GCSE geography 10 - landscapes of the uk

describe the distribution of upland areas in the uk

describe the distribution of upland areas in the uk

• north-west of the tees-exe line

• more commonly found in wales and ireland than england

• largest upland area found in scotland

• most coastal areas have no upland areas

describe what an upland area is

• area of elevated land

• contains hills and mountains rising above the landscape

• often over 600m above sea level

describe the distribution of lowland areas in the uk

• south-east of tees-exe line

• most commonly found in england

• frequently found in coastal areas

describe what a lowland area is

• area close to the sea

• generally below 200m above sea level

• landscape is often flat and rolling

describe the distribution of glaciated areas in the uk

• north-west of tees-exe line

• mostly found in scotland

describe what a glaciated area is

• area where glaciers once where

• landscape filled with eroded peaks and ridges

• generally faces colder temperatures

identify the general geology of upland areas

igneous rocks

identify the general climate of upland areas

• lower temperatures

• high rainfall

• windy

identify the human uses of upland areas

• cattle farming

• tourism

• water management

identify the general geology of lowland areas

sedimentary rock

identify the general climate of lowland areas

• lower temperatures

• low rainfall

identify the human uses of lowland areas

• arable farming

• urban development

identify the general geology of glaciated areas

thin soils and expose bedrock

identify the general climate of glaciated areas

• windy

• very low temperatures

identify the human uses of glaciated areas

• forestry

• pastoral farming

• quarrying

• tourism

what are the main geomorphic processes

• erosion

• mass movement

• transportation

• weathering

• deposition

what are the four types of erosion

• hydraulic action

• abrasion

• attrition

• solution

what are the four types of transportation

• saltation

• suspension

• traction

• solution

what are the three types of weathering

• mechanical

• biological

• chemical

what are the two types of mass movement

• sliding

• slumping

describe what hydraulic action is

• force of flowing water

• compresses air into cracks in rock

• air expands explosively out

• as pressure is released by receding water

describe what abrasion is

• sediment carried by river

• thrown against river banks

• which erodes it away

describe what attrition is

• rocks carried by river knocking against each other

• rough edges are knocked off

• causing rocks to become smaller and smoother

describe what solution is (erosion + transportation)

• minerals dissolve in water

• water becomes slightly acidic

describe what suspension is

• fine light material

• carried along by river

describe what traction is

• large boulders/rocks

• roll along river bed

describe what saltation is

• small pebbles/stones

• bounce along river bed

describe what mechanical weathering is

physical changes that cause the rock to break down

describe what biological weathering is

when plants, animals or microorganisms weaken rocks by creating fault lines in the rock

describe what chemical weathering is

when less resistant rock is dissolved in the acid in rain and sea water

describe how a waterfall forms

• the rock has a band of erosion resistant rock on top of a band of less erosion resistant rock

• as the water flows over the rock, the less resistant rock is eroded by hydraulic action and abrasion

• this creates an overhang as the resistant rock has been undercut

• due to its increased gravitational potential energy, the overhang will collapse and fall into the plunge pool at the bottom of the waterfall due to mass movement

• this means the waterfall retreats upstream

describe how a gorge is formed

it is created when a waterfall retreats upstream, leaving a steep-sided valley (gorge)

describe how a v-shaped valley is formed

• occurs in the upper course of a river where there is steep relief

• steep relief causes water to have high GPE and flow quickly downhill

• hydraulic action, abrasion and solution erode the river bed and the channel sides

• sediment is transported downstream by the river

• this results in a steep-sided v-shaped valley

describe how a floodplain is formed

• this occurs in the lower course where there is flat relief and an increased volume of water

• during a flood, the excess material being carried by the river is deposited on either side of the river

• this happens as the river loses the energy to transport the sediment

describe how a levee is formed

• occurs in the lower course due to the increased volume of water downstream (allows for flooding)

• sediment is transported from upstream and deposited on the floodplain

• over time, the height of the river banks is increased

• this means the channel can carry more water

describe how a meander is formed

• occurs in the middle course where there is a higher volume of water with a high velocity

• the river erodes laterally

• the force of the water erodes the river bank on the outside of the bend where water flow has most energy due to decreased friction

• this forms a river cliff

• on the inside of each bend, as there is more friction, the river flow is slower and material is deposited

• this forms a slip off slope

describe how an oxbow lake is formed

• forms on a meander

• erosion narrows the neck of the meander

• over time, this causes the neck of the meander to become closer together

• deposition also occurs at the neck of the meander

• over time, the deposition cuts off the meander from the river

• this forms an oxbow lake

describe how a headland is formed

• occurs on a discordant coastline with bands of alternating rock

• within the alternating rock, there are bands of more and less erosion resistant rock types

