainage Basin

Answer 37

Water that falls in a certain area around the river, gets drained into the river. 
A drainage basin works by:
-Inputs of water
-Flows through it 
-Stored areas in it 
-Outputs out of the drainage basin

Question 38

Define Watershed

Answer 38

A boundary of hills surrounding the drainage basin.

Question 39

Define Transpiration

Answer 39

Plants absorb water through the roots and then give off water vapour through pores in their leaves.

Question 40

Define Precipitation

Answer 40

Any type of water that forms in the earth’s atmosphere and then drops onto the surface of the earth. Precipitation falls to the ground as snow and rain.

Question 41

Define Interception

Answer 41

When water gets stopped from falling to the ground by vegetation.

Question 42

Define Infiltration

Answer 42

Movement (transfer) of water into the soil from the surface.

Question 43

Define Surface Runoff

Answer 43

Water that flows over the land to the sea.

Question 44

Define Throughflow

Answer 44

The water moving (slowly than surface runoff) through the soil back the river.

Question 45

Define Percolation

Answer 45

Some water moves deeper into the ground and is slowly transferred back to the river or sea.

Question 46

Define Groundwater Flow

Answer 46

Water flowing through rocks underground to the sea.

Question 47

Define Evaporation

Answer 47

Water changes state from a liquid to a gas.

Question 48

Define The Long Profile

Answer 48

How the river changes in height along its courses.

Question 49

Define Traction (erosion of a river)

Answer 49

Large stones are dragged along.

Question 50

Define Solution (erosion of a river)

Answer 50

Dissolved chemicals are carried along, invisible to the eye.

Question 51

Define Suspension (erosion of a river)

Answer 51

Tiny particles of sediment are carried in the river’s current.

Question 52

Define Saltation (erosion of a river)

Answer 52

Smaller stones or pebbles are picked up and then dropped again. This results in a ‘skipping’ motion.

Question 53

Define Deposition (erosion of a river)

Answer 53

Dropping of the river’s load where it does not have energy.

Question 54

Formation of a Waterfall

Answer 54

A waterfall is formed when a river flows over the edge of different bands of rock. Overtime, the water causes the soft rock to erode. The energy form the water causes the ground at the bottom of the waterfall to erode, creating a plunge pool and an undercut is created because the spray of the waterfall eroded the soft rock. The soft rock continues be eroded rapidly which creates an overhang. The overhang is just hard rock which is heavy and isn’t supported by anything so it collapses into the plunge pool. This keeps happening and the waterfall moves further and further back overtime. A gorge is then formed because of the waterfall causing the rock to continue to erode backwards.

Question 55

Define Thalweg

Answer 55

The fastest part of the river.

Question 56

Define Flood Plain

Answer 56

A flat area of land that can get flooded.

Question 57

Define Alluvium

Answer 57

The sands and clays brought down by the river from upstream and settle over the flood plain and form layers.