Module 1

• waterfall and gorge

  • hard rock lies on top of soft rock
  • soft rock erodes quickly due to hydraulic action, abrasion and solution
  • creates an overhang of hard rock which eventually falls due to gravity
  • hard rock erodes the river bed through erosion leaving a plunge pool
  • this repeats and the waterfall retreats leaving a steep sided gorge
• Meander

  • outer bend - faster water, erosion, lateral erosion, leaves a river cliff
  • inner bend - slow water, deposition, leaving a slip-off slope
  • bends form in the river
• levees and floodplains

  • the river floods onto the land either side of the river
  • water loses energy and deposits sediment
  • the larger sediment is deposited on the river banks forming natural flood defences (levees)
  • the smaller sediment (alluvium) is deposited further away from the river forming a flood plain
• geomorphic processes - erosion

  • hydraulic action - water and air enter the cracks in the cliffs causing the cracks to expand and break apart
  • abrasion - material scratches against a surface wearing it away
  • attrition - rocks collide eroding each other away and making the smoother and rounder
  • solution - dissolves softer rock
• geomorphic processes - weathering

  • biological - plant roots and burrowing animals create cracks in the rock and cause them to expand
  • chemical - breakdown of rocks by acid rain
  • mechanical (freeze-thaw) - water gets into cracks then freezes and expands forcing the rocks apart
• geomorphic processes - transportation

  • traction - large boulders rolled along the sea bed
  • saltation - smaller pebbles bounce along the sea bed
  • suspension - fine sediment is suspended in the water and floats along
  • solution - dissolved rocks are carried along by the water
• geomorphic processes - mass movement

  • sliding - waves erodes the base of a slope making it unstable so the material eventually falls due to gravity
  • slumping - rock is saturated increasing the weight of the rock wich them falls due to gravity
• characteristics of lowland areas

  • flat relief
  • higher annual temperatures
  • lower annual rainfall
  • arable / dairy farming
  • fertile soil
  • urban areas
  • levees / floodplains
• characteristics of upland areas

  • steep relief
  • lower annual temperatures
  • higher annual rainfall
  • hill sheep farming
  • infertile soil
  • rural areas
  • v-shaped valley
  • waterfalls / gorges
• headlands and bays

  • coastline is made from alternating hard and soft rock (discordant)
  • destructive waves attack the coastline and erode away (hydraulic action, abrasion) the soft rock first forming a bay
  • the hard rock erodes slower so is left sticking out forming a headland
• coastal stack

  • crack is formed in the headland due to destructive waves
  • further erosion widens the crack forming a cave
  • the cave erodes through the other side of the headland creating an arch
  • the roof of the arch collapses due to gravity and lack of support leaving behind a stack
• spit

  • long shore drift transports sediment along the beach
  • sediment is transported along the beach until the coastline changes direction or there is a river mouth
  • transportation continues and the sediment is deposited out to sea creating a spit
  • the prevailing wind direction forms a hook on the end of the spit and a salt marsh forms behind
• beach

  • constructive waves
  • strong swash to carry sediment onto the beach
  • large sediment - back of beach
  • smaller sediment - closer to shore line