UK Physical Landscapes and Glacial Landscapes Flashcards
Name some rivers in the upland areas of England
Tyne
Eden
Name some rivers in the lowland areas of England
River Thames
River Avon
What is the source of a river
The start of a river
What is the drainage basin
The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries
What is the confluence
Where a tributary joins a larger river
What is the mouth of a river
The end of a river
What is watershed
The edge of a river basin
What is a tributary
A small stream that joins a larger river
What is the long profile
How a river changes in slope (gradient) across its whole course
How many courses of a river are there?
3- Upper, Middle, Lower
How does the long profile of a river change from source to mouth
Landscape/Terrain changes - Steep to flat.
Characteristics of Upper course of river
V-shaped valley, very steep sided and a narrow river channel
Characteristics of Middle course of River
Less steep river valley and a wider river channel
Characteristics of Lower course of river
Flat river valley and a very wide river channel
What landform occurs at Upper course of River Severn
Interlocking Spurs
What landform occurs at middle course of River Severn
Oxbow Lake
What landform occurs at lower course of River Severn
Flood plain
Describe how the cross profile of the river valley changes downstream
The gradient of the river decreases meaning cross profile goes from V shape to Very broad in the lower Course
Describe how the cross profile of a river channel changes downstream
River channel goes from being very narrow to very wide in the lower course
Definition of Erosion
The wearing away of the river’s bank and bed.
Types of Erosion
Attrition, Abrasion, Solution, Hydraulic action
What is Hydraulic action
Hydraulic action is when the force of the river compresses air trapped in cracks in the banks.
What is attrition?
Rocks carried by the river collide with each other and break into smaller pieces
What is Abrasion?
Occurs when rocks carried by the river scrape and rub along river bed and banks.
What is solution?
Slightly acidic water dissolves certain rocks on the banks and river bed.
Transportation methods
Traction,Saltation,Supension,Solution
What is traction
Large rocks/Boulders rolled along the river bed by the force of water of high discharge
What is Saltation
Small rock and sand particles are bounced along the river bed
What is suspension
Fine clay and sand particles are carried in water even at low discharge
What is solution (Transport)
Some minerals dissolve in water.
Why do rivers deposit sediment?
Sediment is deposited as the rivers velocity slows due to friction with land or when a river bursts its banks.
How are Upper course landforms formed
Erosion
How are interlocking spurs formed
Vertical erosion creates v shape valley and narrow channel
Formation of a waterfall
Water runs over hard rock on top of soft rock, Erosion occurs on soft rock, leaving hard rock unsupported causing it to collapse into river bed, this also creates a plunge pool.
How are meanders formed
Erosion undercuts river bank causing a bend.
Why is outer bend of meander higher river velocity
As it is much deeper so there is less friction
How are floodplains and levees formed
By deposition in times of a river flood.
What are leeves
Raised banks right next to river banks
Difference between floodplains and leeves
Leeves are side by side with the river, they are steeper than floodplains but floodplains take up more space
Flood definition
When the amount of water in a river exceeds the capacity of the channel, causing it to burst its banks.
Discharge definition
The volume of water through a river channel; measured at any given point in cubic meters per second.
Human factors affecting flood risk
Urbanisation, Agriculture, Deforestation
Physical factors affecting flood risk
Rock type, basin type and size, soil saturation, precipitation
Hard engineering strategies to prevent flooding and erosion
Dams and reservoirs, flood relief channels
Soft engineering strategies
Flood warnings, Flood plain zoning
What is flood plain zoning
Developments constructed away from flood risk areas
Case study for flood management
Jubilee River flood relief channel
Facts about Jubilee
case study
River Cost 10,000,000 pounds
11.7km long
Jubilee river is 50m wide
330 Million Pound budget
Negative as caused flooding in other areas
Why was this scheme required?
To lower the incidence of flooding in Windsor.
Social and Environmental issues with Jubilee scheme
-other flood relief channels had to be abandoned putting other homes at risk.
-The scheme put other towns at risk
-failed to create a sustainable solution to flooding in the area
When was the last ice age
20,000 years ago
What is freeze-thaw weathering
Where water gets into cracks in rocks, freezes expands breaking the rock.
What is rotational slip
When ice moves in a circular motion, eroding the landscape into bowl shapes.
When does abrasion occur
When bits of rock stuck in the ice grind against the rock below the glacier, wearing it away
When does plucking occur
When meltwater at the base, back or sides of a glacier freezes onto the rock, pulling pieces of rock out.
