Topic 4 - UK physical Landscape

Question 1

What are the UK’s main rock types?

Answer 1

Rocks can be classified in to three main groups - igneous, sedimentary
and metamorphic. These three different rock types can be found in distinct
areas of the UK.

Question 2

Igneous rocks

Answer 2

these are a result of volcanic activity in the past, when Britain
was close to a plate boundary. Some of the igneous rocks are due to lava
reaching the surface, it cooled and solidified to form basalt rock. An example
of this is the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.

Question 3

Sedimentary rocks

Answer 3

these are made up of small particles of sand and rock,
which have been transported by the wind, rivers and ice and are usually
deposited on lake or seabed. Over many millions of years the sediments
accumulate which are compressed by the weight of the deposits above, into
sedimentary rocks formed in layers, known as bedding planes. Compressed
sand forms sandstone and compressed mud becomes clay. Limestone and
chalk come from the remains of dead plant, animal and marine species and
are rich in calcium carbonate and contain fossils.

Question 4

Metamorphic rocks

Answer 4

existing rocks that are changed by intense heat and pressure at a plate boundary. These rocks start as either igneous or sedimentary rocks and are crystallised to form rocks such as slate and marble.

Question 5

How did glacial processes influence the physical landscape?

Answer 5

The last ice age in the UK took place around 18,000 years ago. During this
time, temperatures remained low throughout the year and ice sheets and
glaciers covered the north of the UK and other parts of Europe.

Question 6

Abrasion

Answer 6

as the glacier moves downhill, rocks that have been frozen
into the base and sides of the glacier scrape the rock be
neath. The rocks scrape the bedrock like sandpaper, leaving
scratches called striations behind.

Question 7

Plucking

Answer 7

rocks become frozen into the bottom and sides of the
glacier. As the glacier moves downhill it ‘plucks’ the rocks
frozen into the glacier from the ground.

Question 8

Freeze-thaw
weathering

Answer 8

During the day when temperatures are higher, the snow melts and water enters the cracks in the rock. When the temperature drops below 0°C the water in the crack freezes and expands by about 9%. This makes the crack larger. As this process is repeated through continual thawing and freezing the crack gets larger over time. Eventually pieces of rock break off.

Question 9

What is Glacial Transportation?

Answer 9

Glaciers move very slowly. As they move, they transport material from one
place to another: As freeze-thaw weathering occurs along the edge of the
glacier, pieces of rock which break off larger rocks, fall onto the glacier and
are transported in this way. Rocks plucked from the bottom and sides of the
glacier are moved downhill with the ice.

Question 10

Bulldozing

Answer 10

is when rocks and debris, found in front of the glacier, are pushed downhill by the sheer force of the moving ice.

Question 11

Rotational slip

Answer 11

is the circular movement of the ice in the Corrie. Any material carried or
moved by a glacier is
called moraine.

Question 12

Lateral moraine

Answer 12

material deposited along both sides of
the glacier. This moraine is usually made up of weathered material that has fallen
from the valley sides above the glacier.

Question 13

Medial moraine

Answer 13

material deposited in the middle of the glacier. This is caused by the lateral moraines of two glaciers when they meet.

Question 14

Terminal moraine

Answer 14

material deposited at the end of the glacier.

Question 15

ground moraine

Answer 15

consists of an irregular blanket of till deposited under a glacier. Composed mainly of clay and sand, it is the most widespread deposit of continental glaciers.

Question 16

What Glacial landforms are created by deposition?

Answer 16

The name given to all material deposited by a glacier is called glacial
till or boulder clay.

Question 17

Roche moutonnée

Answer 17

these have a steep and jagged face which has been created by plucking on the sloping side (lee side). On the steep
side, the land is smoothed and polished by the ice through abrasion.

Question 18

Erratic’s

Answer 18

these are rocks that have been deposited by the glacier. They are usually made of a rock type that would not be found in that
area. This suggests that erratic’s can be carried from an area of different geology.

Question 19

Drumlins

Answer 19

glaciers can move moraine around in unusual ways which produce interesting features. Drumlins are mounds of deposited moraine. They have a steep side and a sloping side. They can be small or large. They are sometimes described as having a ‘basket of eggs’ topography because of the unusual landscape they create.

