UK Physical Landscapes

• Upland Landscape


  An area of land at high elevation, usually characterised by maintained landscape
• Lowland Landscape


  An area of land at low elevation, generally flat and featuring a landscape
• Erosion


  The act of weaning away and removing
• Rocks


  • Weathering - The break-up and decay of rocks in their original place largely caused by the elements of weather
• Processes of Weathering


  • Mechanical or Physical Weathering
  • Chemical Weathering
  • Biological Weathering
• Mechanical Weathering


  1. Water freezes in cracks

  2. As it freezes, it expands

  3. This creates pressure which enlarges the cracks

  4. When it melts, it will contract

  5. This is known as freeze-thaw process and is repeating
• Eventually, pieces of rack (scree) breaks off
• PROCESSES OF COASTAL EROSION

  • Hydraulic action
  • Solution
  • Attrition
  • Abrasion
• Hydraulic action


  The sheer power, force and impact of the water against the coastline. It is greatest under storm conditions when hundreds of tonnes of water may hit the rock face.
• Solution


  The chemical action on rocks by seawater and is most effective on limestone rocks, which dissolve and are carried away in solution.
• Attrition


  Particles/material carried by the waves are reduced in size as they collide with the rock face and one another. Boulders, pebbles are broken down into sand-sized particles, which are easier for the waves to carry away
• Abrasion


  The breaking waves throw sand and pebbles against the rock face. These break off pieces of rock and cause undercutting. In large storms boulders will also be fung against the cliff face, causing even greater damage.
• Chemical Weathering

  1. There are acids in the rain that can chemically eat away (dissolve) rocks - especially chalk and limestone

  2. Carbon dioxide dissolves in rain to form weak Carbonic acid

  3. Nitrogen and sulphur oxides can also produce acidic rain that can chemically dissolve locks.
• Biological Weathering


  1. Plant roots can enter tiny cracks and as they grow, they can open up them further

  2. Decaying plant roots also produce acids which can eat away at the rock
• Mass Movement


  The downhill movement of material under the influence of gravity
• Preconditions needed for a spit to form


  • Longshore drift must be moving material
  • The coastline must change direction
  • The sea must be relatively shallow
• Sediment movement pattern


  Moves material in a zig-zag pattern along the coast, side-to-side
• When the coastline changes

  Longshore drift continues
• Feature at the end of a spit

  Will become curved and form a hook
• Destructive waves


  • High in proportion to their height
  • Frequent wave breaking at an average of between 11-15 per minute
  • Erode the most
• Constructive waves


  • Long in relation to their height
  • Break gently, with only 6-9 per minute
  • Add more material than they remove from the coastline
  • The backwash is much stronger than the swash which carries pebbles/rocks out to sea
• Swash


  Carried material up the beach
• Backwash


  Carried material straight back down the beach under gravity