UK's physical landscape Flashcards
what are the 4 transportation methods
traction
saltation
suspension
solution
what type of waves deposit load
constructive waves
which factors reduce wave energy
sheltered spots (bays)
calm conditions
gentle gradient offshore causing friction
which landscapes result from deposition
beaches
spits
bars
how are beaches formed
accumulations of sand and shingle formed by deposition and shaped by erosion, transportation and deposition
what factors affect the rate of erosion
geological structure (soft and hard rocks occurring together)
wave climate (strength, direction, height and fetch)
tidal range (height difference between low and high tides)
groundwater levels ( saturated cliffs are more vulnerable)
what is a discordant coast
alternates in layers perpendicular to sea, forming bats and headlands
what is a concordant coast
made of the same rock type parallel to sea
how are bays formed
by rapid erosion of soft rock
how are headlands formed
because they are hard rock they resist the erosion unlike the soft rock that forms bays but once formed they are then more vulnerable to erosion because more wave energy is concentrated there
what is the order before a stump forms
fault, cave, arch, stack, stump
what is mass movement
downhill movement of material under the influence of gravity
what is hydraulic action
weight and impact of water against the coastline that will erode the coast. also waves compress air in cracks in rocks forcing them apart
what is abrasion
breaking waves throw sand and pebbles against the coast during storms
what is attrition
the rocks and pebbles carried by the waves rub together and break down into smaller pieces
what is solution
chemical action by seawater on some rocks e.g. limestone
identify and explain an expanple of mechanical weathering
freeze thaw
when it freezes water in cracks in rocks expands and over time the crack widens and pieces fall off
identify and explain an example of chemical weathering
acid rain and carbonation
limestone is dissolved by carbonation (CO2) in the atmosphere combined with rainwater to form carbonic acid. this changed calcium carbonate into calcium bicarbonate which is carried away by water
identify and explain an example of biological weathering
when tree roots widen gaps in rocks which then speeds up mechanical or chemical weathering
what is a spit
narrow projection of sand or shingle that are attached to the land at one end or. they extend across a bay or estuary. formed by longshore drift
what is a bad
formed in the same way as a spit with longshore drift depositing material away from the coast until a long ridge is built up. bars grow right across a bay cutting off the water to form a lagoon
how does industry affect the environment
can cause air/ soil/ water/ noise pollution
can destroy natural habitats
how does agriculture affect the environment
increased soil erosion
increased sedimentation
how does development impact the coast
weight of buildings increases cliff vulnerability
changes in drainage increase saturation
how does coastal management affect the coast
can increase erosion further along the coastline
helps reduce the risk of coastal flooding
how does climate change affect waves
storm frequency and strength increases which increases height and strength of waves
how does climate change affect low lying areas
as sea levels rise the lowland areas are more at risk of flooding
what are 3 examples of sedimentary rocks
chalk
carboniferous limestone
clay
what is an example of igneous rocks
granite
what are 2 examples of metamorphic rocks
schists
slate
what is a corrie
a post glacial feature formed where a glacier used to be
what are crags
exposed rock faces that are vulnerable to weathering where rock fragments beak off
how are scree slopes formed
when rock fragments fall off crags and fall to the base of the cliff
what forms a u shaped valley
a glacier
what is silt
material that is eroded from a river channel and transported
how is a flat floodplain formed
when there is prolonged heavy rain and the rivers flood and water spreads out all over the valley floor and deposits silt which forms a floodplain
how are meanders formed
river used up surplus energy by swinging one way and the other causing lateral erosion on the outside of bends and deposition on the insides
how is an oxbow lake formed
when the insides of meanders are continually eroded and get closer and closer until it breaks off forming a c shaped oxbow lake
what are levees
increased deposition on river bed
what is a delta
an area of flat new land that is created when sediment is deposited when river reaches sea and it builds up
what is soil creep
particles of soil slowly move down the sides of valleys under the influence of gravity
what is slumping
when valley sides are eroded by the river making the sides steeper and increasing the downward movement of material
