Unit 1 - Section C - Physical landscapes of the U.K Flashcards
Where are the majority of igneous rocks located?
.North Scotland
.Snowdonia
.Wales
Where are the majority of metamorphic rocks located?
.North Scotland
Where are the majority of sedimentary rocks located?
.East England
Where are the U.K upland areas found and what is the main rock type found?
.North and West of the country
.Igneous rocks (granite) and metamorphic (Slate) which are resistant to erosion
Where are the U.K lowland areas located and what is the main rock type found?
.South and East of the country
.Sedimentary rocks like chalk and clay which erode easily
What are examples of upland areas in the U.K.?
.Lake district
What are examples of lowland areas in the U.K.?
.Lancashire
.Chesire
Define the term coast
The interface between land and sea. They are the dynamic zone where the land meets the sea and where coastal processes operate
Define the term fetch
The distance the wind has blown the wave
Define the term crest
Highest point on a wave
Define the term trough
Lowest point on a wave
Define the term wave length
Distance between each crest
Define the term wave height
The distance between the top of the crest and the bottom of the trough
Define the term breaking wave
A wave that has hit the beach
Define the term swash
Water that travels up the beach after the wave has broken
Define the term backwash
Water that travels back down to the sea by gravity
What are the two types of wave
.Constructive wave
.Destructive wave
What is a constructive wave?
Constructive waves are low waves that surge up the beach and spill with a powerful swash. They deposit large amounts of materials and construct the beach
What is a destructive wave?
Destructive waves are formed by local storms close to the beach. They are close together and produce a swirling mass of water. They become high and steep but then plunge down onto the beach
What are the properties of destructive waves?
.Close together
.Steep wave front
.Breaking wave plunges downwards
.Steep beach
What are the properties of constructive waves?
.Far apart
.Gently sloping
.Breaking wave spills forward
Define the term hydraulic action
Waves crash against rock and compress the air in cracks. The air then expands and this puts pressure on the rock. This repeats and causes cracks to widen and bits of rock to break off
Define the term abrasion
Eroded particles in the water scrape and rub against rock removing pieces
Define the term attrition
Eroded particles in the water collide. They then break into smaller pieces and become more rounded and smooth
Define the term mechanical weathering
The breaking down of rock without changing its chemical composition
What happens in freeze thaw weathering
.Water enters the crack of a rock
.The water then freezes which expands the rock
.This puts pressure on the rock
.The water then thaws
.This process repeats and the crack widens causing some rock to break off
Define the term chemical weathering
The breakdown of rock by changing its chemical composition
What is mass movement?
The shifting of rocks and loose materials down a slope
How does chemical weathering occur?
Rainwater which is slightly acidic slowly dissolves certain rock like chalk and limestone
What are the three types of mass movement?
.Slumping
.Sliding
.Rockfall
How does slumping occur?
.Since clay is impermeable
.If it rains water sits on top of the clay
.This adds weight to it and the combined weight of water and gravity causes the clay to slump
How does rockfall occur?
.Weathering causes rocks to become loose
.They then slide down the cliff if they break off
How does landslide occur?
.Material shifts in a straight line along a slide plane
.This often happens when there is a wave cut notch at the bottom of the cliff
What is longshore drift?
.Longshore drift occurs when the waves hit the coast at an oblique angle
.The swash carries material up the beach in the direction of the wave
.The backwash carries the material down the beach at right angles towards the sea due to gravity
.Over time material zigzags along the coast
What are the four transportation methds?
.Traction
.Saltation
.Suspension
.Solution
What is traction?
.Large load like boulders are rolled along the sea bed by the force of water
What is saltation?
Pebble sized particles are bounced along the sea bed by the force of water
What is suspension?
Small particles are carried along the water
What is solution (transport)?
Soluble materials are dissolved in the water and carried along
What is deposition?
When the sediment is placed down
When does deposition occur?
.Deposition occurs when the water carrying sediment loses energy and slows down
.There is erosion further along the coast as there’s more material to place
.Lots of material is transported
What is a concordant coastline?
When the alternating bands of rock are parallel to the coast
What is a discordant coastline?
When the alternating bands of hard of soft rock are at right angles to the coast
What are some examples of erosional landforms on the coast?
.Headlands
.Bays
.Cave
.Arch
.Stack
.Stump
.Wave cut platforms
Explain the formation of a headland and bay
.Headlands and bays form when there is a discordant coastline and there is less resistant rock in between more resistant rock
.The less resistant rock erodes quicker then the more resistant rock forming a bay with a gentle slope
.Because the more resistant rock takes longer to erode headlands form with steep sides
Explain the formation of the: Cave, arch, stack and stump sequence
.Headlands typically contain loads of cracks (lines of weakness)
.Waves crash into the headlands
.Because of abrasion and hydraulic action these widen the cracks
.This repeats forming a cave
.Abrasion and hydraulic action continue deepening and widening the cave
.As a result the water breaks through the cave forming an arch
.Abrasion and hydraulic action continue wearing down the rock supporting the arch
.Consequently because of gravity the arch collapses which forms a stack
.Eventually wave cut notches form causing the stack to to collapse which form a stump
Explain the formation of a wave cut platform
.Abrasion and hydraulic action occur at the foot/base of a cliff
.Consequently a wave cut notch forms over time
.Abrasion and hydraulic action cause the wave cut notch to enlarge
.Eventually the cliff will collapse and the material gets cleared
.This process repeats and consequently a wave cut platform is formed