• due to differential erosion, the less resistant rock will erode whereas the more resistant rock won’t

• this results in a headland sticking out on the coastline

what is a concordant coastline

a coastline where the different bands of rock are parallel to the coast

what is a discordant coastline

a coastline where the different bands of rock are perpendicular to the coast

describe how a bay is formed

• occurs on a discordant coastline with bands of alternating rock

• within the alternating rock, there are bands of more and less erosion resistant rock types

• due to differential erosion, the less resistant rock will erode whereas the more resistant rock won’t

• this results in a bay forming in the curve behind a headland

describe how a cave is formed

• occurs when lines of weakness in headlands are widened by hydraulic action and abrasion

• over time, erosion of the walls of these lines of weakness widens it more to form a cave

describe how an arch is formed

• over time, as the cave is eroded further, it breaks through the headland

• this forms an arch in the headland

describe how a stack is formed

• as the base of the arch continues to be eroded away, the GPE of the roof of the arch increases

• as the base of the arch can no longer hold the roof up, it collapses into the sea

• this forms a stack, not attached to the headland

describe how a stump is formed

• as the stack is undercut by erosion, it collapses into the sea

• this creates a stump

describe how a beach is formed

• made when eroded material carried by the sea is deposited (usually in bays) when the water loses energy

• made by constructive waves

describe how a spit is formed

• occurs when there is a change in direction of the coastline

• sediment carried by longshore drift is deposited to create a long, thin ridge of material when the coastline direction changes

• this is the spit

location of river tees

north of england, the pennines

rock type found in source of the river tees

• peat soils

• sands

• shales

climate at source of river tees

• heavy snowfall

• low temperatures

• heavy rainfall

rock type found in upper course of the river tees

limestone

landforms in upper course of river tees

• reservoir (cow green reservoir)

• v-shaped valley

• waterfall (high force)

• interlocking spurs

key processes in upper course of river tees

• vertical erosion

• freeze thaw weathering

explain how humans affect the landscape in the upper course of the river tees

• sheep farming is common as these are the only livestock that can survive the climate

• trees have to be cut down for sheep farming

• decreases biodiversity

• increased erosion of landscape

explain how humans affect geomorphic processes in the upper course of the river tees

• the reservoir controls how much water flows through the river

• this can increase or decrease velocity

• which impacts the rate of erosion, transportation and deposition downstream

• it also affects whether or not areas downstream will flood or not

• this impacts the development of levees and floodplains

rock type found in middle course of the river tees

limestone

landforms in middle course of the river tees

• meanders

• oxbow lakes

key processes in middle course of the river tees

• hydraulic action

• abrasion

• deposition

• transportation

explain how humans affect the landscape in the middle course of the river tees

• arable farming is common here

• pesticides can run into river through surface runoff

rock type found in lower course of the river tees

• sandstone

• alluvium deposits

landforms in lower course of the river tees

• floodplains

• levees

• estuaries

key processes in the lower course of river tees

• deposition

• transportation

• lateral erosion

explain how humans impact the landscape in the lower course of the river tees

• ports in yarm

• reclaimed land for industry

explain how humans impact geomorphic processes in the upper course of the river tees

• more resistant rocks in upper course therefore steeper sided valleys

• limestone is porous so more infiltration and less surface runoff

• limestone reacts with rainwater = chemical weathering

• different rock hardness at high force means differential rates of erosion

location of jurassic coast

south of england, bournemouth

climate of jurassic coast

• mid temperatures (lowest in february, highest in july)

• rainfall is lower (lowest in july, highest in december)

geology of jurassic coast

• concordant coastline

• alternating bands of cretaceous chalk, wealden clay and portland limestone

landforms of jurassic coast

• peveril point (headland)

• swanage bay

• old harry rocks (stacks and stumps)

• durdle door (arch)

• durlston head (headland)

key processes on jurassic coast

• erosion (differential erosion on peveril point and swanage bay)

• weathering (biological and mechanical on old harry)

• mass movement (durdle door)

explain how human activity impacts the landscape on the jurassic coast

• hard engineering for erosion management can be unaesthetic for both tourists and locals

• erosion management strategies can affect tourism spots like beaches down the coast

explain how human activity impacts geomorphic processes on the jurassic coast

• management strategies can cause increased longshore drift down the coastline