What is bulldozing
When the ice pushes loose material Infront of it.
Why do glaciers deposit sediment
When the ice melts, the material is deposited on the valley floor.
Characteristics and formation of a corrie
As Ice moves by rotational slip, it erodes the hollow into a steep-sided armchair shape with a lip at the bottom end with a small lake.
Characteristics and formation of an arete
An arete is a narrow, steep-sided ridge, formed by two glaciers in parallel valleys.
The glaciers erode the sides of the valleys sharpening the ridge.
Characteristics and formation of Ribbon Lakes
Ribbon lakes are long thin lakes.
They form after a glacier retreats
They form where softer rock was eroded more than the surrounding hard rock.
Characteristics and formation of a pyramidal peak
A pointed mountain with at least three sides, formed by back-to-back glaciers erode a mountain.
Characteristics and formation of Truncated Spurs
Cliff-like edges on the valley side, formed when ridges of land that stick into the main valley are cut off.
Characteristics and formation of Glacial troughs
They are steep sided valleys with flat bottoms. Start as v shape but turns to U shape as glacier erodes.
Characteristics and formation of Hanging valleys
Valleys formed by tributrary glaciers that flow into main glacier
Glacial trough is eroded more by the larger glacier, so when glaciers melt valley is left at a higher level.
What are moraines
Moraines are landforms made out of till dropped by a glacier as it melts.
Types of moraines
Lateral, Medial, Terminal and Ground
Ground Moraine
Eroded material that was dragged along the base of a glacier and is deposited over a wide area on valley floor
Lateral Moraine
Long mound of material where the side of the glacier was.
Terminal Moraine
At the snout of the glacier, marking furthest point made by the ice
Medial Moraine
material deposited in the centre of the valley floor
What are drumlins
Drumlins are elongated hills of glacial deposits, pointed and gently sloping at the downstream end.
What are erratics
Erratics are rocks that have been picked up by a glacier, carried along and dropped in an area that has a different rock type.
An example of a UK upland area affected by glaciation
Snowdonia, Lake District
Economic, Social and environmental impacts of tourism in glacial landscapes
Economic: Positive impact
-Offers employment to locals
-Less positive impacts such as high house prices forcing locals out
-price of goods and services is often higher.
Social: Increased traffic
-Shops now sell gifts and goods for tourists less stuff for locals
-Holiday homes not occupied all year round
Environmental:
-Footpath erosion
-Littering
-Wildlife disturbed
Economic uses of farming
in glacial landscapes:
-Sheep farming as poor soils limit other types of farming.
-Cattle kept on flatter valley floors
-Grass is grown to make hay to feed animals.
Economic uses of Forestry in glacial landscapes:
Coniferous forests are often planted in upland areas due to coping with cold weather and high rainfall.
-Trees used for timber and building materials
Economic uses of Quarrying in Glacial Landscapes:
-The erosion left by glaciers left lot of rock exposed, making it more accessible
-Glacial landscapes are quarried for slate, granite and limestone
Economic uses of Tourism in glacial landscapes
Glaciated areas have dramatic landscapes, attracting tourists.
-activites such as rock climbing, boating and hiking
Conflict causes by farming, quarrying, tourism and forestry
Farming: Grazing removes vegetation
-Some farmers try to block footpaths to prevent tourists on their land
Quarrying:
-Conservationists destroy habitats and damage local wildlife
-Local residents don’t like the noise caused
Tourism:
-Tourists damage stone walls, scare sheep, leave gates open causing conflict with farmers
Forestry:
-Harvesting trees damages habitats and scares wildlife
-Coniferous forests won’t attract tourists as lack of biodiversity.
Case study for Glacial landscapes
Lake District
Facts about case study (Lake District)
-42,000 permanent residents.
-15.8 million tourists a year
-tourists spend 925 million yearly
Social, environmental, Economic impacts of tourism
Social:
-House prices increasing for locals
-traffic problems (89% travel by car)
-Conflict between farmers and tourists
Environmental:
-Footpath erosion
- Littering
-Air pollution
Economic:
-Locals forced out of homes due to rising prices
-Goods and services become more expensive due to higher demand
Solution to problems (case study in lake district)
-Controlled parking zones
-providing affordable homes
-putting gravel around footpaths to prevent erosion
-Zoning schemes
