Geography - Paper 2 Topic 4 - The UK's evolving physical landscape

Are flood walls soft or hard engineering?

hard

define erosion

the process of removing material from a beach

define deposition

the process of building a beach with sand/pebbles and other material

define transportation

the process of material/sediment/sand and pebbles being moved by waves

define solution (weathering), give an example

a form of chemical weathering where minerals are broken down, often by weak acids.

calcium carbonate in chalk and limestone is dissolved into acidic sea or rainwater, weakening the rock

define abrasion

pebbles and stones are flung up by breaking waves onto cliffs, particularly powerfully during storms, breaking down the cliffs. (often known and the sandpaper effect)

define attrision

particles are reduced in size and rounded off by colliding with one another in the waves. Erosion grinds down the cliff-fall material

define hydraulic action

erosion caused by water being forced into the cracks in the rock, and the shock of this pressure weakens and breaks rocks.

define a consructive wave

low frequency, low power waves, which have elliptical wave motion, with powerful swash (to bring material) and a weaker backwash (so the material isn't washed away). They build beaches through deposition

define a destructive wave

high frequency, high energy waves, which have circular water motion, and a weaker swash and more powerful backwash. They erode.

Define swash

movement of water up the beach as a wave reaches the shore

define backwash

The water that flows back towards the sea after a wave has broken

what is a fetch

the distance of uninterrupted water surface over which the wind has blown to create waves. Longer fetch = higher energy waves

what is a disconcordant coastline?

bands of different rock run perpendicular to the coast. The differing resistence to erosion leads to the formation of headlands and bays

what is a concordant coastline?

the same type of rock along its length. concordant coastlines tend to have few bays and headlands

describe the formation of a stump. (a chain of rock/cliff forms created by erosion)

fault -> crack -> arch -> stack -> stump

what is a headland and how is it formed?

a piece of cliff jutting out to sea. It is made of more resistent rock than that eroded from bays, so is eroded much more slowly

what is a bay and how i it formed?

a bay is a concave area in the coast, which was made of softer rock, so eroded more quickly

give two examples of biological weathering

trees - roots break into and weaken rock, and when leaves break down they release acids which contribute to chemical weathering

rabbits- burrow into the ground, weakening rocks

what is a rockfall?

Fragments of rock break away from the cliff face, often due to freeze-thaw weathering. Occurs often when the cliff has been undercut and broken down by waves at the base, leaving the top unsupported.

What is slumping?

the movement of sediment, often rotational, along a curved surface. The rain seeps through soil and permeable rock until it meets an impermeable surface, where the saturated rock slumps and slips

what is sliding (mass movement)

similar to slumping, but along a flat surface, usually a bedding plane. large amounts of soil and rock move downslope rapidly.

What are sub-aerial processes?

land based processes which alter the shape of the coastline, a combination of weathering and mass movement.

what is freeze-thaw weathering?

water gets into cracks in rocks and freezes in the cold nights and expands, forcing the rocks to break.

what is salt-cracking

sea water gets into cracks in rocks and evaporates, leaving behind salt crystals which expand and force the rock to break.

what is longshore drift?

the zig-zag movement of sediment along the coast by wave action - the swash brings the sediment into the beach at an angle, and then it is taken back by th backwash, which is perpendicular to the coast.

how are beaches formed?

when material is transported by longshore drift and deposited by constructive waves.

How are spits formed?

when longshore drift occurs on a coastline. when the coastline ends, the sea deposits the material because the change in depth affects the currents and therefore the sediment cannot settle further out to the sea or river, meaning it does not outstretch to another piece of land

What are spits?

long and narrow ridge of sand and shingle, one end of which is attatched tot he land, whilst the other end projects across a gap in the coastline.

what is igneous rock

Rock formed from melting rock turning into magma then cooling.

What is sedimentary rock

Made up of sediments

Loose materials such as rock fragments, mineral grains, and organic materials that have been moved by wind, water, gravity, or ice - Form when sediments are pressed and cemented together.

What is metamorphic rock?

An igneous or sedimentary rock changed by heat and pressure. They are typically very strong, and resistent to erosion and weathering.

Describe the geology of the top half of the UK?

mainly igneous and metamorphic rocks form upland landscapes

Describe the geology of the bottom half of the UK?

mostly sedimentary rocks form lowland landscapes

what is the tees-exe line?

A line dividing the UK into 2 parts: to the North of the line and the south and east of the line

How did glaciaton affect the top half of the UK?

Massive ice sheets pressed down on the landscape and eroded it to form differently shaped landscapes - eg a sheet may press into a landscape at a dertain point, and form a horizontal ridge, then may melt slightly, and form one further down as it erodes further.

How did glaciation affect the bottom half of the UK?

Clay, sands and silts eroded by glaciers in the top half were dumped and washed over southern areas, leaving it there. The south was frozen, but it was not ice-covered.

Describe chalk, and where it is found

It is strong and permeable, and forms cliffs where it occurs at coastlines. It is only found in lowland Britain.

Decribe clay, and where it is found

It is weak and impermeable, and is found all over britain. Clay landscapes are typically wide, flat plains with lots of lakes, streams and rivers.

What type of rock is granite?

igneous - it is formed from quartz

Describe Granite and features of granite landscapes

Granite is hard and resistent to erosion, but is susceptible to chemical erosion. It is also impermeable and granite landscapes are badly drained, and boggy.

What are tors?

A feature of granite landscapes - towers of granite chemically weathered into rocks.

What type of rock is metamorphic?

metamorphic

Describe slate

Slate is formed from clay, and layers in the original clay form weak planes in the slate.

Describe schists

a metamorphic rock formed from shale. they split easily.

describe carboniferous limestone

it is permeable and chemically weathered by rainwater. Limestone landscapes have distinctive features, and are often associated with underground caves.