Question 20

What are Granite Landforms?

Answer 20

The main granite landforms are tors, which can be found on moors such as
Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor. Tors are blocks of granite that have weathered slower than the granite around them, because they have less joints and faults.

Question 21

How are the Tors on Dartmoor formed?

Answer 21

The granite seen on Dartmoor originated as a granite batholith, under the surface of the earth. A batholith is an area of molten rock that has cooled very slowly within the crust, creating a rock with large crystals. Over time the material above the batholith was weathered and removed by rivers and
glaciers. As this material was removed there was a reduction of pressure on the granite as there was less above it. This caused it to crack creating joints
(vertical cracks) and bedding planes (horizontal cracks). Where the joints
were close together the most rapid weathering occurred, and quickly broke
down the rock. However, there were also areas where there were very few
joints and so slower weathering occurred. The main form of weathering is freeze-thaw. As this process continued over millions of years, the overlying material was totally removed, leaving behind the tors
and valleys seen on Dartmoor.

Question 22

What are Limestone Landforms?

Answer 22

One of the largest areas of limestone in the UK is found in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, near Malham. The structure of limestone is like building blocks, with joints (vertical) and bedding planes (horizontal) separating the blocks. Most weathering takes place between the blocks where the
acidic rainwater can penetrate: limestone is a pervious rock.

Question 23

How is the Limestone pavement at Malham formed?

Answer 23

Where limestone has been exposed during periods of glaciation and the top
soil has been scraped away to expose the bare rock underneath. Limestone is a sedimentary rock that is made up of horizontal cracks called bedding planes and vertical cracks called joints. Limestone is made of Calcium Carbonate which is dissolved by rainfall which is a weak acid. This process is called chemical weathering. A limestone pavement is formed when rain
water seeps through the joints and dissolves the limestone on each side
making the joint wider. The cracks are called grykes and the blocks are called clints.

Question 24

What is the landscape of the North and South Downs?

Answer 24

About 75 million years ago, during the cretaceous period, Britain was covered by
warm, tropical seas resulting in the deposition of marine deposits that created the chalk foundations of the North and South Downs. The Weald is an area of
upland landscape in lowland southern Britain, in Kent and Sussex. It is about 250m above sea level and was originally an anticline of folded rocks that has been exposed to much weathering. This weathering has resulted in different layers of strata being exposed, with more resistant rocks such as chalk being exposed as escarpments. This gives a scarp and vale landscape between the North and South Downs.

Question 25

How has human activity helped create distinctive UK Landscapes?

Answer 25

85% of the NP is farmed with approx.1100 farms. Chalk grassland is ideal for grazing sheep because the grass is short whereas the clay grassland is more suitable for dairy cows because the grass is long. The south facing slopes are suitable for arable farming e.g. Wheat.

Question 26

What are the advantages and disadvantages of farming in the S. Downs?

Answer 26

Advantages
Income supports the economy and
provides 6% employment in the NP
Arable farming has supported rare
bird species e.g. skylark, partridge
Hedgerows provide wildlife corridors for bats
Disadvantages
Arable farming decline and
changes in practices have dam
aged wildlife habitats
Extensive sheep grazing has led
to scrub encroachment
Decline in chalk grassland due to
the use of chemicals

Question 27

What are the advantages and disadvantages of forestry in the S. Downs?

Answer 27

Deciduous and coniferous woodland unevenly covers a total of 23.8%of the
NP with the west having significantly more than the east.
Advantages
Provide habitats for a diverse
range of wildlife
Timber is a valuable sustainable
product for construction and fuel.
Disadvantages
Removal of woodland for new
development threatening ancient
large-leaved lime woodland
Lack of management is resulting
in a decline in the quality of the

Question 28

What are the impacts of settlements in the South Downs?

Answer 28

Spring-line settlements were built on the naturally formed south slopes, which afforded them shelter. The South Downs is the most populated National Park in the UK with around 120,000 people living there. A large proportion of these people live in urban areas and villages that surround the NP including the UK’s largest market towns,
Lewes, Petersfield and Midhurst. The character of the area originates from the use of local building material. In recent years new developments do not reflect the original traditional character. Some of the
original features have been replaced such as wooden signage with metal ones as well as a decline in local community facilities such as post offices, shops, pubs and schools.