How were parallel landscape scars formed? (lines along hills)

They are abandoned shorelines of an ancient glacial lake from the last ice age. The shore would have eroded the cliff at a certain point, then the glacier grew, causing another line of erosion on the cliff.

define corrie/cirque

a round hollow made in the side of a mountain made by a glacier

define arête

a sharp mountain ridge that has been shaped by a glacier

define a tarn

mountain lake or pool, formed in a cirque excavated by a glacier

what is a hanging valley

a valley that is cut across by a deeper valley

What is a U-shaped valley?

a wide valley carved by a glacier, with steep sides and a rounded or flat valley bottom

What is plucking

this occurs when rocks and stones become frozen to the base or sides of glaciers, and are plucked from the ground or rock form as the glacier moves, leaving a jagged landscape.

what is a misfit river

a river too nig or small to have eroded the valley in which it flows

What is a dry valley?

a valle cut by water erosion, but containing no permanent surface stream

What is weathering?

how physical (weather), chemical (acid in rain), or biological (plants and animals) actions brea down solid rock

What are post-glacial river processes?

after glaciers are gone, rivers are left in their valleyd to shape and create distinctive landscapes

What are post-glacial slope processes?

Processes by which soil, sand and rock move downslope typically as a mass , largely under the force of gravity, but frequently affected by weathering.

How has weathering affeced the lake district?

• ground has been made rough by scree (angular rock fragments created by freeze-thaw weathering)

• in the Winter, when water goes into cracks in the rock, freezes, and expands, pressure is put on the rocks, which breaks it into fragments - scree

How have slope processes affected the lake district?

• scree fragments are unstable and move frequently during rockfalls

• common landslide - the lake district is the Uk's wettest region with over 200mm of rainfall per year, adding weight to weathered rock so it sides easily.

How have post-glacial river processes affected the lake district?

• rivers can now flow in valley bottoms, created by glaciers

• they are much smaller than the valleys they sit in so are misfit rivers

• they deposit silt and mud in valley bottoms, making them fertile for farming.

how are bars formed?

formed when the extended end of a spit continues to grow as deposition continues in a straight line across the entrance to a bay or river. The water behind it is trapped, forming a lagoon

What are the three trpe of human activity which influence UK landscapes?

forestry, settlements and agriculture

How does agriculture affect UK landscapes?

• trees are cleared to make way for crops

How does forestry affect UK landscapes?

naturally, the UK would be covered with deciduous woodland, however there are conifer plantations featuring in some UK landscapes, which are planted for timber production

What is your coastal case study?

The Holderness Coast

Describe the rate of erosion in the Holderness Coast

• highest rate of erosion in Europe, over 1m per year

Over history, how many villages at the Holderness Coast have been lost to sea?

Over 20

Describe the location of the Holderness Coast

It is in the country of East Yorkshire/ Humberside, and its nearest city is Kingston-upon-Hull. It is on the East coast of England , and is in the North Sea. It stretches for 60km.

Whya re residents and business holders concerned about erosion/ measures taken at the Holderness Coast?

They worry that defenses built upshore will reduce beach size and protection, they want an integrated approach which involves everyone affected.

Why are local politicians and the council concerned about erosion/ measures taken at the Holderness Coast?

They need the support of all local people so have to be careful not to favour one group more than another, they want effective coastal protection, but not at any price.

Why are local people living further inland concerned about erosion/ measures taken at the Holderness Coast?

They are unaffected by the coastal erosion, but have concerns that local taxes will be driven up due to the costs of coastal protection, and would prefer low-cost options, and do not wish for low cost land like farmland to be protected.

Why are environmentalists concerned about erosion/ measures taken at the Holderness Coast?

They fear that habitats and sensitive ecosystems will be affected by coastal defences, they prefer a "do nothing" approach, or soft engineering.

Whya re coastal residents and business owners down drift concerned about erosion/ measures taken at the Holderness Coast?

they prefer a "hold the line" policy to protect their homes, businesses and tourist sites. Most prefer expensive hard engineering.

How has developent affected the Coast?

• changes in drainage increase saturation

-raises interest in protecting coastal landscapes

-weight of buildings increases coastal vulnerability

How has industry affected the Coast?

• can destroy natural habitats

• can cause and increase soil, air, water and noise pollution

• brings wealth and jobs to the area

How has agriculture affected the Coast?

• increased soi erosion

• wildlife habitats may be created and preserved

• increased sedimentation

How has tourism affected the coast?

• increased desire to protect and preserve landscapes so tourism can continue

-increased development for hotels/ campsites impacts on natural environment (e.g. in/decreasing erosion, transportation, deposition and mass movement)

• increase revenue benefits for residents

What is hard engineering?

man made structures built to control the flow of the sea to reduce erosion and flooding

what is soft engineering

using knowledge of coastal processes to reduce the effects of flooding and erosion. Tends to be more in-keeping with the environment

What is sustainable engineering

engineering that is long term, meets the needs of different people, reduced economic costs and environment is protected

How does amodern sea wall help manage the coast?

the curved shape helps to deflect wave energy, and can last up to 75 years. Expensive, but last longer than flat falls bc they deflect energy instead of absorbing it. Hard engingeering

How do groynes work?

wooden or concrete barriers built at right angles to the beach, trapping sand to prevent longshore drift - hard engineering

How does slope stabalisation work?

reducing the slope angle of the cliff and planting vegetation. the roots are supposed to add stabilisation. Soft engineering

How does beach replenishment work?

Sand and sediment is imported and placed on the beach to build material in order to dissipate wave energy, protecting cliffs behind it. SOft engineering, expensive.